The Italians are being called to vote in early general and senatorial elections that are being held early on 13th and 14th April next. This election follows the resignation of the Romano Prodi led government on 24th January after the Senate refused him its confidence (156 votes versus 161). Since the attempts made by Giorgio Napolitano, President of the Republic, to form an interim government to modify the electoral law failed the Head of State was forced to convene early elections. Apart from Democratic Party led by Walter Veltroni and the People of Freedom Party led by Berlusconi (PD and PdL), nearly one hundred parties will be standing on 13th and 14th April next. The latest poll by DemosII, published in the daily, La Repubblica, grants Silvio Berlusconi's coalition (PdL-National Alliance and the Northern League) with 45.7% of the vote in comparison with 39.1% for Walter Veltroni. The Rainbow Left Party (Sinistra arcobaleno) is due to win 6% of the vote, the UDC 5.8% and the Right 2.5%.

The Robert Schuman Foundation together with the Europe Commission of the MEDEF is organising a conference/debate on 15th April called : "Does international finance need a European compass?". Participants will include Paul Betbèze, head economist for the Crédit Agricole, member of the Foundation's Scientific Committee, Gérard de la Martinière, chairman of the French Federation of Insurance Companies and Jean du Rusquec, who works with the Chairman of Total.

The Robert Schuman Foundation has published with Ligne de Repères, "European Opinion in 2008". This issue managed by Dominique Reynié includes articles by a number of specialists on topical subjects that show the emergence of European public opinion. It also includes a series of short texts called "coups de sonde" which provide factual information about the real situation in Europe. This work is available in bookshops and on the Foundation site for 19 euros.

The autobiography of former Lithuanian President Vytautas Landsbergis "A population comes out of prison" has just been published in French by UAB Baltijos Kopija with the support of the Robert Schuman Foundation. The former Lithuanian President reviews the highlights of his light and notably the period which brought him to power at the beginnign of the 90's during the procedure that took Lithuania to its independence after the fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of the Soviet Union.

The Environment, Agriculture, Employment and Internal Market Committees at the European Parliament listened to the presentation of the new European Commissioner for Health Androula Vassiliou on 1st April. This audition is a forerunner to the vote by the European Parliament with regard to her appointment. MEPs will vote on Androula Vassiliou's appointment as European Commissioner for Health on 10th April next.

On 3rd April the European Commission published a White Paper putting forward a model to enable the payment of damages to consumers and companies who fall victim to infringements of competition rules. In most Member States there are major obstacles preventing consumers and companies in their requests for damages payments when they go to court for infringements of agreement rules and the abuse of dominant position. The White Paper puts forward proposals that aim to increase the efficacy of compensation requests lodged by victims whilst guaranteeing the respect of European legal systems and traditions. The model put forward by the Commission is based on the principle of a single payment for damages incurred.

In 2007 the European Union enhanced its relations with its neighbouring countries and supported their work to make democratic and economic reforms by means of the European Neighbourhood Policy. On 3rd April the European Commission adopted a European Strategy Document that draws up an overview of the real progress achieved by partner countries in the co-operation policy, trade, migration, flexibility in the delivery of visas, energy, research as well as the mobility of students and young people. The Commission looks at the areas in which work still has to done and encourages greater relations with some partners who have proven that they have specific ambitions and capabilities. This process has already been started with the Ukraine, and the Commission suggests an intensification of work with Israel, Moldova, Morocco, Georgia and Armenia.

On April 3rd following its communicatin published in June 2007 on the posting of workers, the Commission called on the 27 governments to improve the conditions applied to posted workers. A worker is said to be "posted" when he is sent by his employer to work temporarily in another Member State. The Commission would like to avoid Member States implementing their own measures and national instruments to control service providers. The Commission's recommendation includes three axes: better administrative co-operation between the Member States, in particular through a more effective system for exchanging information; better access to information for service providers and posted workers; exchange of information and best practice among Member States through a High-Level Committee. There are about one million posted workers.

According to figures published by the Commission on 4th April 2.7 million .eu internet addresses have been created since the launch of this extension two years ago. At the end of 2007 the .eu address came fourth in terms of international domain names behind .com, .net and .org. It is in Germany where .eu has been most successful: nearly one third (31.4%) of name registrations whilst the German population represents 16% of the population of the European Union. In France the success rate is mitigated with 7.31% of total registrations for 13% of the population. According to the European Commissioner for Information Society, Viviane Reding, "the .eu should now become the natural choice of all Europeans."

