On 14th November Europe Val de Loire is organising a seminar together with the Robert Schuman Foundation on "Europe and the Environment: which energies for the future?"; the aim will be to draw up an overview of the energy potential in the 27 EU member states. It will take place with Hervé Novelli, French Secretary of State for Trade, Craft and SME's, Tourism and Services in attendance. Antoine Pellion, an engineer specialised in energy and author of the Foundation studty entitled "Renewing energy production in Europe: an environmental, industrial and political challenge", will speak on the progress achieved by the common energy and environmental policy.

On 5th November the IMF approved a loan of 16.5 billion dollars for the Ukraine to enable it to face the financial crisis. The IMF said that 4.5 billion dollars would be issued immediately to Kiev. The plan covers a period of 24 months. This decision comes just as the Ukraine is entering an economic crisis that is affecting heavy industries in particular; the political stalemate is also still ongoing. Parliament has still not approved the loans to finance the early general elections and some believe that this election may be postponed to take place after the date planned at present (14th December)- they may even be cancelled.

The 27 EU Ministers for Integration who met in Vichy on 3rd and 4th November made a declaration that aims to promote the EU's fundamental values, to optimise the integration procedure, to develop access to employment and diversity and to foster the integration of women and the education of children, to promote intercultural dialogue and to improve integration policy governance. This conference comprised a new stage of development and led to concrete follow-up.

On 4th November the European Parliament's Civil Liberties Committee adopted the European "blue card" that aims to compete against the American "green card". It should attract highly qualified workers from third countries to palliate the lack of competence experienced by Europe over the last few decades. Contrary to the "green card" the "blue card" will not give the right to permanent residence but will be valid for a three year period, renewable for two years. It will not replace the existing national systems but will comprise an addtional means to attract immigrants with a common attribution system shared by the EU members. MEPs want to avoid braindraining third countries notably by limiting the recruitment of people from vital sectors such as healthcare and education. Ewa Klamt's report (EPP-ED, DE) will be put to the vote during the plenary session in November.

On 5th November the Commission presented its Legislative and Work Programme 2009 comprising 12 strategic initiatives, 37 priority initiatives, 33 simplification proposals and 20 withdrawals. The Commission will follow up on the initiatives launched in recent weeks to address the financial crisis and to set out a European framework to address the economic downturn; at the end of its mandate it also intends to complete the initiatives that have already been started notably with regard to climate change, migration, social policy and the examination of the budget the results of which will be presented in 2009. Internationally, the Commission will face up to challenges from support for Georgia's reconstruction and reform efforts to adapting transatlantic relations to the new administration. Enlargement, the neighbourhood, and world trade will remain key priorities. Finally 2009 will be the first year that inter-institutional communication priorities will be agreed by the Council of Ministers, the European Parliament and the Commission under the joint declaration on Communicating Europe in Partnership.

The 27 EU Economy and Finance Ministers and 4 from EFTA (European Free Trade Association including Iceland, Liechtenstein, Switzerland and Norway) who met on 4th November in view of preparing the world summit on the reform of the international financial system on 15th November next decided to foster transparency and greater responsibility on the part of financial players, to enhance market regulation, to reduce hazardous practices, to improve monitoring and strengthen the role played by the IMF. They also agreed on a loan of 6.5 billion euro for Hungary to enable it to overcome the crisis. Finally they agreed on the principle to fight against VAT fraud aiming to improve information exchange with regard to cross border trade.

On 6th November the European Central Bank reduced its main lending rate from 3.75% to 3.25%. Jean-Claude Trichet, Chair of the ECB justified this decision saying that it was an answer to the financial markets' crisis and to economic slowing just as dangers with regard to inflation had decreased. He also said that he could not exclude the possibility of further reductions in these rates. The ECB's decision came on the same day as the Bank of England's decision, which has already made major custs in its main rates from 4.5% to 3% and that of the National Swiss Bank, which has cut its rate short term by half a point.

On 31st October Ilse Aigner (CSU) was appointed Federal Minister of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection in replacement of Horst Seehofer who became Minister President of Bavaria. She took oath before the Bundestag on 4th November. Ilse Aigner who has been an MP since 1988 has been the spokesperson for the CDU-CSU group within the Commission for Education, Research and Technological Choice Assessment; she was also vice-President for the Parliamentary Council on ethical issues. During the 2005 elections she won 59.7% of the vote in the first round.

Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen is planning to take his country's political temperature to see if the time has come to organise a new referendum on the euro. Market pressure on the Danish Crown have forced the National Bank to increase interest levels twice this month. In Rasmussen's opinion this shows "the incredible challenge that a small, open economy has to face in a period of market instability." He hopes to ask Parliament to assess political support for the replacement of the crown by the euro. The Socialist People's Party plays a major role in winning the necessary number of votes in Parliament to ask for the organisation of a referendum. Traditionally against the euro this party is debating the issue amongst its ranks at present.

Spain is to allow unemployed workers who so desire to freeze 50% of the reimbursement of the housing loan over 2 years said the Head of Government on 3rd November. This is a "partial moratorium on the obligation to pay monthly installments as from 1st January 2009 to 31st December 2010," said Mr Zapatero during a press conference when he presented a series of measures to help families and employment. The measure will benefit some independent workers who are in economic difficulty and others whose spouses have died. The measure will also be applicable to people who have taken out a loan to a maximum of 170.000 euro and payments will be frozen to a limit of 500 euro per month. The Spanish Head of Government also announced other measures to increase the number of beneficiaries of tax relief with regard to housing loans. On the same day he received the President of the European Commission; José Manuel Barroso.

On 6th November the Finnish government approved an ambitious strategy with regard to the climate and energy that includes detailed points on the measures to take until 2020 and suggested measures until 2050. This strategy written on the basis of the government programme set out by Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen will be submitted to Parliament in the form of a report. It clearly shows that the objectives put forward by the European Commission for Finland with regard to reducing CO2 emissions, the promotion of renewable energies and the improvement in energy consumption will be not achieved if no new major measures are adopted and which are included in the new strategy.

The Serb Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration, Bozidar Djelic met French Secretary of State for European Affairs, Jean-Pierre Jouyet and diplomatic advisor to the President of France, Jean-David Levitte between 3rd to 6th November in Paris. Discussions mainly focussed on the economy, as well as on Serbia's accession to the EU and the liberalisation of the visa regime.

On 5th November the Lithuanian President Valdas Adamkus and Polish President Lech Kaczynksi signed a joint declaration in which they demand the total withdrawal of Russian troops from the Georgian border and the total repsect of the 6 point cease-fire that was signed at the beginning of August by the French Presidency. Just a few days before the start of negotiations with Russia on a Partnership and Co-operation Agreement planned during the EU-Russian Summit on 14th November Lithuania is the only EU Member State to be blocking negotiations.

On the occasion of the meeting of Prime Ministers of the Visegrad group (Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Czech Republic) and those of the Baltic countries (Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia) who met in Warsaw on 5th November, Donald Tusk, the Polish Prime Minister said that these countries wanted to include energy security in the EU's strategy with regard to the climate. "In our opinion all of the proposals included in the EU's package on climate and energy are not enough to ensure the security of energy supplies," he said.

British Foreign Minister David Miliband travelled to Serbia and Kosovo on 4th and 5th November. In Belgrade he talked with Serb President Boris Tadic and Serb Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic. He then participated in a debate on Serbia's European future at the Political Science Faculty of Belgrade. In Pristina he clearly stated the UK's support for work undertaken by Kosovo to establish a stable, prosperous and multiethnic future. He then met Kosovar President Fatmir Sejdiu, Prime Minister, Hashim Thaci, Foreign Minister Skender Hyseni, Economy Minister Ahmet Shala and President of the Assembly Jakup Krasniqi. He also spoke to MPs congratulating them on their accession to independence and took part in a conference entitled "How can the Communities of Kosovo improve co-habitation?" He said that his country would take part in the EULEX mission.

As part of the Presidency of the Committee of Ministers at the Council of Europe, between May and November 2008, Sweden organised a conference on 6th and 7th November entitled "Systematic Work for Human Rights Implementation."

Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha received Kosovar President Fatmir Sejdiu on 3rd November and qualified this meeting as historic. He said he was pleased with Kosovo's development and the acknowledgement of this State notably by Macedonia (FYROM) and Montenegro. In his opinion Kosovo's growing role in the region is a factor of peace and stability. He also said that he wanted to enhance co-operation between the two countries, notably on an economic level. The Kosovar President welcomed the progress achieved by Albania on the road to Euro-Atlantic integration and said that Albania was a model for Kosovo from this point of view. He thanked the Albanian Prime Minister and his government for their support of the ongoing developments in Kosovo.

European Commissioner for Energy, Andris Piebalgs travelled to Turkey and Azerbaijan from 5th to 7th November. These were the first stages of an important round of trips to the countries in Central Asia which are involved in the gas pipeline Nabucco, a leading EU project for the supply of gas from producers in the Middle East and the area of the Caspian Sea. He re-iterated Europe's desire for a close partnership with Azerbaijan notably with regard to energy.

The 6th Ministerial Forum "Justice-Home Affairs" EU-Western Balkans that took place in Zagreb on 6th and 7th November enabled discussion of joint efforts that could be made to improve co-operation with regard to issues such as visas, migration, asylum, borders and organised crime. With regard to this the French Presidency of the EU has exhorted the Balkan countries which want to join the EU to establish close co-operation in their fight against organised crime, which goes beyond their borders notably in terms of arms and human trafficking. The type of co-operation that is planned should lead to the creation of joint police forces, the preparation of "surprise" interventions on manufacturers and arms traffickers and the creation of a data base on these people. The next EU-Western Balkans forum will take place in the second half of 2009.

With 364 electoral college votes and 53% of the vote Democrat candidate Barack Obama was elected President of the USA ahead of his Republican rival John McCain who only won 162 electoral colleges and 46% of the vote. Mr Obama will be the 44th President of the USA. In Europe European Commission President José Manuel Barroso welcomed this election which comprises "a turning point for the entire world" and "renewal of the commitment between Europe and the USA". Javier Solana, High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy said that "Europe and the USA were impatient to open a new chapter in their relations." The Presidency of the Council of the EU under French President Nicolas Sarkozy issued a joint statement "which addresses its warmest congratulations" to Barack Obama.

Georgian President Mikhail Saakachvili dismissed his military chief of staff Zaza Gogava on 4th November - one week after dismissing his Prime Minister. He said that the new commander of the Georgian armed forces, Vladimir Chachibaya will face a number of problems pinpointed during the war between Georgia and Russia in August.

In his first address to the nation on 5th November Russian President Dimitri Medvedev suggested the extension of the length of the Presidential mandate in Russia to six years - in comparison with the present four - he also suggested that the mandate of MPs in the Douma be extended to five years instead of four. To be implemented a change like this has to be approved by a two-thirds majority in Parliament.

On 4th November the WTO Director General Pascal Lamy announced that he would run for a second term in office after the end of the present mandate in 2009. He hopes to complete negotiations that he started four years ago when he first took office.

According to figures published by Eurostat on 5th November in September 2008, compared with August 2008, the volume of retail trade fell by 0.2% in the euro area and by 0.1% in the EU. In August retail trade increased by 0.3% and 0.4% respectively. In September 20084, compared with September 2007, the retail sales index decreased by 1.6% in the euro area and by 0.4% in the EU.

The Bertelsmann Foundation has just published a study on European Solidarity given the financial crisis.

In quarterly review "Géoéconomie" (Choiseul) a special focus investigates the "collapse of agriculture". This special focus comprises a series of articles by various experts. Also in this edition there is an interview with Pascale Joannin, Director General of the Robert Schuman Foundation; she speaks of the issues at stake during the French Presidency of the European Union.

On 12th November, the 90th Anniversary of the birth of the Republic of Austria, the Nationalrat (lower chamber in the Austrian parliament) will be hosting an exhibition entitled "Republik. Ausstellung 1918/2008 (Republic. Exhibition 1918/2008) until 11th April; the main focus is on the country's historical roots and its political, economic, social and cultural development. In addition to this from 7th November on the faces of 91 Austrian men and women will be on show in the metros and as from 12th November they will also appear on illuminated billboards in front of Parliament to represenat the 90 years of the country's existence.