The European Commission presented a strategy for savings and investment on 19 March. The aim of this initiative is to improve the channelling of savings into productive investments within the financial system in order to promote prosperity for citizens, while stimulating growth and competitiveness. The initiative comes in the wake of the Draghi report, which called for €750-800 billion of additional investment per year between now and 2030. The pool of household savings that would be targeted by this initiative represents almost €10,000 billion in bank deposits. The union will be implemented through a series of legislative and non-legislative measures involving the Member States, the private sector and civil society.

On 19 March, the European Commission presented an action plan to develop European industrial capacities in the steel and metals sectors. The steel industry is seen as essential to the ReArm Europe plan, presented on the same day. Yet it faces major challenges: high energy costs, unfair global competition and the need to invest to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The action plan aims to guarantee an affordable and secure energy supply for the sector, prevent carbon leakage, and develop and protect European industrial capacities.

On 19 March, the European Commission presented a White Paper on European defence and measures under the ReArm Europe plan. The plan aims to consolidate pan-European defence capabilities through new financial resources, while the White Paper defines a new approach to defence and identifies investment needs. The aim of these measures is to respond to the short-term emergency of supporting Ukraine, while strengthening European security in the long term. The main thrusts of the White Paper include support for the European defence industry, support for Ukraine, deepening the defence market and strengthening partnerships with third countries.

The leaders of the euro zone members, meeting on 20 March, emphasised the resilience of the European Union's economies and its labour market in the face of the current economic and financial situation. They called for urgent, rapid and decisive progress towards a savings and investment union, in particular within the framework of the capital markets union. The theme of the digital euro was also discussed, with the aim of strengthening the euro's competitiveness and its international role, as well as contributing to the continent's economic security.

The Speakers of the 46 member states of the Council of Europe and many partner, observer and neighbouring countries, as well as several interparliamentary assemblies, met in Strasbourg on 20 and 21 March for a European parliamentary summit to mark the 50th anniversary of the first conference. They discussed in particular the safeguarding of democracy, freedom of expression in times of polarisation and the fight against violence against political figures.

Until 13 July, the Barrié Foundation in A Coruña is hosting the exhibition "Akan Gold. Royal Treasures of West Africa". More than 300 objects are on show, all relating to the various Akan royal houses.

The European heads of state and government meeting on 20 and 21 March deplored the breakdown of the ceasefire in Gaza and approved the Arab recovery and reconstruction plan adopted at the Cairo Summit. The issue of competitiveness was addressed, as the year 2025 is seen as a "tipping point", with the adoption of texts such as the simplification package, the competitiveness compass and the clean industry pact. The theme of defence was also addressed, with leaders calling for an acceleration of work on all aspects to ensure Europe's preparedness over the next 5 years. Finally, there were initial discussions on the next multiannual financial framework.

As part of the Francophonie month, the Joseph Karolyi Foundation, in partnership with various organisations including the Robert Schuman Foundation, is organising a conference entitled "Geography, cartography and politics: what are the historical foundations?", in Hungary on 28 and 29 March. The programme includes four round tables bringing together various European experts to discuss the history of these disciplines and their applications, which have now become interdependent.

The French Ministries of the Economy and of Defence organised a conference in Paris on 20 March to discuss the challenges of financing the defence industry. Faced with the challenges raised by the war in Ukraine, France is strengthening its defence technological and industrial base (DTIB) to ensure its strategic autonomy. The 2024-2030 military programming law provides for investment of €413.3 billion. Although the context is favourable, SMEs and ETIs in the sector have been facing financing difficulties since 2020.

On 17 March, three Georgian NGOs - Nanuka's Fund, Prosperity Georgia, and Human Rights House Tbilisi - announced that they had been informed by their banks that the Tbilisi City Court had ordered an emergency freeze on their accounts. Two other NGOs, Fund for Each Other 24/7 and Shame Movement, have also had their assets frozen. This decision, which targets civil society organisations that have provided financial support to demonstrators who have been arbitrarily detained, helping them to pay their fines and obtain legal representation, is yet another blatant attack on human rights by the Georgian authorities, according to Amnesty International.

On 18 March, the German Bundestag passed a bill to amend the Constitution to take account of international developments in defence policy. The amendment would allow the creation of a special €500 billion fund for additional investment and the achievement of the climate targets set for 2045, by overriding Germany's debt brake rules, which are characteristic of the country's dominant ordoliberalism. A two-thirds majority (requiring 489 seats) was achieved, with 512 German MPs voting in favour of the amendment. The German Bundesrat voted in favour of this text on 21 March, by a two-thirds majority.

On 20 March, the rapporteurs of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), Axel Schäfer of Germany and Victoria Tiblom of Sweden, expressed their deep concern about the escalation of tensions in Serbia over the management of the 15 March demonstration in Belgrade. In a press release, they call on the authorities to clarify the repression that left several people injured, and ask the Serbian government to respond to the legitimate demands of the population.

Kirsty Coventry was elected President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on 20 March, becoming the first woman to head the organisation. The former swimmer and Olympic champion from Zimbabwe takes over from Thomas Bach and will officially take office on 23 June for an eight-year term. She will be responsible for organising four Olympic Games, including Los Angeles and Brisbane for the summer games, and Milan and the French Alps for the winter games.

The United Nations' annual report on happiness was published on 20 March. The Nordic countries remain at the top of the list of happiest countries, with Finland in first place followed by Denmark, Iceland and Sweden. These results are based on data such as GDP per capita, level of social protection, corruption, freedom and personal satisfaction.

At Northwood on 20 March, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer thanked his armed forces for their commitment to the UK. He stressed the need for a peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia, provided that the security and sovereignty of the Ukrainian people are preserved. He pledged that the UK would work with its NATO and European allies in the coming weeks in the Multinational Force Ukraine (MFU) to secure and defend a deal.