In response to the economic and social consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic, the European Union has set up a €672.5 billion recovery fund. On 8 March, Malta and Slovenia received their first instalments. On 9 March, Estonia asked the Commission to add a REPowerEU chapter to its plan. On 10 March, the Commission gave a positive preliminary assessment of Austria's payment request. The Foundation provides you with an interactive map of the plans country by country, including amounts and timetables.

On 10 March, the Commission presented a communication on the European space strategy for security and defence. It proposes, among other things, enhanced cooperation in the face of space threats, actions to strengthen the protection of space systems and services in the Union, maximising the use of space for security and defence and promoting responsible uses of space at international level.

On 10 March, the Commission published its proposals for strengthening the EU's maritime security strategy, together with an updated action plan for its implementation. The new strategy provides for enhanced measures against new threats and a framework for the EU to protect its interests at sea. It promotes international peace and security but also the protection of the oceans and their biodiversity

From 6 to 11 March, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen visited Canada and the United States. In Canada, she made a joint statement with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and then addressed the Canadian Parliament to reiterate their common support for Ukraine, their commitment to democracy, environmental protection and energy security and transition. In Washington, she met US President Joe Biden with whom she discussed the economic challenges of EU-US cooperation, particularly in the area of energy transition. The two leaders also discussed their cooperation on the war in Ukraine.

On 8 March, the Commission published its guidelines for Member States' budgetary policies, calling for caution. It recommends policies that ensure debt sustainability in the medium term and promote growth, notably through public investment. The general derogation clause of the Stability and Growth Pact will be deactivated at the end of 2023 and replaced.

On 9-10 March, the Trade Ministers met in Stockholm to discuss trade relations, particularly with the USA, and the contribution of trade to the EU's competitiveness. They discussed the issue of resilient supply chains, as well as trade support for Ukraine and its accession to the EU's free-trade area.

On 7 March, the Education Ministers approved conclusions on skills and competences for the green transition. They also discussed the teacher shortage in the EU and enhanced European cooperation to attract, develop and retain teachers and trainers.

The Council of Europe's Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) issued a report on 7 March welcoming the positive steps taken in Cyprus since 2016, while noting some concerns. It notes that hate speech remains widespread in public discourse and unchallenged.

The experts of the Venice Commission, the Council of Europe's advisory body on constitutional law, met on 11 and 12 March. They adopted interim opinions on draft laws on the influence of oligarchs in Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova. They adopted a joint opinion on a draft law on the external evaluation of judges and prosecutors in Moldova and a draft joint opinion on political parties in Azerbaijan. They also followed up on two of their opinions on draft laws on the judicial system in Montenegro and Georgia.

Until 7 May, the MO.CO in Montpellier is hosting an exhibition devoted to young French figurative painting. The exhibition features artists born between the 1970s and 1990s who revisit the figurative style.

Until 18 June, the Palazzo Strozzi Foundation is hosting an exhibition featuring some of the most important Italian and international contemporary artists, including Maurizio Cattelan and Lynette Yiadom-Boakye. The exhibition proposes, through more than 70 works, to reflect on the present and the future of art.

Until 23 April, the Royal Palace in Warsaw is devoting an exhibition to Herman Han, who is mainly known for his religious works. The exhibition seeks to shed light on a lesser-known part of the artist's career, who also explored secular themes and the portrait.

The Picasso Museum in Paris is holding an exhibition until 27 August to mark the fiftieth anniversary of Pablo Picasso's death. Designer Paul Smith, who is the artistic director of the exhibition, brings a contemporary perspective to the artist's most iconic masterpieces.

Until September 3, the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao is organising an exhibition devoted to Oskar Kokoschka, entitled "A Rebel from Vienna". An artist known for his versatility and unclassifiable nature, during his lifetime he only acknowledged the term "Expressionist" to describe his art, considering that he did nothing but "express life".

Until 21 May, the Finnish Museum of Photography in Helsinki is organising an exhibition entitled "The Portraitist", dedicated to Duane Michals, a famous photographer who broke with the tradition of documentary photography.

Until 25 June, an exhibition at Kettle's Yard in Cambridge offers an opportunity to discover the work of Lucie Rie, one of the most influential ceramicists of the 20th century. Julie Rie was the leading figure in the new ceramic art movement that developed in the aftermath of the Second World War, breaking away from the tradition that dominated the discipline.

The KW Institute for Contemporary Art in Berlin is hosting three exhibitions until 14 May. The first is devoted to the Chinese-American painter Martin Wong. The second exhibition brings together paintings, drawings, collages and videos by the Colombian-American artist Karen Lamassonne. Finally, the American artist Win McCarthy is presenting a series of photograms devoted to everyday life and representing scenes that are both personal and universal.

From 16 to 19 March, the St. Patrick's Day festivities are being held in Ireland. This festival is celebrated in honour of Saint Patrick, a missionary who converted Ireland to Christianity. Dublin is the capital of the festivities with many concerts, shows and other activities. The city's largest ever parade is scheduled for 17 March.

Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin visited Kyiv on 10 March where she reiterated that Ukraine's future lies in Europe. She discussed with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky European support and efforts to prosecute war crimes. Both leaders condemned Russia's "irresponsible nuclear rhetoric".

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres visited Kyiv on 8 March. He recalled that Russia's invasion of Ukraine is a violation of the UN Charter and international law and pledged to mitigate the impacts of the conflict, including from a humanitarian perspective.

To learn French from Ukrainian, the NGO Bibliothèques Sans Frontières offers the free application "Bonjour France", accessible from the Kajou application. The application offers 50 themes to help you find your way around in everyday life, 100 podcasts and more than 1,000 exercises to practise your French, as well as a lexicon with 600 pre-recorded phrases in French.

The ministers responsible for development aid and the Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister for Reconstruction, Oleksandr Kubrakov, discussed EU support for the reconstruction of Ukraine on 8-9 March in Stockholm. Oleksandr Kubrakov discussed EU support for Ukraine's reconstruction in Stockholm on 8-9 March.