On 19th November European Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, Vladimir Spidla, and European Commission Vice-President for Institutional Relations and Communication Strategy, Margot Wallström spoke at the conference "Women in Europe" organised by the Robert Schuman Foundation, the FAES, the CKID, Ithaka and ANO Pro Evropu. The two commissioners deplored the under representation of women in the decisional making bodies both on a European and national level in spite of the progress made over the last few years. In addition to this they made a similar observation with regard to women's situation in the private sector. The two European leaders pleaded in favour of stepping up work within both the national and European institutions as well as far as changing mentalities were concerned.

On 16th and 17th November the 27 Foreign Ministers undertook their six-monthly assessment of the development of the European Security and Defence Policy together with the Defence Ministers (EUNAVFOR-Operation Atalanta, Operation ALTHEA). They looked into the situation in Belarus and decided to extend the restrictive measures that are part of the common position 2006/276/CFSP modified by the common position 2009/314/CFSP until October 2010. They also invited the Commission to present its opinion on Albania's request to join the EU.

On 17th November MEPs and their counterparts from the national parliaments debated the Stockholm Programme and the priorities that are to be given to justice, freedom and security for the next five years - these are areas in which the European Parliament acquires new influence as the Lisbon Treaty enters into force. MPs spoke in favour of increased cooperation in the area of justice whilst demanding the respect of national traditions and fundamental rights. Debates also revealed difficulties in finding a balance between imperatives of security and the protection of civil liberties.

The European Network of Employment Services (EURES) celebrated its 15th anniversary on 16th November. Established by the European Commission EURES aims to work with citizens to help them find jobs in another European country. EURES that brings together the employment services of 31 countries in Europe offers daily on-line access to over 700,000 job offers. In addition to this Member States' job mobility experts came together to discuss the service's future and its role in the fight against unemployment in Europe.

Passengers on flights that are delayed by more than three hours are entitled to compensation from the airline like those whose flights are cancelled said the European Court of Justice on 18th November. "The passengers concerned by a delay suffer the same prejudice which means a loss of time and they also find themselves in a comparable situation," to passengers whose flight is cancelled explains the Court in its press release. "Passengers on a flight that is cancelled short term are entitled to compensation even if they are re-routed by the airline on another flight if they are delayed by three hours or more in comparison with the total length of journey originally planned," it recalled. This lumpsum compensation, included in European rules, ranges from 250 euros to 600 euros.

On 18th November the EU-Russian Summit discussions mainly focused on energy and climate issues. Russian President Dimitri Medvedev insisted that Russia had honoured its commitments and that it would continue its work to reduce CO2 emissions. The EU and Russians agreed on the goal of "2°" and on the need to step up work both in the developed and developing countries. On 17th November they said they were pleased with the conclusion of an agreement that aimed to prevent the dangers of the energy crisis via an early warning system activated if there was a "major cut in supply". On the sidelines of the summit the European Commissioner for External Relations, Benita Ferrero-Waldner and Russian Regional Development Minister Viktor Basargin signed funding conventions relative to five transborder cooperation programmes.

The members of the German government who met on 17th and 18th November addressed a major number of political projects that they intend to apply over the next four years by creating a basis for "work in all confidence of settling difficult problems that Germany has to face." Many problems have to be settled such as the preparation of the 2010 budget, the tax reform, the protection of the climate and the reform of the healthcare system.

The appointment of Herman Van Rompuy as stable president of the European Council opens the way to the appointment of a new Belgian Prime Minister. The Belgian King Albert II has asked former Prime Minister Wilfried Martens, to look into the situation amongst the Flemish and the French speakers to lead to a rapid, effective transition.

On 18th November the Finnish Parliament adopted a law authorising the opening of shops on Sundays for the entire year instead of just for some months. Until now the Finnish could only shop on Sundays from May to August as well as in November and December. Only small grocery stores as well as shops in rural areas were allowed to open all year round on Sundays. The new law, adopted by 107 MPs, 53 voted against and 2 abstained, is to enter force in December.

In a joint column published on 16th November by the French newspaper "Libération", the French, German, Danish, Swedish, British, Spanish and Finnish Foreign Ministers re-iterated their commitment to working towards limiting global warming, believed to be a matter of "global and human urgency". They notably want "an agreement limiting global warming to a maximum 2° and plans for immediate steps to be taken against this"; they state that this "agreement should also include help for developing countries." This column is in preparation for the UN conference which will take place in Copenhagen from 7th to 18th December.

The Greek deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, Demetris Droustas recently undertook a series of visits in the capitals of the Western Balkan countries. On 18th November he met Serb President, Boris Tadic, as well as Serb Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic. He then travelled to Montenegro, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Albania. The meetings focused notably on the Greek desire to provide new impetus to the roadmap for EU accession on the part of South East Europe by means of Agenda 2014. Greece supports the political goal of European integration for the region's countries by 2014; it is ambitious but can be accomplished.

Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski travelled to Ireland on 19th November where he met his Irish counterpart Brian Cowen. He welcomed Ireland's desire to see the start of membership negotiations in 2010. Discussions also focused on cooperation between the two countries, notably in terms of trade and investment. The liberalisation of visas towards the Schengen area was also discussed likewise the need to maintain good neighbourly relations and to find a solution ot the international recognition of the country's name.

