On 7 January, the European Commission awarded more than 40,000 free DiscoverEU travel passes to 18-year-olds to mark the 40th anniversary of the Schengen area. The selected young people will be able to embark on a free train journey across Europe. In addition to the travel pass, participants will receive a card offering thousands of discounts on cultural activities, accommodation, local transport, food and other services. DiscoverEU contributes to the cultural compass for Europe by also promoting a collection of carefully selected European destinations for lovers of cinema, fashion, food, fine arts and more.

On 23 December, the defence regulation came into force, aiming to encourage investment in the EU budget and implement the ReArm Europe plan. This regulation extends the scope of the Strategic Platform for Europe (STEP) from digital to defence technologies. STEP is a funding platform open to businesses, Member States and regions, designed to strengthen the EU's competitiveness and resilience in strategic technology sectors.

On 7 January, agriculture ministers met at the invitation of the European Commission and Cypriot Agriculture Minister Maria Panayiotou. They took stock of the challenges facing the agri-food sector. The European Commissioners present proposed massive financial support through the 2028-2034 financial framework, including a partnership fund of nearly €294 billion and a doubled financial safety net to protect farmers from increased uncertainty on global markets. They then presented the agreement with the Mercosur countries as an opportunity to increase the EU's agri-food exports to Latin America by 50%. Finally, to reduce the burden on farmers, they presented measures aimed at lowering fertiliser prices through the suspension of customs tariffs.

On 9 January, the Council gave the green light for the signature of the trade agreement between the European Union and the South American Mercosur countries. After twenty-five years of negotiations, this decision marks a milestone in relations between the two regions. In a market of nearly 700 million consumers, the treaty includes provisions to reduce trade barriers and facilitate investment. However, in a global context marked by growing economic and geopolitical uncertainty, and reflecting the protests in the agricultural sector that have intensified in recent weeks, this agreement has far from been unanimously welcomed. The agreement is expected to be signed on 17 January.

Until 10 May, Zurich's Rietberg Museum is hosting an exhibition of an important collection of Indian photographs and paintings entitled 'Colour'. Located in the heart of the museum's historic park, this exhibition invites the public to explore the meaning and role of colour in the arts. As usual, the splendid Park-Villa Rieter showcases the finest non-European works. Through its cross-disciplinary approach and the dialogue it establishes between works, cultures and eras, this exhibition offers visitors a new interpretation of colour as a universal language.

Until 17 May, Barcelona's MEAM is hosting the exhibition: 'Realism 26 - Figure and Time'. This exhibition celebrates the strength and vitality of contemporary figurative realism. Paintings and sculptures come together in a journey that reveals the diversity of approaches and languages within current realism, from hyperrealism to the most expressive forms. The exhibition offers a reflection on the body, time and identity, providing a renewed vision of the human condition in a world saturated with images and speed.

From 14 to 18 January, the temporary exhibition ROOMS is being held at the Spazio Lambrate Arti Performative artist residency in Milan. The installations by Angelo Thomann, Eva Luna Thomann and Laura Maddalena Gerosa create a path made up of rooms to walk through rather than simply observe. Light and sound become structural elements, capable of altering the perception of space and time. Each environment invites visitors to slow down, let themselves drift and suspend contact with the outside world.

At the Eurogroup meeting on 11 December, the process of selecting a successor to the current Vice-President of the European Central Bank (ECB), Luis de Guindos, whose term of office expires at the end of May 2026, was launched. The call for applications closed on 9 January. Six applications were received: Mário Centeno (Portugal), Mārtiņš Kazāks (Latvia), Madis Müller (Estonia), Olli Rehn (Finland), Rimantas Šadžius (Lithuania) and Boris Vujčić (Croatia). The Eurogroup will discuss these applications at its next meeting on 19 January. The European Council will decide on the new ECB Vice-President by enhanced qualified majority.

Portugal's presidential election will be held on 18 January and 8 February to choose the successor to Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, who cannot stand for re-election at the end of his second term. Eleven candidates are in the running and none of them seems likely to win in the first round, which is unusual in Portugal. The polls place five candidates very close together, making it difficult to know which two candidates will qualify for the second round.

Since 2023, the Schuman Network has been working with 22 organisations from 13 European countries. With more than 195 shared publications, the Schuman Network strives to promote cooperation between European research centres to share reliable, high-quality analysis. Through this work, the Schuman Network affirms its role as an essential platform for strengthening intellectual cooperation and supporting democratic resilience in Europe.

The 31st Ambassadors' Conference was held from 7 to 9 January. On 8 January, French President Emmanuel Macron outlined the priorities that will shape the diplomatic agenda for 2026: European sovereignty; the French presidency of the G7; and Africa, with a view to the Africa-France summit in Nairobi. The Head of State emphasised that, in the face of a deregulated world marked by the law of the jungle, France must strengthen its power and strategic autonomy in order to reject both vassalage and impotence. On 9 January, the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Jean-Noël Barrot, called on French diplomats to face up to a changing world by firmly defending international law, asserting Europe's independence and capacity for action, and strengthening France's influence abroad.

On 8 January, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez opened the Ambassadors' Conference. On this occasion, he presented the four pillars of Spain's external action for 2026: coherence, commitment, cooperation and creativity. These four pillars are to become a clear roadmap with three priorities: more Europe, better multilateralism and a strengthening of democracy. These objectives are part of Spain's Foreign Policy Strategy for the period 2025-2028. This multi-year strategy defines three main objectives: strengthening Europe, Spain's commitment to defending international law and human rights, and Spain's willingness to work for global peace and security by fighting terrorism and promoting collective defence and disarmament.

On 9 January, the centrist D66 party, which won the Dutch general election last October, the Christian Democrats (CDA) and the liberal VVD party announced the formation of a minority government coalition. This coalition is set to hold 66 of the 150 seats in the lower house of parliament. This means that the three parties will need the support of other political parties to obtain a majority. Rob Jetten, leader of D66, is tipped to head the new government.

On 9 January, Pope Leo XIV hosted 420 members of the diplomatic corps accredited to the Holy See, representing nearly 184 countries. He presented the Vatican's New Year's greetings and drew attention to the many problems affecting different societies around the world. Leo XIV spoke at length about conflicts and wars, issues related to the importance of humanitarian law, dialogue and the meaning of words, religious freedom and freedom of expression, as well as the persecution of Christians, birth rates and the suppression of life, the condition of prisoners, drug addiction, migrants, young people and the elderly, while also mentioning the difficulties faced by families.