On 5th July next the Bulgarians are being called upon to renew their Parliament, the National Assembly. The 240 MPs are elected every four years within the 31 electoral constituencies that correspond to the oblasti (counties). According to the latest poll by Sova Harris, the GERB is in the lead in terms of voting intentions with 36.8%. It is followed by the Prime Minister's BSP which is due to win 26.4% of the vote, Ataka (10.5%), the Movement for Rights and Freedom (9.8%) and the Blue Coalition (7.8%).

As part of a partnership between the Robert Schuman Foundation and the Figaro, Foundation Chairman Jean-Dominique Giuliani has signed an article entitled "How can France wake Europe up?" The Figaro's internet site also puts a column on-line entitled "Not an extremely European campaign."

The European Central Bank (ECB) left its main rate as it was on 4th June at 1%. Jean-Claude Trichet, President of the ECB and Lucas Papademos, Vice-President forecast a 4.6% decline in 2009 in the euro area.

Before the last European Council chaired by the Czech Republic on 18th and 19th June the presidency published a document on 3rd June identifying the legislative acts adopted between 1st January and 31st May 2009: the recovery plan totalling 5 billion euros, the reduction of VAT, the review of solvency requirements for insurance companies, the regulation of credit rating agencies. Other legislative on energy, transport, the telecoms or agriculture were adopted during the Czech presidency. On 1st July Sweden will take over the alternating 6 month presidency until 31st December 2009.

The European Commission decided on 3rd June to make 2011 the European Year of Volunteering. For the Commission, volunteering is an active expression of civic participation which strengthens common European values such as solidarity and social cohesion. Volunteering also provides important learning opportunities, because involvement in voluntary activities can provide people with new skills and competences and can even improve their employability. This is particularly important in this time of economic crisis. Volunteering plays an important role in sectors as varied and diverse as education, youth, culture, sport, environment, health, social care, consumer protection, humanitarian aid, development policy, research, equal opportunities and external relations.

On 4th and 5th June the 27 Home Ministers adopted the conclusions for a better use of the SIS (Schengen Information System) and of SIRENE (international server for standard data interchange in Europe). They discussed migratory and asylum problems in the Mediterranean and decided to set up an informal national rapporteurs network within the Union - or equivalent mechanisms in the area of human trafficking. The European head in the fight against terrorism, Gilles de Kerchove, presented a new strategy to fight against terrorism whilst new priorities were established to fight against organised crime. They finally adopted conclusions on the closure of the American detention centre of Guantanamo.

On 4th June the Court of Justice delivered a decision on Pannon GSM Zrt/Erzébet Sustikné Győrfi (aff. C-243/08) that involved the request for a preliminary ruling relative to the interpretation of the directive 93/13/CEE of the Council of 5th April 1993 with regard to the abusive clauses in the contracts concluded with consumers. The Court concludes on the one hand that an abusive contractual clause does not bind the consumer and that it is not necessary in this respect that the latter successfully challenges a cause such as this. On the other hand the judge is obliged to automatically look into the abusive nature of a contractual clause and if necessary he should not apply it except if the consumer is against this. Finally it is up to the national judge to decide whether a contractual clause as such is the subject of litigation.

The Bundestag approved by a 2/3 majority a strict limit of debt in the Federal State's budget together with that of the Länder. The principle is the following: as from 2015, if the economy is normal, the Federal State will no longer be able to incur a debt equalling more than 0.35% of the GDP. Moreover as from 2020 the Länder will have to stop incurring debts once and for all.

On 5th June the Austrian Foreign Minister Michael Spindelegger spoke with his Czech counterpart, Jan Kohout, whose country is at present undertaking the alternating presidency of the Council of the European Union. The "Strategy for the Danube" is due to be on the agenda of the European Council on 18th and 19th June next. This Austrian initiative is comparable to the Union of the Mediterranean or the Eastern Partnership. Its objective is to enhance cooperation within the countries on the Danube.

