Former Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic (Social Democratic Party) came out ahead in the first round of Croatia's presidential election on 22 December with 29.55% of the vote. In the second round, on 5 January, he will face outgoing President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic (Croatian Democratic Union), who gets 26.65%. The question is to whom will the voters of the populist candidate Miroslav Skoro, who came third with 24.45%, turn?

The accommodation booking platform Booking is committed to improving information to its customers in order to better comply with EU rules, the Commission announced on 20 December following a procedure initiated by the Commission and national consumer protection authorities. Booking will make clearer information on the criteria for the prices displayed and the nature of the accommodation on offer.

In a resolution adopted by 581 votes to 26, the European Parliament expressed concern about the credibility of the investigations into the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia. They stressed "a serious and persistent threat to the rule of law, democracy and fundamental rights" and a continued risk of a compromised investigation, as long as Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, who announced that he would resign in January, remains in office.

On 16 and 17 December, the Ministers of Agriculture and Fisheries set the fishing quotas for 2020. They decided to stop fishing for western herring and cod in the Baltic Sea in order to promote the recovery of stocks, and proposed measures to help fishermen. They discussed the post-2020 reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and adopted policy guidelines for the protection and restoration of the world's forests. They adopted a new strategy for animal welfare as well as for the fight against food fraud. They also discussed the use of pesticides, origin labelling, the bio-economy strategy and the impact of US tariffs on the European agri-food industry.

On 19 December, the Union extended economic sanctions against Russia for six months. The measures, to be implemented in 2014, target the finance, energy and defence sectors and the area of dual-use goods. They are being renewed because the Minsk agreements on the peace process in Eastern Ukraine are not fully implemented.

On 19 December, the Court of Justice of the European Union ruled that a person elected to the European Parliament enjoys the immunity attached to his status as a Member of the European Parliament. The case was referred to the Court by the Catalan independence leader Oriol Junqueras, who was elected as a Member of the European Parliament in May 2019 while in prison and whose election was invalidated by the Spanish courts. It ruled that if the competent national court wished to maintain legal proceedings, it must ask Parliament to waive the immunity of the elected Member. O. Junqueras, imprisoned in 2017 for his participation in the organisation of the self-determination referendum in Catalonia, was sentenced in October 2019 to 13 years' imprisonment.

On 19 December the Council formally appointed Isabel Schnabel of Germany and Fabio Panetta of Italy to the Executive Board of the European Central Bank. Their 8-year terms of office will take effect on 1 January. Isabel Schnabel replaces Sabine Lautenschläger of Germany, who resigned on 31 October, while Fabio Panetta succeeds Benoît Coeuré of France, whose term of office ends on 31 December.

On 18 December, the European aircraft manufacturer Airbus exceeded the 1,000 order mark for 2019, thanks to a request for 60 A220s from the Air France-KLM group. Airbus, whose current results are partly linked to the shutdown of the Boeing737 MAX for safety reasons, has also passed the symbolic mark of 20,000 aircraft sold since its creation in 1970.

On 20 December, US President Donald Trump signed the law "Protecting Europe's Energy Security", passed by Congress on 17 December, which introduces economic sanctions against European companies associated with the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project linking Russia and Germany. According to Washington, the pipeline increases European dependence on Russia. The European Commission has indicated that it opposes the law, which Germany regards as interference in its internal affairs. However, the sanctions will delay the project for several months and increase its cost.

On 17 December, the French Presidency of the G7 published the Biarritz Development Report, which takes stock of the commitments made to contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This fourth report underlines that more than three-quarters of the 48 G7 commitments are on track to be attained, even though the results fall short of expectations in the environmental, trade and food sectors.G7/

European carmakers PSA (Peugeot Citroën) and FCA (Fiat Chrysler) signed an agreement on 18 December to merge and within 12 to 15 months they will form the world's fourth largest automotive group with annual sales of 8.7 million vehicles and a consolidated turnover of almost €170 billion.

In a judgment of 20 December, the Supreme Court of the Netherlands upheld a judgment of the Court of Appeal in The Hague, stating that the Dutch State has a positive obligation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in order to protect the right to life. It calls on the government to take the necessary measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 25% in 2020 compared to 1990 levels.

The Polish Supreme Court warned on 17 December against a bill tabled by deputies of the Law and Justice Party (PiS) to punish judges who challenge the ongoing judicial reforms. The text, which was adopted by the Lower House on 20 December, provides for sanctions including the exclusion of judges who challenge the appointment of another judge or for political activities. The Court ruled that the draft could, in the long term, lead to Poland's withdrawal from the Union.

In a memorandum issued on 19 December, the Scottish Government asked the British Government for the necessary powers to allow a referendum on Scottish independence to be held. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, whose Scottish National Party won 47 of the 59 Scottish seats in the 12 December general election, believes she has a "democratic mandate" to hold a referendum.

On 19 December, the Sveriges Riksbank raised its key interest rate, which leaves negative territory for the first time in almost five years, from -0.25% to 0%. It is forecasting inflation at 1.7% (or close to 2%) for 2020.

The Council of Europe's Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) believes in a report published on 18 December that despite some recent measures, the criminal justice system in Greece is ineffective in the fight to counter corruption. In particular, the report notes that corruption offences committed by public officials before 18 November 2019 will still be considered minor offences.

EU annual inflation was 1.3% in November 2019, against 1.1% in October. A year earlier it was 2%. Euro area annual inflation was 1% in November 2019, up from 0.7% in October. A year earlier it was 1.9%. These figures were released on 18 December by Eurostat, the EU's statistics office.

According to the Eurobarometer survey published on 20 December, the main concerns of Europeans are immigration (34%) followed by global warming (24%). 43% of respondents say they have confidence in the Union, a relatively stable figure compared to the previous survey in the spring. 70% feel they are EU citizens and 52% are satisfied with the way democracy works in the Union.

The traditional New Year's concert on January 1 at the Musikverein will be conducted by Latvian Andris Nelsons, Music Director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Leipzig Gewandhausorchester.