The new European Parliament, elected during on 23rd-26th May met for the first time on 2nd July. It elected its new President, David Sassoli and bureau (14 Vice-Presidents and 5 Quaestors) and the bureaus of the Parliamentary Committees. It is voting on 16th July regarding the presidency of the European Commission. You can consult our special internet site for the names of the latter and the 7 political groups to which the 751 MEPs belong and with whom they will sit until 2024, the name of the chairs and vice-chairs of the political groups and the most recent news regarding the establishment of the parliamentary committees and the election of the Presidency of the European Commission.

On 10th July the European Commission published its summer economic forecast. Growth forecasts for the euro zone remain unchanged for 2019 at 1.2% and have been revised slightly downwards for 2020, at 1.4% against a previous 1.5% in the spring. For the EU as a whole, forecasts remain unchanged at 1.4% in 2019 and 1.6% in 2020. Inflation is forecast to lie at 1.3% in 2019 and 2020 in the euro zone (against a previous 1.4%) and 1.5% in 2019 and 1.6% in 2020 (against a previous 1.6% and 1.7%). External factors - (international trade tension and political uncertainty) are undermining growth outlook and explain these forecast changes.

On 10th July the twenty committees and two permanent sub-committees at the European Parliament organised their constitutive meeting to elect their chairs and vice-chairs for a two and a half year mandate. The Constitutional Affairs, Cultural and Education, Regional Development, Agriculture and Rural Development, Civil Liberties, Justice and Internal Affairs Committees have not yet elected their vice-chairs. For its part the Employment and Social Affairs Committee will only elect its bureau at the next meeting. With five chairs, Germany holds the greatest number of committee chairs, followed by France (four, including one sub-committee), then Belgium (three, including one sub-committee). Italy, the UK and Spain each have two chairs and Romania, Austria and Sweden one. The Identity and Democracy group did not win any chairs.

Economy and Finance Ministers met on 9th July and listened to the priorities put forward by the Finnish Presidency of the Council which included the strengthening of the fight to counter climate change, the promotion of a simple, effective tax system, and to strengthening the financial markets. They adopted per country recommendations for 2019 and gave their opinion on the economic, budgetary and employment policies of each Member State. The economies of all Member States are due to grow in 2020 and recommendations mainly focus on the implementation of effective structural reforms, the strengthening of investment strategies and the promotion of responsible budgetary policies.

On 11th July the USA and the European Union completed the implementation of the Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) in terms of the inspection of pharmaceutical production sites. Together the two sides dominate 80% of the sales of medicines. On 15th July, the Council approved the signature of an agreement with the USA regarding the introduction of an autonomous tariff quota on hormone-free beef.

For the very first time the Court of Justice condemned a Member State, Belgium, for the non-respect of the obligation to transpose a directive. This concerns the directive on broadband e-communication networks adopted in 2014, which defines minimal requirements regarding network infrastructures. Member States had until 1st January 2016 to transpose the directive, a deadline that Belgium did not respect. The Commission therefore turned to the Court in an appeal regarding the failure to comply in September 2017. The latter declared itself in favour of the Commission and condemned Belgium to a fine of 5,000€ per day until the directive is fully transposed.

In a report published on 10th July the IMF notes that the slowing in international trade is affecting German growth. It deems that mid-term growth will decline, even though the economy is in a healthy state notably thanks to an increase in wages and an all-time low in unemployment.

n 11th July German Chancellor Angela Merkel hosted her Danish counterpart Mette Frederiksen. The two leaders recalled their wish to work together with the Finnish government which is chairing the Council of the EU. They aligned their points of view on the protection of the climate, migration and the partnership of the African countries.

On 10th July the German Chancellor Angela Merkel hosted Finnish Prime Minister Antti Rinne, whose country has just taken up the six monthly presidency of the Council. They hope to clarify the Spitzenkandidat appointment process in cooperation with the European Parliament and align their positions on the future negotiations over the European budget. The German Chancellor also stressed the interest of appointing a European (man or woman) to head the International Monetary Fund.

On the occasion of the celebration of the French National Day, the traditional 14th July Day military parade in Paris was organised under the banner of European military cooperation, according to the motto "Protecting together". The land parade was inaugurated by soldiers from the 10 countries that are taking part in the European Intervention Initiative (EII) launched in 2018 on France's initiative: Germany, Belgium, Denmark, Spain, Estonia, Finland, Netherlands, Portugal, United Kingdom. Tribute was also paid to the other military European cooperation programmes under the EU's Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO).

Kyriakos Mitsotakis was sworn in as Prime Minister on 8th July the day after his party, New Democracy, won the general election. The new government was sworn in on 9th July. Of the 22 members only two are women.

Lorenzo Fontana was appointed Minister for European Affairs on 10th July - a post that the head of government Giuseppe Conte had taken on in the interim since the departure of eurosceptic economist Paolo Savona in February. Mr Fontana who was Minister for the Family is to be replaced by Alessandra Locatelli.

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda elected on 26th May was sworn in on 12th July. Mr Nauseda, an economist succeeds Dalia Grybauskaite who could not stand again for election after two mandates. Gitanas Nauseda has pledged to fight against social inequality and to reduce regional disparities in the country.

On 9th July the Romanian government decided to organise the first round of the presidential election on 10th November, followed by the second round on 24th November. The present president, Klaus Ioannis is the only official candidate for the time being. However an announcement by the Alliance 2020 USR Plus party is expected to be made soon regarding the appointment of two candidates for the post of President as well as Prime Minister. As for the Social Democratic Party (PSD), in office at present, a congress will take place on 3rd August to decide on its candidate.

The European Court of Human Rights condemned Russia on 9th July deeming that the lack of legal protection regarding domestic violence against women was an infringement of the prohibition of inhuman or degrading treatment and the ban on discrimination. The Russia State will have to pay damages of 20,000€ to the applicant, victim of conjugal violence for which no criminal inquiry had been launched.

8% of people living in the EU do not have the nationality of their country of residence according to a report entitled "People on the Move - Statistics on Mobility in Europe", published by Eurostat on 9th July. The report also shows that 1.3 million Europeans live in one country and work in another and that 1.7 million European students study in a country which is not their own.

According to a Eurobarometer survey published on 12th July young people and first-time voters were the ones who were behind the rise in turnout in the European elections: 42% of interviewees aged 16/18 to 24 declared they had voted, in contrast to 28% in 2014. The main issues that influence the citizens' vote were the economy and growth (44%), climate change (37%), as well as human rights and democracy (37%). Citizens' support to the EU remains at its highest level since 1983: 68% of interviewees deem that their country has benefited from Union membership. 56% deem that their vote counts, the highest score since this question was first set in 2002.

On 11th July the European Commission published its annual report on relations with the national parliaments and on the implementation of the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality. Most national parliaments cooperate very actively with the Commission and the other Union institutions. In all in 2018 the Member States sent delegations to Brussels for 140 visits and meetings. The Commission's representatives attended more than 80 meetings held by the national parliaments' committees.

The Foundation's General Manager Pascale Joannin has published an article in the most recent copy of the "Review of the European Union" by Dalloz on the new political balance in the Union after the European elections in May.

From 16th July to 27th August the town of Innsbruck is hosting the Festival of Early Music. The classical music of the grand period of the Habsburgs from the 16th to 18th centuries is highlighted in the town's major venues, both in and outdoors.