The first round of the presidential election will take place on 21st October. The present Head of State, 57-year-old Janez Drnovsek, who has been suffering from cancer for several years now said that he did not want to run for a second term in office. The President of the Republic is elected by direct universal suffrage for five years. His term in office is renewable once. All candidates running for the presidency must be at least 18 years old and have the support of at least 10 MPs. There are 8 candidates running in the first round of the presidential election. Just one month before the election, Alojz Peterle, former Prime Minister (1990-1992) and MEP is the grand favourite in the polls. The official campaign for the first round started on 21st September and will end on 19th October at midnight.

5 million Swiss voters are being called to the urns on 21st October to renew the 246 members of the two Chambers in Parliament: the National Council and the State Council. The National Council represents the people and includes 200 members elected every four years by a proportional voting system. Each of the 26 cantons elects a number of MPs proportional to its population. 14 political parties are represented in the National Council at present. The State Council represents the cantons and has 46 members elected for four years by a majority voting system except in the canton of Jura (proportional voting). If an absolute majority is not achieved a second round of voting will take place on 11th November next. According to the polls immigration and integration as well as the protection of the environment are the two themes of greatest concern to the Swiss.

On 28th and 29th September the 27 EU Defence Ministers met in Evora for an informal meeting. This was chaired by Portuguese Minister Nuno Severiano Teixeira and gave rise to two in-depth discussions with the African Union and the five countries of the Western Mediterranean (Algeria, Libya, Morocco, Mauritania and Tunisia). The Portuguese Minister stressed the importance of greater co-operation between the EU and other international bodies in terms of defence and security. He mentioned the interdependence of CFSP and NATO operations in Kosovo and Afghanistan as well as the future EU-UN mission in Chad and the Central African Republic.

The EU expresses its solidarity with the people of Burma/Myanmar and notably with the Buddhist monks who demonstrated peacefully in the streets of Rangoon. It exhorted the Burmese authorities not to use violence. It also invited Burma to start a democratisation process including the initiation of dialogue with opponents to the regime and notably with the opposition's emblematic leader, Aung San Suu Kyi. On 28th September UN spokesperson Rolando Gomez announced that there would be an extraordinary session of the UN Human Rights Council with regard to the situation in Burma.

Manuel Lobo Antunes, Portugal's European Affairs Minister, representative of the Portuguese Presidency of the EU Council took part in a conference organised by the European Economic and Social Committee on the theme of "IGC 2007 - A word to civil society on the future of Europe." This session chaired by Dimitris Dimitriadis, chairman of the EESC gave Manuel Lobo Antunes the opportunity to tell legal experts that the IGC would soon deliver its report and that the conclusions would be presented to political bodies. In spite of some difficulties he said he was confident that an agreement would be reached on the reform treaty on 18th and 19th October next.

On 30th September seven European countries created an operational centre to fight against drugs trafficking in the Atlantic, mostly focussing on cocaïne from South America. The agreement that launches the MAOC-N, Maritime Analysis and Operation Centre-Narcotics was signed by ministers from Spain, France, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal and the UK. This Centre whose staff comprises two agents per country at present, will be opened up to other EU Member States. In July last the Foundation published a study on the trafficking of cocaïne in Europe.

To ensure that toys are safe to play with the European Parliament adopted a resolution on 26th September on product safety by 660 votes in favour, 18 against and 7 abstentions. MEPs suggest the review of the directive relative to toys in order to include the prohibition of some toxic substances and greater application of EC labelling.

On 26th September MEPs adopted the report by Lilli Gruber (PSE, IT) by 557 votes in favour , 101 against and 22 abstentions highlighting the need to define tools and the means for legal immigration in order to fight illegal immigration. The present and future labour markets in the EU infer that legal immigration requests must be managed well. The report supports the creation of an EU work permit, called the Blue Card, for highly qualified workers and stresses the link between legal and illegal immigration. The rapporteur insisted on the responsibility of the media and political leaders in the image of immigration and the fight against prejudice.

On 26th September the European Parliament adopted a report which lays down the foundations for a joint foreign policy for the EU in the energy sector. This report adopted by 553 votes in favour, 103 against and 27 abstentions, exhorted the Council and the Member States to "create a solidarity tool" in order to settle crises that arise due to problems in supply, and the damage made to infrastructures for example. It also advises the rapid appointment of a "special high representative for energy" whose task it will be to co-ordinate all national energy policies.

On 26th September the European Parliament approved the European Commission's proposal designed to make it easier for EU citizens to vote and run in European elections. The aim is also to remove administrative obstacles which the European citizen encounters when voting or trying to stand in the European Parliament elections in a Member State other than his own.

On 26th September Parliament adopted a report supporting the creation of the European Institution for Innovation and Technology. MEPs wanted the Institute's name to include a reference to "innovation" and that it will only be established after a pilot phase proving its feasibility. They also want to negotiate the funding of the EIT with the Counci. The question of funding is under discussion: 2.4 billion euros over the first six years spread between public and private funds. The community share might be funded on the basis of transfers over from existing measures.

On 26th September was the European Day of Languages organised by the European Commission and the Council of Europe. The aim was to raise public awareness of the importance of learning languages, to ensure that languages were better known and appreciated and to encourage the life-long learning of languages.

On 25th September the Commission adopted a Green Paper on urban mobility entitled "Towards a new culture for urban mobility". The aim is to achieve towns which are free-flowing and greener, smarter urban mobility and urban transport which is accessible, safe and secure for all European citizens. The Green Paper presents a set of policy issues for urban mobility and includes twenty five open questions addressing these options. It sets a European agenda for urban mobility, while respecting the responsibilities of local, regional and national authorities in this field. The Commission wants to launch a discussion on how it can best enable the development of a new culture for urban mobility in Europe.

