On 27th September the EU and the US launched negotiations to facilitate access to electronic evidence in cross-border criminal investigations. Electronic evidence is necessary in 85% of criminal investigations and in 2/3 of the cases, evidence is held by a service provider in another country.

Negotiators at the Parliament and Council came to an agreement on 24th September on the appointment of Romanian Laura Codruta Kövesi as the future Chief European Prosecutor. The decision now has to be formally approved by the Parliament and the Council.

On 30th September the Judicial Affairs Committee at the Parliament (JURI) decided to reject the candidature of two commissioners designate, Rovana Plumb (S&D, RO), responsible for Transport and Laszlo Trocsanyi (PPE, HU) for Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement. It deemed that the two Commissioneres were in a situation of a conflict of interest and were therefore not able to fulfill their office. The new President of the Commission, Ursula von der Leyen asked Romania and Hungary to put forward new candidates. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban suggest Hungarian Ambassador to the EU, Oliver Varhelyi. The hearings of the other Commissioners designate will be taking place until 8th October.

Agriculture Ministers who met on 24th September in Helsinki discussed the capture of CO2 as a method to reduce the carbon print of European agriculture and the way to support it as part of the Common Agricultural Policy.

On 26th and 27th September Competitiveness Ministers discussed Europe's long term strategy for sustainable growth and agreed on the need for an integrated approach. They exchanged views on the Union's external aspect of competitiveness, the strategy for sustainable growth and possible interactions between Horizon Europe and other European programmes.

The EU-Moldova Association Council, which met on 30th September, reviewed the progress recorded recently in terms of the implementation of the reforms requested of the Moldovan authorities by the EU in various areas: electoral system, media pluralism and the freedom of expression, fight to counter corruption, justice, economy and finance.

On 26th September the EU's General Court made a partial renewal with the appointment of fourteen new judges. On this occasion Dutchman Marc van der Woude was elected President of the General Court for a three year mandate. A judge at the Court since 2010 he has been its Vice-President since 2016.

The 2020 draft budget presented by the government on 27th September plans for a decrease in income tax for the middle classes and a reduction in public spending (-1.6 GDP points between 2017 and 2020 i.e -40 billion €) and obligatory contributions (-30 billions € between 2017 and 2020).

The contemporary art festival, Café Budapest is taking place from 2nd to 18th October. The event comprises concerts, operas, theatre plays and artistic installations.

As of 5th October the "White Night" will be taking place in several cities in Europe. Although the idea began in Paris in 2002, now Brussels, Madrid, Leeds, Rome, Kosice and Malaga are organising a yearly artistic event that takes place at night, thereby privileging contemporary art that is free of charge to all.

Through the work by Edgard Degas, the portrait of the Paris Opera in the 19th century is seen through a magnifying glass. The exhibition runs until 19th January 2020 at the Orsay Museum, Paris.

From 7th October to 26th January the National Gallery in London is running the first exhibition devoted to French artist Paul Gauguin and his portraits, bringing together around 50 pieces of his work.

The Palazzo Reale of Milan is offering visitors "a journey through the enigma and mysteries of the painting of Giorgio de Chirico" until 19th January 2020.

Following the death of Jacques Chirac the government announced on 27th September free entry to the Quai Branly-Jacques Chirac Museum until 11th October. The public will be able to learn of his passion for the arts via an exhibition entitled "20 years", that will run until 26th January next.