On 3rd June and according to final results the far left independence party Inuit Ataqatigiit (IA) easily won the general elections in Greenland, ousting the social democrats of Siumut in power for the last thirty years. The IA (Inuit Community) the main opposition party, won 43.7% of the vote, a rise of 21.3% in comparison with the last elections in 2005, thereby becoming the leading party in the Landsting, the local parliament, in this semi-autonomous Danish territory. It easily beat the Siumit, that declined by 3.9% to 26.5% and recorded its heaviest defeat since 1979 during the establishment of the island's autonomous regime of which it was the creator. The liberal party Atassut, member of the outgoing coalition with Siumut lost nearly half of its votes, 10.9% of the vote (-8.1%). The Democrats (opposition) also lost 9.9% of their electorate, down to 12.7%.

On 5th June during a plenary session of the Finnish government a report was adopted that brings together the measures deemed necessary to improve the environmental quality of the Baltic Sea, to make maritime transport safe and to enhance economic cooperation in this area. The Baltic Sea region is of vital importance for Finland since it offers major economic opportunities. It is however a fragile region because it is extremely polluted. Finland is acting as part of the European Strategy for the Baltic Sea, that is being prepared at present and which aims towards the same goals.

An INSEE survey published on 4th June announced that in the first quarter of 2009 the unemployment rate rose to 9.1% of the working population in France (including overseas departments). In mainland France it lay at 8.7% ie 2.5 million people which means an increase of 1.1 points in comparison with the fourth quarter of 2008.

According to a survey by Lansdowne Marketing Research for RTE radio and the newspaper the Sunday Independent published on 7th June, the number of Irish prepared to vote in support of the European Lisbon Treaty in a second referendum to be organised in the autumn has risen again. 54% of the 3,334 people interviewed say they will vote "yes" in comparison with 28% who say "no" and 18% who are undecided. The number of "yes" voters has risen by two points in comparison with the last poll that was undertaken mid-May.

The unemployment rate in Lithuania rose sharply in the first quarter to 11.9% of the working population, in comparison with 7.9% in the previous quarter said the National Statistics Bureau on 3rd June. In all 194,000 unemployed were identified at the end of the first quarter in Lithuania. The unemployment rate has been increasing regularly since the third quarter of 2007, when it lay at 3.9% of the working population.

Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker is guaranteed to beat his own record of longevity amongst ruling European leaders in office after the victory of his party (CSV) on 7th June during the general elections. The Christian Social Party won 38.4% of the vote. Its present coalition partner, the Socialist Party (LASP) of Jean Asselborn won 21.56%, the Liberals (DP) 14.98%, the Greens 11.71%, the Populist Right (ADR), 8.13% and dei Lenk, 3.29%.

The leaders and personalities of the former Communist Bloc countries met on 4th June in Krakow to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Polish elections that tolled the bell for Communism in Eastern Europe. During the morning session Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk welcomed German Chancellor Angela Merkel, former Czech President Vaclav Havel and former Polish President Lech Walesa together with the Prime Ministers of the former Communist countries. The leaders launched a joint appeal to the "young generation". The elections on 4th June easily won by the Solidarity movement was one of the first events to precipitate the fall of the Berlin Wall and that of the Communist regime in Europe.

The Czech interim government led by Prime Minister Jan Fischer, which is at present in charge of the Presidency of the European Union received MPs' approval on 7th after a vote that was broadcast live on TV. Comprising a team of experts and non-aligned civil servants this cabinet led by the former chief of the National Statistics Office (CSU), Jan Fischer, was approved 156 votes in favour in a lower chamber comprising 200 seats.

British Secretary of State for the Armed Forces, Bob Ainsworth was appointed as Defence Minister on 5th June in a government reshuffle on the part of Gordon Brown, which confirms Alistair Darling as Finance Minister, Peter Mandelson as Trade Minister, David Miliband as Foreign Minister. Alan Johnson, Health Minister until now, has also been promoted as Home Minister in replacement of Jacqui Smith. Will this reshuffle be enough to save Gordon Brown whilst calls for his resignation are multiplying - even within his own party - after the departure of seven of his government ministers and the defeat of the Labour Party in the local and European elections organised on 4th June?

On 5th June in an article by Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt and his Finance Minister, Anders Borg was published in the Financial Times. Entitled "Sweden's main missions during its European presidency", it mentions the Swedish priorities: boosting growth by restoring confidence in the financial markets and by fighting against the massive increase in unemployment; enhance the supervision and financial market regulation; finally monitoring the balance of public finances long term in the Member States. "It is an ambitious programme but by working hard and with great political will, progress can be made. Together we can re-establish the basis for growth and stability in Europe and provide hope and prosperity to its citizens.

