The new edition of the 'Permanent Atlas of the European Union' has been published by Marie B. This book reflects the latest political and economic changes in the European Union and its Member States. With more than 50 maps, texts and thematic sheets, the Atlas summarises the Union's history and political and statistical realities. It is available in paper version in French in bookshops and on our website, and in digital version in French and English. You can order it here.

The European Union and the Council of Europe have condemned the recent raids on human rights organisations and independent media in Belarus. They have again called for the release of all political prisoners. To follow the crisis since the rigged presidential election of August 2020, the Foundation offers you a chronology of events and links to European responses and initiatives.

In response to the increase in cases due to the Delta variant, Catalonia and the Valencia region in Spain have reintroduced curfews and limited gatherings to 10 people. In France, a health certificate will be required from 21 July in cultural and leisure venues, and from 1 August in cafés, restaurants, shopping centres and hospitals, as well as for air and long-distance travel by train and bus. To keep track of the situation and the conditions of entry into the different EU Member States, the Foundation offers a complete map of the measures in place. An indispensable, regularly updated resource.

On 16 July, the Commission presented the EU's New Forest Strategy for 2030 as part of the Green Deal for Europe. The aim is to promote new forest management and ensure the multifunctionality of Europe's forests. In particular, the proposed measures should enhance carbon sequestration by improving sinks and stocks.

At the request of Belgium, faced with terrible floods which have caused many victims, the Commission activated the EU's Civil Protection Mechanism on 15 July. A rescue team and a helicopter were mobilised from France to support local rescue operations, mainly in the flooded areas around the city of Liege. Italy and Austria have also offered to make their specialised rescue teams available. The Commission is coordinating the aid and financing up to 75% of the transport costs. According to a provisional assessment, the floods have left 36 dead and around 100 missing in Belgium, and 160 dead and several hundred missing in Germany. Luxembourg and the Netherlands were also affected.

On 19 July, the Commission launched the Alliance for Processor and Semiconductor Technologies and the European Alliance for Industrial Data, Edge and Cloud. The two new alliances aim to advance the next generation of chip and industrial technologies and strengthen the EU's critical digital infrastructure, products and services. They are open to the participation of all public and private entities with a legal representative in the EU, provided they meet certain security requirements.

Finance ministers adopted 12 national recovery plans under the NextGenerationEU programme on 13 July. Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Luxembourg, Portugal, Slovakia and Spain can now sign the grant and loan agreements to receive the EU funds. The Council also approved conclusions on the 2021 in-depth reviews for 12 Member States within the framework of the European Semester. In addition, the Slovenian Presidency presented its work programme in the field of economy and finance.

On 13 July, the Council adopted the regulation establishing the European Joint Undertaking for High Performance Computing, which should help strengthen research and innovation capacities and broaden the use and development of an ecosystem of supercomputing infrastructures. The Joint Undertaking will be able to use budgetary funds from EU programmes.

On 14 July, the Council adopted its position on the 2022 budget proposal. It is asking to set appropriations at € 167.7 billion in commitments and € 170 billion in payments.

The Ministers of the Interior met on 15 July to exchange views on the EU's common migration policy and to discuss the new pact on immigration and asylum. They recalled the importance of responsibility, solidarity and closer cooperation with countries of origin and transit to ensure effective returns. They expressed their concern about the situation in Lithuania and reiterated their support for the management of migration pressure.

The Ministers of Justice, meeting on 16 July, stressed the importance of having legislation on artificial intelligence (AI) to ensure the protection of fundamental rights and to regulate the development and use of AI in a uniform manner within the Union. They discussed the protection of children and their rights in legal proceedings. They discussed the challenges of identifying and accessing the content of digital assets.

The Council has extended the Union's sanctions in the fight against terrorism by six months. 14 persons and 21 groups and entities are subject to the freezing of their financial assets in the Union. EU operators are also prohibited from making funds and economic resources available to them.

On 19 July, Research Ministers discussed how to make the EU more competitive by improving the efficiency of the research sector. They discussed with Commissioner Mariya Gabriel her proposal for a pact for innovation and research. The ministers also discussed international cooperation with representatives from the EFTA countries and the Western Balkans.

The Agriculture and Fisheries Ministers met on 19 July to discuss the action plan for the development of organic production, the evolution of trade relations with the United States, as well as the ongoing negotiations for new free trade agreements with Australia, Chile and New Zealand. They discussed the ban on the caging of farm animals and the slaughter of chicks, as well as issues related to extreme weather conditions and other problems affecting European agriculture. In addition, the Slovenian Presidency presented its priorities in the field of agriculture and fisheries.

The Court of Justice ruled on 15 July that the disciplinary regime for judges introduced in 2017 does not comply with EU law. It found that the disciplinary chamber of the Supreme Court, created by the law, does not offer all the guarantees of impartiality and independence and that it is subject to political influence. The previous day, in an interim order, it ordered the immediate suspension of the provisions relating to the powers of the disciplinary chamber of the Supreme Court with regard to the lifting of immunity and the employment of judges. The court considered that the independence of the disciplinary chamber was not guaranteed and that the provisions threatened the independence of Polish courts.

In a ruling handed down on 15 July, the Court of Justice, seized by Slovenia, clarified the conditions under which the working time directive would apply to military personnel. It considers that time spent on guard in barracks can be considered as overtime, but that the directive does not apply to the activities of military personnel in the context of their initial or operational training or operations involving a military commitment of the armed forces in a theatre (OPEX), including on national territory.

The 39th Beaune International Baroque and Romantic Opera Festival is running until 31 July in the town's Hospices and the Notre-Dame Basilica. Handel's triumph of Time and Disillusionment will close the festival.

Until 5 September, the Palazzo Reale in Milan is hosting the exhibition "Sculpted", organised by the Association of Women Photographers. Through the eyes of 35 women, the exhibition aims to contribute actively to the creation of an open and critical vision of the figure of the woman in the collective imagination and to stimulate reflection on the weak presence of women in sculpture.

Until May 2, 2022, the Reina Sofia Museum in Madrid is celebrating nature in painting with an exhibition dedicated to Vivian Suter. The exhibition brings together almost 500 of the artist's paintings, most of which were painted in the Guatemalan jungle, where the environment and nature play a fundamental role.

The Europa Cantat International Music Festival is taking place in Ljubljana until 25 July. Singers, composers, conductors, instrumentalists and choirs from all over the world, both professional and amateur, are taking part in over 100 events

The Eurockéennes festival in Belfort takes place from July 20th to 24th in "second home" mode. Five afternoons and evenings are programmed for a reduced audience of 1000 people.

The Städel Museum in Frankfurt is honouring the photography of the 1920s and 1930s and its influence on the art world in an exhibition that runs until 24 October. Various themes are discussed, such as the use of photography in science and research or its use in advertising and propaganda.

The film "Titane", by French director Julie Ducournau, was awarded the Palme d'Or at the 74th Cannes Film Festival. The jury, chaired by director Spike Lee, also awarded the Grand Prize to Iranian director Ashgar Fahradi's "A Hero" and Finnish director Juho Kuosmanen's "Compartment 6". Frenchman Leos Carax won the director's prize for "Annette". The Norwegian Renate Reinsve and American Caleb Landry Jones won the male and female acting awards.

As part of the American Schools Festival, which runs until 31 July, Gabriel Fauré's Second Sonata for Cello and Piano, dedicated in 1921 to the centenary of Napoleon's death, will be performed on 24 July, at 3 pm and 4.30 pm in the English garden of the Château de Fontainebleau.