On 25th September the European Commission adopted the final report of the competition inquiry on the business insurance sector. This report raises concerns about the operation of two main areas of business insurance: the issue of reinsurance and coinsurance markets which may lead to higher prices for large risk commercial insurance and to the transparency of remuneration and conflicts of interest in insurance brokerage.

During the 4th Forum on Cohesion on 27th September the President of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso indicated the improvements to be made with regard to the regional policy. Quoting Robert Schuman he insisted on the notion of solidarity which supports every part European construction, pointing out that the analysis made of the Union's budget at the moment will lead to an efficient redefinition of the "priorities to be adopted for the construction of Europe."

On 28th September the 27 Ministers of the EU debated the means to improve the EU's competitiveness policy within the context of world competition and the application of the Lisbon Strategy for growth and employment. They adopted an integrated approach with regard to policies associated with industry, SME's, and e-skills strategies and they concluded that it was necessary to establish Joint Technological Initiatives.

According to figures published by the Federal Agency for Employment (BA) on 27th September the number of unemployed dropped in September from 8.8% to 8.4%. The number now totals 3.54 million people, of which 2,334 million are the Western Länder and 1,209 in the East. Amongst the over 50's there are 300,000 unemployed less than one year ago. At present nearly one million positions remain vacant ie 168,000 more than in September 2006. In August 39,71 million were working ie the highest number recorded since the reunification of Germany. 70.2% of those aged 15 to 54 are working thereby satisfying the objective of 70% established by the Lisbon Strategy.These satisfying figures can be explained by the excellent economic situation that Germany finds itself in at the moment.

On 29th September the Social Christian Union (CSU) elected Bavarian Economy Minister Erwin Huber to succeed Edmund Stoiber as head of their party. 61 year-old Huber won 558 votes versus 375 for the Federal Agriculture Minister Horst Seehofer and 24 for MP Gabriele Pauli. The CSU, allied federally to the Christian Democrat Union (CDU) led by Chancellor Angela Merkel has ruled Bavaria alone for the last 50 years; the region has 12.5 million inhabitants.

The former world Chess champion, Garry Kasparov was chosen on 30th September as candidate for the opposition movement, "the Other Russia" for the Russian presidential election in March 2008. Mr Kasparov, who is 44 years old, easily won against five other candidates who were running - he won 379 out of the 494 votes of the "Other Russia" delegates who met in Moscow.

On 25th September the UN Security Council unanimously approved the resolution 1778 proposed by France to allow the deployment of a joint UN-EU multi-dimensional international presence in Chad and the Central African Republic. The MINURCAT (the UN Mission in the Central African Republic and Chad) along with a UN police force is designed to create a favourable condition for the voluntary, safe, long-term return of refugees and displaced persons.

During the 62nd session of the UN General Assembly, the Finnish President Tarja Halonen insisted on the need to take decisive steps to promote parity within the UN system and to support the proposal which aims to create one institution only to take care of issues with regard to parity between the sexes. She said she believed that it was necessary to involve women in all phases of crisis management: prevention, the maintenance and consolidation of peace as well as peace negotiations.

On 24th September more than 70 Heads of State took part in a meeting on climate change, convened by the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon. During this meeting called "the Future in our Hands: climatic change, a challenge for our leaders to rise to," heads of State spoke of their will to address the consequences of climatic change. Believing that this meeting heralded the start of a new era the Secretary General said he was pleased with the strong political message sent to negotiators at the 13th Conference of States participating in the UN Framework Convention on climate change that is to be held in Bali in December next.

The Kosovo Troika comprising several American, Russian and European representatives met with Kosovar and Serb leaders in New York on 28th September to discuss the status of Kosovo. The Serb delegation was led by President Boris Tadic and Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica whilst the Kosovars were led by President Fatmir Sejdiu and Prime Minister Agim Ceku. The Troika helped make two hours of discussion between the two delegations possible before each group was spoken to separately so that their individual positions could be examined. These meetings took place in a co-operative atmosphere. The "New York Declaration" was adopted in which the parties confirmed their desire to find a solution before 10th December, the date when the contact group must deliver its report on Kosovo to the UN.

On 24th September the International Monetary Fund published its latest report on the world's financial markets and the financing of emerging countries. This report comprising three chapters estimates the risks that might affect financial stability, studies the techniques applied at present and looks into the reality of the markets and flows of exchange.

According to Eurostat figures published on 26th September women hold some 56% of jobs in hotels and restaurants in the EU. The highest percentages were recorded in Latvia 95%, Lithuania 83% and Estonia 76%. In four Member States Malta (28%), Greece (44%), Italy and France (49% each), women were less represented in this sector.

According to figures published by Eurostat on 28th September the annual inflation rate in the euro zone lay at 2.1% in September 2007. In August it lay at 1.7%.

The 2006/2007 annual report published by the German government was released on 26th September. Entitled "Achieving expansion together" it provides the results of the reform policy undertaken by the government between October 2006 and August 2007 and lays out future action.

The German review "Internationale Politik" has published "Neue EU Länder- Demokratien in der Krise" (New EU countries-democracies in crisis). This document analyses the troubled political situation in these countries, notably Poland, as well as the rise of extremism. It also looks into the dangers this instability might bring to the European project.

The new Working Paper published by the Danish Institute for International Studies has looked into developments in terms of the concepts of risk, security and war. Whilst these terms are part of modern conversation their sense is changing which may have significant consequences.

The Applied Political Research Centre and the Bertelsmann Foundation has published an article in the series "Spotlight Europe" on the role played by the EU in the Middle East. As the Conference on the Middle East will take place in Washington in November the authors call on the EU to assume its responsibilities in this part of the world and take advantage of the possible chance of peace which is now emerging.