This autumn, the new edition of the 'Permanent Atlas of the European Union' published by Marie B. is well worth reading. 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 essential history and political and statistical realities of the Union. It is available in paper form in bookshops and on our website, and in digital form.

Pascale Joannin participated on October 12 in a roundtable discussion on the energy transition in the European Union, organised during the Rencontres du Développement Durable, co-organised by the Open Diplomacy Institute and CentraleSupelec. The recording of the discussion is available online.

As part of the preparations for the French Presidency of the Council of the Union and the Conference on the Future of Europe, the Romanian European Institute is organising a videoconference on 20th October on the initiative of the Robert Schuman Foundation on how the Member States can move forward together in terms of foreign policy, strategic priorities and economic policy.

Since 14 October, restaurants, cinemas and sports halls in Bulgaria can only be opened at full capacity if everyone is vaccinated, while in Greece bars and restaurants can be opened at full capacity for those vaccinated or recovered from Covid-19. The health pass came into force in Brussels on 15 October for bars, restaurants and cultural venues. To follow the development of the situation and to understand the conditions of entry in the different EU Member States, the Foundation offers you a complete map of the measures in place. An indispensable, regularly updated resource.

In response to the economic and social consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic, the EU has set up a €672.5 billion recovery fund, called the Recovery and Resilience Facility, for Member States in the form of grants and loans. 22 plans have been approved by the Commission so far, and 19 countries have already received the planned pre-financing, including Slovakia on 13 October. The Commission has so far not approved the Hungarian and Polish plans due to infringements of the rule of law. The Foundation offers you an interactive map of the plans country by country, to know the amounts, the timetables and the priorities.

To cope with the influx of migrants organised by the Belarusian regime, Poland is considering building a barrier on its border equipped with surveillance devices. On 17 October, the French ambassador to Belarus had to leave the country, after being expelled by the regime. To follow the crisis triggered by the rigged presidential election of August 2020 and the repression of the democratic opposition, the Foundation offers you a chronology of events and links to European responses and initiatives.

To address rising global energy prices, the Commission urged Member States on 13 October to take targeted short-term measures such as aid to businesses and individuals, tax deductions and temporary deferral of bill payments. In the long term, the Commission recommends that Member States invest in renewable energy to increase independence from fossil fuels and price stability.

On 13 October, the Commission put forward proposals to adapt the application of the Northern Ireland Protocol included in the UK's withdrawal agreement. It suggests reducing administrative and customs controls to facilitate the transfer of goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It also wants to strengthen the dialogue with Northern Ireland and ensure the supply of medicines from Great Britain.

The fourth and final citizens' panel of the Conference on the Future of Europe was held in Strasbourg from 15 to 17 October, on the theme of Europe in the world and migration. The citizens' recommendations from the four thematic panels organised since mid-September will be debated by the Parliament in December. All Europeans can contribute to the debates on the conference platform.

The Agriculture and Fisheries Ministers, meeting on 11 and 12 October, reached an agreement on fishing quotas in the Baltic Sea for 2022. They discussed fishing authorisations in Norwegian and British waters and prepared the EU's position for the next International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT). The Ministers discussed the implementation of the CAP for the period 2023-2027, as well as the importance of providing better information to consumers on the origin of products.

On 12 October, the Health Ministers spoke out in favour of strengthening the Health Union. They stressed the importance of strengthening the Union's autonomy in the medical field, notably through more local production of medicines. The Ministers also discussed the role of the new Emergency Response and Preparedness Authority (HERA) and the importance of vaccination.

The Telecommunications Ministers discussed the draft regulation on artificial intelligence on 14 October. Further discussions will clarify the implementation of the regulation.

The Ministers for Employment and Social Affairs stressed on 15 October the need to step up action at European and national level to strengthen safety and health at work. They also discussed the future of the European Semester and the consequences of an ageing population on the functioning of labour markets. They adopted conclusions on gender mainstreaming in the preparation of the EU budget.

On 13 October, the Commission presented its proposals for European action in the Arctic, based on a commitment to peaceful, sustainable and prosperous engagement in the region. As the Arctic is the region most seriously affected by climate change, the Commission emphasises the need for international cooperation to address the economic, social and political consequences of the environmental crisis. The Commission is also considering opening a representation office in Greenland.

On 15 October, the Council launched the operation EUTM Mozambique to restore security in Cabo Delgado province. The two-year mission will deploy 140 troops. Its objective is to help strengthen the military capacity of the Mozambican armed forces, in particular through military training as well as the protection of civilians and the fight against terrorism.

On 18 October, the Ministers for Foreign Affairs discussed the strengthening of the European Union's presence in the Gulf States and its humanitarian presence in Afghanistan. They confirmed the need to safeguard respect for fundamental rights and democracy in the EU's Eastern Partnership countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine and Belarus) and in Nicaragua. The Ministers agreed on the continuation of humanitarian aid to Ethiopia. Finally, the meeting reaffirmed the EU's support for the restoration of political stability in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The G20 Trade Ministers, meeting on 12 October in Sorrento, Italy, discussed the link between trade and health, fisheries subsidy negotiations, digital trade, the participation of SMEs in global trade, transparency of government subsidies in the economy and WTO reform.

The G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors, meeting on 13 October, pledged to avoid "any premature withdrawal" of support for the economy that would damage the recovery, while monitoring inflation risks. They also gave their support to the agreement reached at the OECD on global corporate taxation.

From 21 to 24 October, the 2021 edition of the International Contemporary Art Fair (FIAC) in Paris will be taking place. A panorama of current contemporary art can be discovered in the ephemeral Grand Palais as well as through temporary installations in various emblematic places in the French capital.

The SIC12 Art studio in Rome opened its doors on 25 September with the exhibition "À Deux. Art Brut in the Giacosa-Ferraiuolo Collection", which is structured around three thematic areas: the desire for the self, the desire for the other, and the desire to be someone else.

Until 24 October, the Stockholm Jazz Festival is taking place at over 60 venues across Sweden.

Until 23 January 2022, the Espoo Museum of Modern Art in Finland is presenting a retrospective of the Estonian painter Konrad Mägi (1878-1925). Around 150 works are on display, highlighting the artist's singularity and his interest in colour work.

The Irish Museum of Modern Art in Dublin is celebrating its 30th anniversary with an exhibition entitled "The Narrow Gate of Here and Now", which traces the history of art through successive thematic presentations.

Until 22 February 2022, the Reina Sofía Museum in Madrid is hosting the first retrospective of German photographer Michael Schmidt since his death in 2014. Through 350 portraits, landscapes, still lifes and cityscapes, the exhibition traces part of Germany's history from the end of the Second World War to the fall of the Wall and reunification.

The Delegation of the Government of Catalonia in France, in partnership with the Institut Ramon Llull, is organising a conference in Paris on 20 October on Napoleon and Catalonia, with Antoni Gelonch, author of the book "Napoleó, la Revolució i els catalans".