On 23 November, the ministers for youth and education adopted recommendations on digital skills training, as well as conclusions on mental health among young people. On 24 November, the ministers for culture adopted conclusions on video games, and the ministers for sport adopted conclusions on gender equality.

The ministers responsible for equality, meeting in Pamplona on 23 and 24 November, discussed the policies to be put in place to combat new forms of violence against women.

On 27 November, the Council definitively adopted the Data Act, which aims to improve access to and use of digital data. The legislation provides a framework for the sharing of data generated by connected devices, giving users greater control over their information, tightens up business secrecy to prevent technology leaks, and defines the exceptional circumstances in which public authorities may access data.

Until 14 April 2024, the Queen's Gallery at Buckingham Palace is spotlighting Hans Holbein, the portrait painter of British royalty. The exhibition, made up of its oldest collections, looks back over the artist's incredible career and immerses the public in the life of the British aristocracy in the 16th century.

The Musée National de la Marine in Paris reopened its doors on 17 November after 8 years of renovation. The Ministry of Defence has planned to transform the site into a museum for the future, one that is sensitive to contemporary geostrategic, environmental and economic issues.

On 23 November, the Commission and India signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on semiconductors, aimed at improving the reliability of semiconductor supply chains and fostering cooperation between the two parties.

On November 23 and 24, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau hosted European Council President Charles Michel and Commission President Ursula von der Leyen for an EU-Canada summit at which they reiterated their support for Ukraine and stressed the importance of making progress towards a two-state solution in the Middle East. They also highlighted the benefits of their trade agreement for both economies. They discussed the establishment of a green alliance, a digital partnership and Canada's inclusion in the Horizon Europe research funding programme.

To respond to the economic and social consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic, the European Union has set up a €672.5 billion recovery fund. On 21 November, the Commission approved the updated recovery plans for Croatia, Finland, Greece, Poland and Romania, followed by Italy on 24 November. It also gave a positive assessment to Slovakia's request for payment of €662 million. The Foundation offers you an interactive map of the plans country by country, for information on amounts and schedules.

In partnership with the SWP (Germany) and the PISM (Poland) the Robert Schuman Foundation is organising a conference on the strategic sovereignty of the European Union on 5th December in Brussels. Nicolas Goetzmann, economist and author for the Foundation, will take part in a round table discussion on economic security. Managing Director Pascale Joannin will take part in a round table on defence.

The French and British Defence Ministers, Sébastien Lecornu and Grant Shapps, spoke about common security challenges at the Franco-British Defence Conference in London on 20 November. They reiterated their countries' commitment to maintaining European security and to working together to meet the future security challenges facing Europe.

On 30 November, the Bibliothèque Nationale de France is organising a conference with historian Nicolas Werth on "L'Holodomor: histoire et mémoire de la grande famine de 1932-1933 en Ukraine", as part of a series of events devoted to the Ukrainian nation. The mass crime that was the Holodomor is said to have caused the deaths of between 4 and 6 million Ukrainian peasants.

The campaign for the European elections looks set to get under way soon, and it is to be feared that it will feature the unfortunate slogan of "the Europe that protects". This slogan ignores the real challenge facing the continent, writes Jean-Dominique Giuliani.

The second International Summit on Food Security was held on 25 November. One year after the creation of the "Grain from Ukraine" humanitarian initiative, which brings together 34 countries and international organisations, the crucial role played by Ukraine in supplying cereals was highlighted. 100 million dollars has been raised to deliver cereals to the countries that need them most.