On 17th November Italy and Switzerland signed an agreement to counter drugs trafficking between the two countries said the Italian Home Minister Roberto Maroni after a meeting in Rome with his Swiss counterpart Evelyne Widmer-Schlumpf. "We want to enhance cooperation with regard to border control and work together in repatriation and organising joint flights for illegal immigrants found in border areas," he added.

The UK said on 18th November that it would take part in a pilot programme launched by the European Council for the distribution of refugees who enter Europe via Malta. The UK has thereby joined France, Luxemnbourg, Portugal, Slovakia and Slovenia who have already committed to helping Malta in facing the migratory pressure which it is subject to. The Maltese Justice and Domestic Affairs Minster, Carm Mitsud Bonnici said he was pleased with the UK's decision.

The Dutch state is to inject an extra three billion euros into ABN Amro and Fortis as part of the merger between the two banks which were nationalised in October 2008 said Finance Minister Wouter Bos on 19th November.

On 21st November Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk put forward a reform of the Constitution "to limit the role" of the President of the Republic who would be elected, if this reform enters force, by the national Assembly. He also suggested a strengthening of the government's role to avoid "incessant conflict" between the President and the government. "The next President of the Republic may already be elected according to the new method by the National Assembly," declared Donald Tusk during a press conference for the 2nd anniversary of his accession to the post of Prime Minister. To do this it would be necessary for a draft reform of the constitution to be submitted to parliament in January for the proces to be completed by the summer of 2010.

On 17th November the Czech Republic and Slovakia celebrated the 20th anniversary of the first demonstrations that in 1989 led to the overthrow of the Communist government and to the election of Vaclav Havel as President of the Republic of Czechoslovakia. In Prague several thousand people rallied together and followed the path taken by demonstrating students of twenty years ago. Vaclav Havel spoke in Wencleslas Square in Prague and called on the Czechs not to give up their interest in politics. The main political leaders and notably President Vaclav Klaus poke in succession each other before the memorial to the demonstrations of 17th November 1989. However in Slovakia the government and opposition celebrated the end of Communism separately.

The Romanian President Traian Basescu will be facing former Foreign Minister Mircea Geoana in the second round of the presidential election on 6th December next. After the count of 74% of the voting slips Traian Basescu is said to have won 32.84% in comparison with 29.82% of the vote for Mircea Geoana. Crin Antonescu won 20.35%. Turnout rose to 54.09%.

On 18th November Queen Elisabeth II delivered her "Speech" to the British parliament. She presented the government's priorities for the parliamentary year after the official opening of the parliamentary session. Priorities are notably economic recovery, the reform of the law on financial services, the reduction of public debt and the promotion of growth and employment in key areas such as digital communication.

On 16th November Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico travelled to Moscow on an official visit where he met his counterpart Vladimir Putin as well as Gazprom chairman Alexei Miller. Discussions focused on economic and energy cooperation.

The Presidents, Armenian Serge Sarkissian and Azerbaijani Ilham Aliev met on 22nd November in Germany for negotiations on the difficult conflict ongoing between their two countries in the Nagorny-Karabakh. "The meeting focused on the present situation and possible negotiations to settle the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan on the Nagorny-Karabakh." The Foreign Ministers of the two countries took part as well as representatives from mediating countries from the "Minsk Group" (USA, France, Russia), the OSCE (Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe).

The Croatian parliament ratified the mediation agreement with regard to the border conflict with Slovenia 129 votes in favour, 6 against on 20th November. The main opposition party, the SDP therefore decided to support the government's decision in spite of some reticence, to establish a mediatian court to settle the controversy that has separated the two countries for a long time and delayed Croatia's membership to the EU.

In a joint press conference Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian Yulia Timoshenko announced on 19th November that they had come to a compromise on the difficult gas issue saying that they were prepared to revise the bilateral contracts. Russia notably accepted a reduction of gas volumes that had to be bought by Kiev without inflicting penalities and increasing the transit tarif of Russian gas to Europe via Ukraine by 60%.

The Heads of State and Government who attended the HQ of the FAO on 16th to 18th November as part of the World Summit on Food Security re-iterated their commitment to taking the necessary steps to eradicating hunger in the world. In particular they decided to increase agricultural investments in the poorest regions, but also to work towards improving governance of food issues by giving poor countries the political, economic and developmental tools needed to stimulate agricultural production.

According to estimates published on 17th November by Eurostat for the month of September 2009 the euro area has recorded an external trade surplus of 3.7 billion euros with the rest of the world. In September the previous year it recorded a deficit of 6 billion euros. In the Union statistics indicate a deficit of 11.2 billion euros in comparison with -24.5 billion euros in September 2008.

On 16th November the European Commission published the EU's scoreboard on investments in industrial R&D. This table shows that investments in R&D in European companies recorded a leap of 8.1% this year in comparison with a rise of only 5.7% in the USA and 4.4% in Japan. For the second year running European companies are ahead of their American competitors. Two EU companies feature amongst the best ten: Volkswagen, 3rd and Nokia 8th.

The Candide Prize is the only Franco-German prize to pay tribute to modern literature. This year it was awarded to German Volker Braun and to French writer Olivia Rosenthal. Its aim is to reveal these modern writers in each country and to promote literary encounters.