Mozart Week is being held in Salzburg, the birthplace of the famous composer, until 2 February. Enjoy the symphonies, minuets and other masterpieces performed in the famous Viennese hall of the baroque Danube city, and immerse yourself in the world of one of the greatest musicians of all time!

From now until 2 February, the Great North Film Festival in Göteborg will be showcasing the very best of Swedish cinema. On the programme are a host of biopics and films, including a fascinating, multi-award-winning European selection.

On 16 January, the Estonian government announced its decision to allocate an additional €219 million to national defence in anticipation of crises that could threaten security. A reserve corps of around 1,000 police officers is already being prepared for combat duty. Funding for customs training and capacity will be increased, as will funding for hospital trauma services. Finally, investments will be made to strengthen border and counter-intrusion infrastructures, including drone detection systems.

On 14 January, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal convened a summit of the Baltic Sea Allies in Helsinki. In response to the growing threat to critical underwater infrastructure in the Baltic Sea, Mark Rutte has announced the launch of a new military operation, 'Baltic Sentry', to protect this strategic infrastructure from sabotage. The operation will mobilise frigates, maritime patrol aircraft and cutting-edge technology, including naval drones.

On 16 January, a government decree formalised the entry into force of the police cooperation agreement between Sweden and Finland, which will take effect on 1 February. The agreement aims to strengthen security in the north of the two countries by allowing the authorities to cross the border, under certain conditions, in urgent situations involving serious offences.

The issue of pensions occupies a central place in the debates on the French political scene. If you would like to find out more about this issue at European level, you can consult the Robert Schuman Foundation's comparative table.

'Europeans are looking to Ukraine and Russia in the hope that they will not be the passive victims of a hasty gratification of the tyrant in Moscow, which would confirm a vision that is far removed from European interests. But for Europe, the consequences of Donald Trump's likely domestic policy decisions may be at least as worrying.' For Jean-Dominique Giuliani, the inauguration of the 47th President of the United States heralds a 'hurricane' that Europeans will only be able to weather by remaining united. 'Europe has no choice but to show strength.

On 16 January, the Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, proposed the nomination of the President of the Vouli (Parliament), Κonstantinos Tassoulas, from his New Democracy party, for the post of President of the Republic. If his nomination is confirmed by Parliament, he will succeed the current President, Katerina Sakellaropoulou, the first woman appointed to the post and whose five-year term expires by mid-March. The vote will take place in Parliament on 25 January. The left-wing SYRIZA party has proposed Louka Katseli as its candidate, while PASOK may put forward Tasos Giannitsis. The President is elected by Parliament.

Visiting Podgorica on 16 and 17 January, the European Commissioner for Enlargement, Marta Kos, held talks with Prime Minister Milojko Spajić and President Jakov Milatović, before addressing Parliament. She praised Montenegro's cooperation with Europol and Eurojust in the fight against organised crime and its accession to the SEPA area. Milojko Spajić stated that his country was ready to close the remaining 25 chapters "by the end of 2026".

On 15 January, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Warsaw. At a press conference, Donald Tusk, who holds the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, reiterated Poland's support for Ukraine and expressed his determination to intensify their cooperation to speed up the process of Ukraine's accession to the European Union. Volodymyr Zelensky also announced the forthcoming exhumations of Polish victims of the Volhynia massacre during the Second World War.

The head of the Spanish government, Pedro Sánchez, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, attended the annual reception for the diplomatic corps, organised by the King and Queen of Spain, in Madrid. He called for European security to be 'strengthened' so that Europe can have an impact on the new international reality and defend its interests and values.

A new round-the-world record has been broken by ten days and a historic victory in this 10th edition of the Vendée Globe. Charlie Dalin came out ahead on the morning of 14th January in Les Sables d'Olonne. He was ahead of Yoann Richomme, who arrived the following day. Sébastien Simon took 3rd place on 17th January to complete the podium in this edition of the race.

World growth is set to reach 3.3% in both 2025 and 2026, according to forecasts updated by the IMF on 17 January. In the United States, growth is expected to be 2.7%, while in the eurozone it will be just 1%. Globally, headline inflation is set to slow to 4.2% in 2025 and 3.5% in 2026, and is expected to converge faster towards its target in advanced countries than in emerging and developing countries.

On 16 January, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer travelled to Kyiv to sign a historic partnership agreement with Ukraine. The aim of the treaty is to strengthen military cooperation, particularly in maritime security, as well as scientific and technological cooperation in areas such as health, space and agriculture. Keir Starmer also announced that the UK would provide Ukraine with 150 artillery guns and a new mobile air defence system, developed by the UK and co-financed by Denmark. The UK will continue to train Ukrainian soldiers.