Europe has changed ... this is what the "Schuman Report on Europe, the State of the Union 2023" shows, as it analyses the profound changes that have occurred in Europe, accelerated by the shock of the war in Ukraine. This 14th edition published by Marie B. includes 19 contributions from high level personalities, 30 original maps and a complete set of commented statistics. The book is available in English in digital format. Order your copy!

On 12 April, the committee chairpersons of the Ukrainian and European parliaments held a long-distance meeting to launch "in-depth, comprehensive and concrete sectoral cooperation". Among other things, they discussed the challenges of Ukraine's EU accession process and the reconstruction of the country.

On 12 April, G7 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors met in Washington to discuss the latest developments in the global economic and financial sector, the Russian war on Ukraine and sanctions, economic resilience and supply chains, and support for the poorest countries affected by the war in Ukraine.

On 14 April, in a speech to the International Monetary and Financial Committee, ECB President Christine Lagarde noted that the outlook for the recovery of the global economy remains fragile, in particular because of the war in Ukraine and the possibility of renewed pressures on global energy and food markets. Despite this context, she noted that the euro area economy is expected to recover in the coming quarters and that inflation in the euro area should continue to fall.

The European space probe of the Juice mission, launched by Ariane 5, took off from Kourou on 14 April, starting its multi-year journey to reach Jupiter in 2031. The objective of this European Space Agency mission is to explore the moons of the gas giant, as indicated by its name, Juice, an acronym for Jupiter icy moons explorer.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock visited China from 13 to 15 April and South Korea from 15 to 16 April. In Tianjin, the Minister visited several industrial sites and discussed with representatives of the German economy the opportunities and risks for German companies operating in China. In her view, an escalation between China and Taiwan would be a "worst case scenario" for Germany and the European Union. During her visit to South Korea, she held talks with her Korean counterpart Park Jin. Germany and South Korea agreed on closer cooperation in the face of rising tensions on the Korean peninsula.

On 12 April, outgoing Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas won parliamentary approval to form the next government. The new coalition resulting from the 5 March elections includes the Reform Party (ER), Eesti 200 and the Social Democratic Party (SDE). On 17 April, the 14 ministers, including five women, were sworn in.

On 16 April, the Olkiluoto 3 EPR, which is now the largest nuclear power plant in Europe, was officially activated in Finland. It is expected to produce 30% of the country's electricity for the next 60 years.

French President Emmanuel Macron was on a state visit to the Netherlands from 11 to 12 April. After a reception with King Willem-Alexander, he met with Prime Minister Mark Rutte to discuss their defence cooperation and renew the bilateral Declaration of Intent of May 2019.

From 11 to 14 April, US President Joe Biden paid an official visit to the island of Ireland. Welcomed in Belfast by the British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, he took part in the commemorations of the 25th anniversary of the peace agreements. He welcomed the UK's post-Brexit agreement with the European Union, which he believes will lead to significant US investment by guaranteeing peace and progress. In Dublin, he met with Irish President Michael D. Higgins. In a speech to the Irish Parliament, he spoke of his Irish roots and said he was "at home" in Ireland.

On 11 April, the Italian Council of Ministers approved the Economic and Financial Document 2023, which outlines the main objectives of the government's economic and fiscal policy for the period 2024-2026. Among the measures announced are the reduction of social contributions borne by middle and low income earners and the gradual reduction of the general government deficit and debt. The document also contains measures to stimulate investment and strengthen the country's competitiveness.

On 14 April, Polish President Andrzej Duda met his Austrian counterpart, Alexander Van der Bellen, in Vienna. They held a press conference in which they reiterated the need for the European Union to remain united behind a "democratic Ukraine". The Polish president said he respected Austrian neutrality, while suggesting that Austria provide more non-military goods, such as bullet-proof jackets.

On 12 April, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) announced that between January and March of this year, more than 400 migrants had died trying to cross the central Mediterranean. The first quarter of 2023 is thus the deadliest quarter recorded since 2017. On 13 April, Volker Türk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, expressed alarm at the situation of asylum seekers and migrants crossing the central Mediterranean. He urged states to open up more regular migration routes and to make greater efforts to ensure speedy rescue and dignified treatment.

On 11 April, the OECD published a report on the supply of critical raw materials, including the risks and challenges associated with the green transition. It notes that the increase in production and trade remains insufficient in relation to demand, and highlights the negative role of export restrictions and the concentration of critical material reserves in a few countries: China, Russia, Australia, South Africa and Zimbabwe.

The IMF released its global economic forecast on 11 April, which has deteriorated due to inflation, increased financial instability and soaring public debts. The IMF estimates that global growth will be 2.8% in 2023, down 0.1% from the previous forecast in January. For the eurozone, it predicts growth of 0.8% in 2023, and 1.4% in 2024. Europe is expected to experience a "sharp downturn" in growth but will avoid recession in 2023, before accelerating in 2024, the IMF's European Department Director Alfred Kammer said on 14 April.

Until 3 September, the Tate Modern Gallery in London is hosting an exhibition devoted to the Swedish painter Hilma af Klin and the Dutch artist Piet Mondrian. The exhibition brings together works by these two artists who, although they never met, each invented their own abstract art languages rooted in nature.