"After the fall of the Berlin Wall, Europe benefited from the "dividends of peace" and relaxed its meagre efforts towards defence. 30 years on Europeans must now think of themselves as an autonomous power to defend and promote their values and their interests," writes Jean-Dominique Giuliani.

The Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE), led by outgoing Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez came out ahead in the parliamentary elections that took place on 10th November in Spain, with 28% of the vote and 120 seats. It came out ahead of the People's Party (PP), which won 20.82% and 88 seats, Vox 15.09% and 52 seats, Unidas Podemos (UP), 12.84% and 35 seats. The centrists of Ciudadanos 6.79% and 10 seats. The formation of a majority government coalition will be more difficult than ever before.

On 6th November the President elected of the Commission Ursula von der Leyen, approved the candidature of MEP Adina Valean (EPP) as European Commissioner responsible for Transport. She must now appear before the European Parliament's competent committee on 14th November just like the Hungarian and French candidates.

Meeting on 7th November Eurogroup discussed the autumn economic forecasts presented the same day by the Commission and investment to support growth. It provided its support to the candidature of Isabel Schnabel as a member of the ECB's board. It reviewed the reform of the European Stability Mechanism, as well as the discussions over the European deposit guarantee system and the budgetary convergence and competitiveness instrument.

An agreement was concluded between the EU and China on 6th November to protect 100 European geographic indications (GI) in China, including Champagne, feta and Parma ham, and 100 Chinese GI's in the Union. China is the main destination for European agro-food exports, particularly products protected by a GI. The agreement which has to be approved by European Parliament is due to enter into force before the end of 2020.

In an opinion published on 12th November the Advocate General of the Court of Justice deemed that the acquisition of the mandate of MEP results from the vote of the electorate alone and cannot be subordinate to the subsequent fulfilment of some kind of formality. Hence he agreed with the Catalan nationalist, Oriol Junqueras, whose election to the European Parliament in May 2019 was invalidated by the Spanish electoral committee because he did not swear oath on the Spanish Constitution, as requested by law. Mr Junqueras has been in prison since 2017 for the role he played in the attempted secession of Catalonia and was sentenced to 13 years in prison on 14th October. The opinion of the Advocate General is not binding for the Court.

On 6th November the German "Experts", a group of economists responsible for providing the government with advice, called for fiscal easing "in the event of further slowing". In their annual report they deem that German growth might only rise to 0.5% this year and deplore an overly rigid framework which is preventing the government from reducing tax revenues via an increase in public spending.

After his visit to China on 6th November, French President Emmanuel Macron held a joint press conference with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping. The two leaders insisted on their desire to renew and protect relations between the EU and China. They reasserted their "firm support of the Paris agreement which they deem to be an irreversible process and a compass for strong action on the climate."

Chinese President Xi Jinping started a three-day State visit to Greece on 11th November which is to focus on economic cooperation. During the meetings with his Greek counterpart Prokopis Pavlopoulos and Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis he has insisted on China's wish to invest in the country, particularly in the port of Piraeus and to make Greece "a natural ally" of its economic projects in Europe.

On 7th November Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban hosted Turkish President Recep Tayip Erdogan as part of the fourth meeting of the Turkish/Hungarian High Level Strategic Cooperation Council. Discussions focused on migration.

8th November Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, designated to continue in this post by the Law and Justice Party (PiS), which won the general elections on 13th October, presented on his new government, which has not changed very much, except for the appearance of a minister for the Climate and that of the Treasury, whose competences were spread to date between other portfolios. This government has to approved by the parliament.

Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis made an official visit to Luxembourg on 7th and 8th November. He was hosted by the Grand Duke Henri, and met Prime Minister Xavier Bettel with whom he discussed main European issues like the single market, migration, the fight to counter climate change and the future of the multiannual financial framework. Mr Babis also lay a wreath on Jan Palach Square in the capital in tribute to the Czech student who set himself on fire in Prague in January 1969.

British Parliament was dissolved on 6th November in view of the snap general election that will take place on 12th December. On 4th November MPs elected Labour Lindsay Hoyle as Speaker, in replacement of Conservative John Bercow who will no longer stand for election.

In the Healthcare Panorama 2019 published on 7th November the OECD deemed that with an annual average increase of 2.7%, healthcare spending will rise above GDP growth over the next 15 years in nearly all Member States. By 2030 they will rise to 10.2% of the GDP in contrast to 8.8% in 2018.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) forecast a GDP increase of 1.2% in the euro zone in 2019, in contrast to 1.3% forecast in April, after 1.9% in 2018. This was due to slow growth in Germany (0.5% in 2019) and stagnation in Italy. France is due to grow by 1.2%. The IMF also stressed the impact of trade tension could spread to industry to that of services in a report published on 6th November.

On 5th November the Commission published the recommendations made by a panel of experts, the Strategic Forum on Important Projects of Common European Interest, to strengthen Europe's competitiveness in six strategic industrial areas: connected, clean, autonomou vehicles; hydrogen technologies and systems; smart health; industrial internet industriel of things; low carbon industries; cybersecurity. The report recommends amongst other things the pooling of public and private resources at European, national and regional level et the strengthening and integration of the single market.

Until 15th March 2020 the Pablo Picasso Museum of Barcelona is showing via various works and texts the painter's relationship with French poet Paul Eluard in an exhibition focusing on the "Sublime Friendship".