15 European Political Studies schools are holding their second Summer University for Democracy organised by the Council of Europe in Strasbourg between 2nd and 5th July. Over 600 participants are debating the future of the European project. The Foundation's chairman Jean-Dominique Giuliani will speak at a special round table on 5th July entitled "50 years after the Rome Treaties: where is the European Project?"

On 28th and 29th June of the European Social Fund celebrated its 50th Anniversary during a conference organised by the German Presidency. The ESF helps millions of Europeans to enter the employment market and progress professionally. The ESF programmes (2007-2013) will have a budget of 77 billion euros to support training projects, access to employment, the fight against discrimination and the improvement of public services.

The 27 Member States gave the go-ahead on 26th June for the opening of two chapters (statistic and financial control) out of the 35 thematic chapters in the accession negotiations between the EU and Turkey. But contrary to original plans they did not vote for the opening of the "economic and monetary policy chapter" since the German Presidency of the EU decided to withdraw it from the agenda notably on France's request. Since the official launch of negotiations in October 2005 only two chapters ('science and research' and 'industrial and company policy') have already been opened.

On 27th June the European Parliament received German Chancellor Angela Merkel who delivered a speech to conclude the German Presidency of the EU. MEPs expressed their satisfaction at the results achieved during the German Presidency and praised the Chancellor's excellent work. They thanked her for having defended the progress achieved by the Constitution in the compromise over the new treaty reached during the European Council on 21st and 22nd June and for having enabled Parliament's powers to be strengthened.

On 27th June the Commission confirmed its decision to refer France to the European Court of Justice for a second time over persistently high nitrate pollution of surface water in Brittany. Following the end of an additional three month period, the Commission decided that too few farmers have undertaken volontary measures whilst the application of obligatory measures must be realised before 1st January 2008. The Commission is proposing to ask the Court of Justice to oblige France to pay a fixed sum of over 28 million euros and a daily fine of 117,882 euros for infringements to community regulations governing the quality of water used for drinking.

On 26th June the European Auditors Court published a special report with regard to institutions' expenditure on buildings. The audit aimed to answer three questions: does planning guarantee the provision of adapted space? Are funding and costs managed economically? Do the institutions make best use of interinstitutional co-operation including the joint assessment of their buildings' policy? Given the results the Court has issued a certain number of recommendations with regard to the institutions' buildings' policy notably the establishment of a joint buildings' policy and improvement of interinstitutional co-operation together with increased planning co-ordination.

On 28th June the Bundestag adopted the draft law with regard to the trade in CO2 emissions that should enable Germany to reach its objectives in terms of protecting the climate by 2012. The law aims to reduce CO2 emissions to 435 million tonnes per year between 2008 and 2012. Companies will receive allowances which will total this volume. As from next year and for the first time ever 10% of allowances ie 40 million certificates will no longer be given free of charge but they will be sold by auction. Those who rise beyond their allocated volumes will have to purchase certificates from those who have polluted less.

Germany and Denmark have agreed to build a 19km long bridge over the Fehmarn Strait in the Baltic Sea thereby creating a road link between Hamburg and Copenhagen.

On 28th June the French Prime Minister François Fillon went on his first visit to Germany since he took office. He praised the successes achieved by Angela Merkel as head of the EU. The two heads of government discussed "fundamental European subjects" and the future of the EADS airplane manufacturer, the head office of Airbus. "It is an opportunity for France and Germany to take the lead," in terms of European construction he said mentioning "the future of the European energy policy, the position of Europe on its borders, the future of the major European co-operation policies, the agricultural policy and the research policy."

On 28th June Gordon Brown announced who would be in his government which includes, according to a strict order of protocol, Alistair Darling, Chancellor of the Exchequer, David Miliband, Foreign Minister, Jack Straw, Justice Minister and Jacqui Smith, the first woman ever to be appointed Home Minister. The Secretary of State for Europe is Jim Murphy.

On 28th June the Serb government adopted a law on the agreement establishing specific parallel relations between Serbia and the Republika Srpska of Bosnia-Herzegovina. It also adopted a law confirming the adoption of the European Charter of Local Autonomy and the Convention of Police Co-operation for South-East Europe.

The Session of the Parliamentary Assembly took place in Strasbourg between 25th and 29th June with cultural and interconfessional dialogue and the secret prisons in Europe at the centre of debate, on the basis of a report by Dick Marty. Austrian Chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer, the President of the European Parliament Hans-Gert Pöttering and the Chief Prosecutor of the ICTY, Carla Del Ponte took part in the debates.

The fifth anniversary of the NATO-Russian Council, established in May 2002, was celebrated on 25th and 26th June in Saint Petersburg and Moscow. Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, NATO's Secretary General called on Russia to respect the CFE Treaty and to improve diplomatic dialogue between Russia and NATO.

According to the 2006 report of the community Rapid Alert System on Food and Feed published on 28th June by the European Commission 45% of notifications involved products from third countries, retained on the borders by EU control authorities following the detection of potential hazards. For the first time ever the number of notifications dropped (-5%) mainly thanks to the application of measures to settle the problem of prohibited dyes and new criteria for some forms of microbiological contamination. Fishing products comprised the category at the source of the most alerts (21%), followed by meat and other meat products (13%, cereals and baked produce (12%). The report presents planned future activities to promote security of foodstuffs across the world.

Based on first preliminary estimates for 2006, Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per inhabitant expressed in Purchasing Power Standards (PPS), varied from 37% to 280% of the average across the EU27 Member States. GDP per inhabitant in Luxembourg was more than two-and-a-half times the EU27 average in 2006. Ireland, the Netherlands, Austria and Denmark were between 25% and 45% above this average, while Belgium, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Finland, Germany and France were between 10% and 25% above. Italy and Spain were slightly above the EU27 average. Cyprus, Greece and Slovenia were between 5% and 15% below average, while the Czech Republic, Malta and Portugal were between 20% and 25% below. Estonia, Hungary, Slovakia, Lithuania, Latvia and Poland were between 30% and 50% below the EU27 average, while the two new Member States, Romania and Bulgaria, were more than 60% below the average.