The Robert Schuman Foundation together with other institutions, and on the initiative of the Representation of the European Commission in France, is partner in a debate taking place on 15th June between Margrethe Vestager, European Commissioner for Competition and Emmanuel Macron, the French Minister for the Economy, Industry and the Digital Sector. They will be presenting their view of the European project and will debate with the public on the major challenges facing the EU.

On 3rd June the OECD published its economic outlook which suggests that world growth will gradually consolidate to recover its pre-crisis pace by the end of 2016. The OECD provides that world growth will lie at 3.1% in 2015 before rising to 3.8% in 2016. Notably in the euro zone output is due to grow by 1.4% in 2015 and 2.1% in 2016. However weak investment in many economies, the creation of jobs and rising wages are undermining long-term sustainable growth prospects.

Short of money, Greece quoted an almost forgotten clause on 4th June requesting the grouping together of its four reimbursements into one. To date this regulation called "bundling" had only been used once in the IMF's history, which was by Zambia thirty years ago. In theory Athens had until 5th June to start paying back the IMF otherwise the country would have been in arrears and risked triggering a chain reaction. Athens now has until 30th June to honour all of its commitments, a total of 1.6 billion euro. The Greek crisis was discussed at the G7 Summit during which Jean-Claude Juncker said he was "disappointed with the speech delivered by the Greek Prime Minister to Parliament in Athens" on 5th June. Alexis Tsipras may just have complicated his relations with the President of the Commission slightly more, whose support he will need to continue negotiations that will be undertaken on the side lines of the EU-Latin America Summit on 10th June.

Portugal is to reimburse 2 billion € ahead of deadline to the IMF after already settling 6.6 billion euro announced Finance Minister Maria Luis Albuquerque on 7th June. "We are going to make an early, additional payment to the IMF (..) of nearly 2 billion € to make savings on interest rates," declared the minister in a speech broadcast on Portuguese TV.

On 2nd June 2015 the Commission presented its annual document on fishing opportunities for 2016, in which it indicates its goals for the definition of fishing quotas. Europe's positive fisheries results show that the sustainable management of resources is possible. To continue to do this the Commission has to step up its work and it has to foster dialogue with countries in the Mediterranean. A public consultation is designed to collate the positions of all of those involved before the Commission makes its proposals on 2016 fishing opportunities public in the autumn.

On 3rd and 4th June 2015 the European Development Days took place in Brussels. Entitled "Our world, our dignity, our future" these days are one of the leading events on the European development agenda. There are many conferences, debates and meetings being organised over the next two days addressing the various issues at stake in development. All of those involved in this area will be working towards this end.

Following the ban introduced by the Kremlin on 89 European citizens travelling to Russia, the President of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz announced on 2nd June a restriction of access by the members of the Russian delegation to the European Parliament. Only the Ambassador of Russia to the European Union, Vladimir Chijov will be able to enter the European Parliament accompanied by a diplomat. The Russian blacklist, delivered to European diplomats on 28th May includes a certain number of former and present MEPs who have openly criticised the Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russia's position in the war in Ukraine.

On 3rd June 2015 the European Parliament published a list of winners of the European Citizen's Prize 2015. 47 European citizens have been awarded the prize that since 2008 has aimed to reward citizens who have contributed towards European cooperation as well as the promotion of common values. 74 names were put forward by national juries. The main ceremony will take place in October next at the European Parliament in Brussels.

On 8th June 2015 the 28 Energy Ministers met in Luxembourg to debate the implementation of the energy security strategy. This strategy aims to enable the EU to withstand any shock to or disruption in its energy supplies as well as reduce its dependency. Moreover they adopted conclusions on the implementation of the strategic framework for Energy Union and the end goal is to provide European consumers with safe, sustainable, affordable energy whilst encouraging vital investments. Finally the Commission informed them of progress in terms of international relations in the energy sector, notably progress in trilateral negotiations between the EU, Russian and Ukraine as well as regarding the Energy Community.

The European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) presented its 2014 report on 2nd June. It has made a record number of recommendations over the last five years and has reduced the duration of its investigations, enabling it to recover 901 million euro, a sum that will be invested into European projects. "Our work is producing real results," indicates Giovanni Kessler, OLAF's Director General.

The European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN) started up the biggest particle accelerator in the world again on 3rd June - the large hadron collider (LHC) - at the CERN Centre in the canton of Geneva. This new run should lead to the achievement of a total 13 teraelectronvolts (TeV), ie nearly double the collision energy of the first run which lasted three years. This will provide scientists with vital research data.

