On 4 November, Christine Lagarde, President of the European Central Bank, gave a speech on Bulgaria's entry into the euro area on 1 January 2026. She stressed the advantages that membership would bring to Bulgaria, emphasising that adopting the euro offers two key benefits: prosperity and security. She also stated that Bulgaria would no longer be content to follow other countries passively, but would participate actively in decision-making within the world's third-largest economy.

On 5 November, the European Commission unveiled a comprehensive plan to accelerate the development of high-speed rail across the European Union, offering passengers significantly reduced journey times. By promoting fast, comfortable, safe and reliable rail services, the plan supports the EU's dual objectives of becoming carbon neutral by 2050 and strengthening Europe's global competitiveness. The second initiative concerns the Sustainable Transport Investment Plan (STIP). It sets out a common approach to stimulate investment in renewable and low-carbon fuels, with a focus on aviation and waterborne transport.

On 4 November, the European Convention on Human Rights celebrated its 75th anniversary. Signed in Rome in 1950 by 12 member states of the Council of Europe, the Convention has contributed to the establishment of a common legal and political culture of human rights, democracy and the rule of law in Europe. On this occasion, Secretary General Alain Berset emphasised the continuing importance of the Convention as a democratic compass for the continent, and the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), Theodoros Rousopoulos, hailed the Convention as 'the most powerful act of imagination in the history of our continent'.

To mark its reopening, the Annely Juda Fine Art gallery in London is hosting an exhibition of works by David Hockney until 28 February 2026. This exhibition presents previously unseen works created in his London studio, demonstrating Hockney's unwavering commitment and vigour for painting.

The exhibition 'Nordic Table Design 1900-1970' is being held in Rome at the Hendrik Christian Andersen Museum until 18 January 2026. It offers visitors an in-depth look at how women in 20th-century Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden transformed the design of everyday objects created for the table. Through glassware, ceramics, cutlery and table decorations, these women redefined the domestic space as a place of freedom and self-expression. In doing so, they helped shape new models of modern living and paved the way for broader battles for women's rights and recognition in the design industries.

Until 22 February 2026, the exhibition "Magritte. The Lifeline" will be on display in Antwerp. Among other things, visitors will discover a selection of works that featured in his 1938 lecture, in which he discussed the origins and development of his art, as well as the history of the Surrealist movement in Belgium. The exhibition also highlights Magritte's role as a mediator between the Surrealist movements in Brussels and Antwerp.

Until 22 February 2026, the Munch Museum in Oslo is presenting its second triennial exhibition: 'Almost Unreal'. This edition explores the spaces between the real and the virtual, old and new technologies, and dystopian and hopeful visions of the future. More than twenty artists open portals to other realities: parallel universes, mystical realms, alternative perspectives. They appropriate and repurpose existing technologies such as music boxes, holograms and looms. They create new worlds using advanced game engines and generative machine learning tools.

Until 1 March 2026, the Nantes Museum of Art is hosting the exhibition: 'In the rain, painting, living and dreaming'. This exhibition presents the representation, sensitivity and imagination of rain that fascinated artists from the late 19th century to the 1930s.

The Vienna Book Fair is taking place from 12 to 16 November in two halls at the exhibition centre. With over 500 exhibitors, it offers a rich programme of readings, discussions, workshops and book signings. It focuses on international cooperation and aims to be a European platform for literary and cultural dialogue.

On 4 November, Eurojust announced that nine people suspected of laundering €600 million in cryptocurrency had been arrested in a coordinated operation in Cyprus, Spain and Germany. On 5 November, Eurojust coordinated a major operation against global credit card fraud involving €300 million, resulting in 18 arrests.

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On 5 November, the defence ministers of the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) states, led by the United Kingdom and comprising Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden, met in Bodø, Norway. On this occasion, they signed a memorandum of understanding representing the evolution of the expeditionary force following the recent integration of Finland and Sweden into NATO. They are committed to contributing to credible deterrence in peacetime and to responding quickly and flexibly in close coordination with NATO in the event of a crisis, particularly in situations that are of concern to the security of members before or after the invocation of Article 5.

On 3 November, the European Commission published the fifth annual report on the implementation and application of European trade policy. The report concludes that the European Union's trade agreements strengthen the resilience and competitiveness of EU economic operators. In 2024, exports of goods to the European Union's 76 preferential trading partners increased twice as much as exports to countries not covered by a free trade agreement. In addition, total EU agri-food exports reached a new record in 2024, standing at €235 billion (an increase of 2.8% compared to 2023).

On 5 November, a provisional agreement was reached between Council and European Parliament negotiators on the European Commission's proposal, known as CountEmissionsEU, which aims to ensure better comparability of data on greenhouse gas emissions from passenger and freight transport by defining a single method for calculating these emissions.

Ukraine is set to receive more than €1.8 billion in funding from the EU following the Council's decision on 4 November to make a fifth disbursement under the Ukraine Facility. This funding aims to strengthen Ukraine's macro-financial stability and support the functioning of its administration. The Ukraine Facility, which entered into force on 1 March 2024, provides up to €50 billion in stable financing, in the form of grants and loans, to support Ukraine's recovery, reconstruction and modernisation for the period 2024-2027.