According to figures published by the Federal Agency for Employment in Nuremberg, the unemployment level dropped in March 2008 to lie at 8.4%. The number of unemployed dropped by 76,000 in the Western Länder reaching 2,271, 000 and by 34,000 in the East for a total of 1,236,000. According to the Federal Minister of the Economy, Michael Glos, the labour reforms undertaken over the last few years have clearly help to improve the labour market. Employment has risen in all Länder and in all areas of activity. The posts available are increasing, at present 1.07 million ie 180,000 or 20% more than last year at the same time.

On 4th April Germany had to give up one of the pillars of its environmental policy - the massive development of biofuels. "Together we underestimated the problems," admitted Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel. An admission that condemns E10, the new fuel that Berlin wanted to use as from next year and that contained 10% of ethanol mixed with traditional petrol. For technical reasons too many cars running in Germany are unable to take the new fuel; over three million according to the latest figures, ie far from the one million mark set by the Minister.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy spoke to FNSEA members, the leading farmers' union in France. He explained his vision of the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy by 2013. He pleads in favour of "renewed community preference". The future CAP will have to ensure European foodstuff security, take part in world food balance and help in the fight against climate change. The French president mentioned the issue of the distribution of agricultural aid that is one of the most important points of the CAP reform. He is against an historic distribution of aid and pleads in favour of re-balancing production sectors. In his opinion the reform of the CAP has to lead to a "real, sustainable simplification of the policy to prepare for 2010 when the budget will be reviewed and for 2013 when it will be the turn of the CAP.

On 1st April the French Secretary of State for Foreign Trade, Anne-Marie Idrac and also member of the Foundation's Board travelled to Tunis. She spoke in favour of "pragmatism" in the implementation of the Union for the Mediterranean project that has been promoted by France together with the diversification of economic relations between Mediterranean countries. Discussions focussed on a new economic and financial agreement that is designed to support the competitiveness of the Tunisian economy in the face of international competition - talks also focussed on contracts in the civilian nuclear and transport sectors.

The referendum on the Lisbon Treaty which is only being organised by Ireland will take place on 12th June said the Irish government on 3rd April.

During a debate at the House of Lords on April 1st the Lords rejected the idea of a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty. House of Lords President, Baroness Ashton of Upholland indicated that the exemption clauses that the UK enjoyed enabled it not to commit to initiatives contrary to the country's interest. She indicated that in line with a report published on 28th March by the constitutional committee of the House of Lords the treaty made it possible to enhance co-operation between Member States, adding that the European Union should allow the UK to improve the application of its foreign policy. This report concludes that the new treaty would not have any major repercussions on British sovereignty but that it significantly clarified the limits of the European Union's powers. The date of the final vote in the House of Lords has not yet been established.

The Danish and Swedish authorities signed a protocol agreement planning for the merger of the postal services of both countries in order to strengthen them in the face of the competition said the Swedish post on 1st April in a press release. "The Swedish Industry Minister, the Danish Transport Minister as well as CVC Capital Partners signed a protocol agreement in view of a merger between Posten AB (the Swedish post) and "Post Danmark". This rapprochement aims to "face up to the growing challenges of the market thanks to an increase in the common group's competitiveness." The new entity will have an annual turnover of around 45 billion Swedish crowns (4.87 billion euros) and will have slightly over 50,000 employees.

According to figures published by Eurostat on April 1st in February 2008, compared with January 2008, the volume of retail trade fell by 0.5% in the euro area, but grew by 0.3% in the European Union. In February 2008, compared with January 2008, "food, drinks and tobacco" fell by 0.2% in the euro area, but increased by 0.5% in the European Union. The non food sector fell by 0.8% and 0.1% respectively. Among the Member States for which data are available, total retail trade rose in thirteen Member States and fell in three. The highest increases were observed in Estonia and Luxembourg (both +3.2%), Belgium (+3.1%) and Finland (+2.8%), and the largest decreases in Germany (-1.6%) and Poland (-0.3%).

The Institute for Public Affairs in Poland has published a study entitled "Democracy in Poland 2005-2007" which describes the changes undertaken by the Law and Justice Party (PiS) during the period when Jaroslaw Kaczynski was Prime Minister.

According to a survey by Harris Interactive for France 24 and the International Herald Tribune published on 4th April Germany is seen by Europeans as the leading country in Europe. This opinion is shared by the French (68%), the Spanish (57%) and the Germans (57%) whilst the British and the Italians are divided between Germany and the UK. 63% of the Americans believe that the UK is the leader in Europe. When they are asked to indicate which personality they believe to be the most influential in Europe, the Europeans quote German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who is clearly ahead of French President Nicolas Sarkozy including amongst the French. She would win more "votes" in terms of the election of a European president but this idea planned for in the Lisbon Treaty is not really approved of.

As part of the meetings with European academies organised at the Institut de France on 21st, 22nd, 23rd October that brought together the academies from all European countries, academics have exchanged their thoughts and questions about the social role played by their academies in Europe.