On 1st June France and Germany called for greater EU solidarity, pushing the European Commission to review its proposals in terms of migrant distribution. "France and Germany are prepared to look into the Commission's proposal" regarding a mechanism to distribute "asylum seekers who clearly need protection" within the Member States maintained the French Home Affairs Minister Bernard Cazeneuve and his German counterpart Thomas de Maizière, in a joint press release. This mechanism should be based on the equally important principles of "solidarity" and "responsibility". The ministers believe that "balance has not yet been reached in the proposal put forward by the Commission."

On 7th and 8th June 2015 the G7 Summit took place at Schloss Elmau (Germany, France, UK, Italy, Canada, USA, Japan). The EU was also invited. Under the banner 'Think ahead, act together' this summit addressed economy, foreign affairs, and security related issues as well as energy and the climate. On this issue the seven industrial powers set a goal to reduce emissions by 40 to 70% by 2050 in comparison with 2010. They re-iterated their unity against terrorism and international areas of conflict (Middle East, Africa and Ukraine/Russia). German Chancellor Angela Merkel stressed that Russia should be a partner but recalled at the same time that the latter could not reintegrate the G8 given the situation in Ukraine.

From 31st May to 2nd June the plenary meeting of COSAC (Conference of Parliamentary Committees for Union Affairs of Parliaments of the European Union) took place in Riga bringing together MEPs and the European Affairs Committees of the various national parliaments. This meeting led to debate about energy, trade, terrorism in the Middle East and the Eastern Partnership.

The British parliament adopted the government's legislative programme on 4th June 326 votes in support, 279 against. The Queen's speech marked the start of six days of parliamentary debate which led to a vote of confidence in David Cameron's government re-elected on 7th May last. Further budgetary cuts are planned for a total of £3 billion over one year (ie slightly more than 4 billion €), notably with the privatisation of the Royal Mail, the British postal service. The Queen's speech and Parliament's vote also firmly set the issue of the referendum on the UK remaining within the EU that is to be held in 2017.

The UN's Security Council met on 5th June regarding Ukraine and recalled that both Ukrainians and Russians had to respect the ceasefire. In addition to this, serious, constant infringements of Human Rights continue in the east of Ukraine in spite of relative calm said a new report released by the UN on Ukraine. The number of deaths between mid-April 2014 and 30th May 2015 lay at 6,417 and 15,962 injured in the zone of conflict in the east of Ukraine said an update in the report. Amongst these infringements the UN's bureau for human rights speaks of "bombardments, arbitrary executions and illegal imprisonment, torture and poor treatment, human trafficking as well as a lack of justice and prosecution." The report covered the period 16th February 2014 to 15th May 2015.

The euro zone's annual inflation rate was estimated at 0.3% in May 2015 up in comparison with April when it lay at 0%, according to a Eurostat estimate published on 2nd June.

On 2nd June 2015 the Etude du Pew Research Center published a study called "Faith in European Project Reviving" which was undertaken in six Member States (France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain and the UK) representing 70% of the EU's population and 74% of its GDP. The Pew Research Center covers many themes linked to citizens' faith in the European project. Hence we see that confidence is rising amongst those interviewed regarding European institutions with 61% of favourable opinions + 9% in comparison with 2013. Finally the study reveals that the euro is supported by most European citizens with a total of 72% in Germany and France.

From 11th June to 4th October 2015 an interdisciplinary biennale called "Ideas for Change" will be taking place for the very first time in Vienna (Austria). This biennale aims to bring together the sectors of art, design and architecture to define new ways "to make positive change with creative ideas and artistic projects." Emphasis will be placed on digital modernism, which the organisers compare, in terms of its social and cultural effects, to the industrial revolution. Exhibitions and projects will be on show at the Austrian Museum of Applied Arts/Contemporary Art (MAK) at the Kunsthalle Wien, at the "Angewandte Innovation Laboratory" at the University for Applied Arts in Vienna, at the Centre for Architecture of Vienna as well as in public venues.

The 2015 Nuits de Fourvière are taking place in Lyon until 31st July. Many disciplines will be putting on some 60 shows in the shape of theatre, dance, opera, music and circus acts. This year notably there will be George Ezra, Ben Harper, Lilly Wood and the Prick, Iggy Pop, Björk, Christine and The Queens, Calogero, Charlie Winston, Patti Smith, Matthieu Chedid, Tim Robbins. As far as theatre is concerned "The Umbrellas of Cherbourg" as well as plays be Chekov, Shakespeare and Molière will be performed.