On 3rd June the head of the Social Democratic Party, L'Alternativa, Jaume Bartumeu was appointed as the new head of government of the Principality of Andorra by the General Council (Parliament) elected during the April general elections. He took advantage of the abstention of three MPs of Andorra pel Canvi (APC, Andorre pour le changement) to be appointed by simple majority (14 votes). The new head of government was sworn in on 5th June in the presence of the General Councillors.

Several young people from the Belarus opposition signed a manifesto on 26th May entitled "Independence! Freedom! European Choice! They plead in favour for greater democracy and cooperation in Belarus. They support former presidential election candidate Aleksandr Milinkevich who advises on a rapprochement between the EU and Belarus.

The Moldovan parliament, dominated by the Communist party did not succeed in electing the new Moldovan president on 3rd June to succeed Vladimir Voronine, which according to the Constitution, should lead to the dissolution of Parliament. The three opposition parties represented in Parliament boycotted the vote although together they only enjoyed a minority of 41 MPs of 101 with which to block the vote. The Communist Party candidate, Prime Minister Zinaïda Greceanii had the support of 60 MPs in her party and she needed one more vote to be elected. The present President Vladimir Voronine is obliged to dissolve the Parliament and to convene early general elections.

On 3rd June Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin warned the EU about another potential gas crisis if Ukraine did not pay its share to Russia. The gas sold to the EU transits via Ukraine and he recalled that "Gazprom has the right to demand a pre-payment. No pre-payment,no gas!" Whilst visiting Finland the Russian Prime Minister re-iterated his appeal to the EU for it to help Ukraine pay for its gas. Ukraine paid for its gas in May. What does the Russian Prime Minister want?

On 4th June the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) said that spreading rumours about the married life of public personalites is not an element of public freedom of expression, with regard to an article about former Austrian President Thomas Klestil which was published in "Der Standard". The ECHR therefore rejected the newspaper which believed it had been unjustly convicted in Austria because of this article; the Court justified this decision by the fact that "even public personalities can legitimately count on being protected against the spread of rumours with regard to intimate aspects of their private life."

On 1st June delegates from 182 countries met in Bonn, Germany, to discuss the negotiation texts on climate change that may form the basis of an agreement during the Copenhagen Summit in December 2009. Discussions are to last two weeks and are the second in the round of discussions on the subject under the guidance of the UN.

According to figures published by Eurostat on 2nd June the Member States of the EU dedicated some 26.9% of GDP on social protection in 2006 in comparison with 27.1% in 2005. Given the differences in living standards, social systems and demographic structures, social spending is extremely different from one country to another. Social protection expenditure as a percentage of GDP was above 30% in 2006 in France (31.1%), Sweden (30.7%) and Belgium (30.1%), and below 15% in Latvia (12.2%), Estonia (12.4%), Lithuania (13.2%) and Romania (14.0%). In the EU in 2006, expenditure on old age and survivors benefits accounted for 46% of total spending on social protection benefits, sickness & health care benefits for 29%, disability benefits and family & children benefits for 8% each, unemployment benefits for 6% and housing & social exclusion benefits for 4%.

In a report entitled "Social Europe, an overview and perspectives," Richard Yung, a PS Senator, representing the French living abroad provides a panorama of the EU's achievements in social matters. He tries to explain the impediments encountered at present in this area and puts suggestions forward that will lead to a new start for Social Europe in the years to come.

The spring 2009 edition of the review "Sécurité Globale" is devoted to the fight against maritime piracy. It includes articles devoted to France in NATO, to the ESPD and the enhancement of competitiveness of the French defence industry on an international level.

The 53rd Venice Biennial called "Building Worlds", managed by Daniel Birnbaum opened its doors on 7th June to 22nd November 2009 at the Giardini and the Arsenal as well as in other parts of the city. Two golden lions were given to Yoko Ono and John Baldessari in honour of their careers. The Biennial is believed to be one of the most prestigious artistic events in Europe.