The Commission presented on 14 January its Green Deal for Europe investment plan to raise €1000 billion over the next 10 years for climate transition. In particular, the plan includes a Just Transition Mechanism (JTM), which includes €7.5 billion of new EU funds, a facility to mobilise up to €45 billion of investment, and a European Investment Bank (EIB) public sector lending facility, supported by the Union's budget, to mobilise €25-30 billion of investment.

On 15 January, MEPs adopted a resolution by 494 votes to 147, setting out their vision for the Conference on the Future of Europe which is due to open this year. They called for active citizen participation, including the setting up of thematic citizens' agoras made up of citizens' representatives selected by drawing lots. They consider that the system of lead candidates and transnational lists should be discussed during the Conference and ask that the Council and the Commission commit themselves to a possible amendment of the Treaty.

The Eurogroup, which met on 20 January, discussed the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) conclusions on the euro area and the Commission's draft recommendations for 2020. The 19 ministers called on Portugal to revise its draft budget plan by addressing the risks identified by the Commission and exchanged views on the deepening of the economic and monetary area. The new finance ministers of Spain, Finland and Austria presented their priorities.

In view of the multiple breaches of the 2015 Iranian nuclear agreement, the foreign ministers of France, the United Kingdom and Germany announced in a statement issued on January 14 their decision to appeal to the dispute settlement mechanism under the JCPoA to bring Iran into compliance with its obligations under the agreement. European diplomatic chief Josep Borell and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif agreed at a January 16 meeting in New Delhi to maintain close contact in the coming weeks and to continue their commitment to preserve the agreement.

In an opinion published on 14 January, the Advocate General of the Court of Justice denounced the stigmatising effect of restrictions imposed in Hungary on the funding of NGOs from abroad. He considers that the law violates a number of the Union's fundamental rights, in that the publication of data constitutes an interference with the rights to protection of privacy and personal data and to freedom of association.

On 15 January, the German government presented its National Strategy for the Bioeconomy, which sets the framework for the sustainable development and use of biological resources, as well as ecological and nature-friendly production methods in all economic sectors.

The presidents of the G5 Sahel countries (France, Niger, Chad, Mauritania, Burkina Faso and Mali) met in Pau on 13 January. They signed a declaration expressing their desire to continue "France's military commitment in the Sahel". The French President announced the dispatch of 220 additional troops to the region to support Operation Barkhane troops (currently 4,500 strong). A group of European special forces, called "Task Force Takuba", is planned. An EU-Sahel summit is due to take place in conjunction with the European Council in March.

Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar announced on 14 January the dissolution of Parliament and the holding of early parliamentary elections on 8 February, just after Brexit and the opening of negotiations on the future of relations between the United Kingdom and the European Union.

The new Maltese Prime Minister Robert Abela presented his government on 15 January. It comprises 17 ministers, two of whom are women. The environment and planning are combined in a single portfolio, as well as foreign and European affairs.

On 16 January, the Prime Ministers of the Visegrád Group (Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary and Slovakia) and the Austrian Chancellor met in Prague. They discussed migration, border security, competitiveness, enlargement, climate change and the EU's multi-annual budget.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson sent a letter to the Head of the Scottish Government Nicola Sturgeon in which he responded negatively to her request, made on 19 December, for a transfer of power for the organisation of a new referendum on self-determination in Scotland. In 2014 the Scots voted 55% to remain in the United Kingdom. The Scottish government cannot hold a referendum without London's permission.

The Venice Commission, the Council of Europe's rule of law body, issued on 16 January an urgent opinion on the draft law currently under discussion in Poland which aims to allow the sanctioning of judges. It considered that the new law "further undermines judicial independence", in particular the new disciplinary offences thus created, which are open to subjective interpretation. It also stressed that the influence of the Minister of Justice on disciplinary proceedings would be increased if the law was adopted. On 17 January, the Polish Senate rejected the bill, which must now be returned to the Sejm.

The International Monetary Fund released its Global Economic Outlook for 2020 on 20 January. World growth, estimated at 2.9% for 2019, is expected to rise to 3.3% during the year and then to 3.4% in 2021, less than forecast in the outlook published last October. Despite the many political and commercial uncertainties, the IMF nevertheless points to the appearance of signs of stabilisation in world growth, notably thanks to the adoption of monetary easing measures in 2019.

The European Union, the United States and Japan agreed on 14 January on proposals to strengthen the fight against market-distorting industrial subsidies within the World Trade Organisation (WTO). They jointly call for stricter rules as part of a reform of the WTO.

According to a Eurobarometer survey published on 13 January, 43% of European citizens who have travelled by air, or who have travelled a long distance by road, sea or rail in the last 12 months, are aware that passenger rights exist at European level. The results of this survey will feed into the two legislative procedures on rail and air passenger rights launched by the Commission to step up these rights and make them better known to citizens.

The euro area recorded a surplus of €20.7 billion in international trade in goods with the rest of the world in November 2019, up from €18.2 billion in November 2018, according to figures released by Eurostat on 15 January. The European Union recorded a surplus of €2.6 billion in international trade in goods with the rest of the world.

According to a study published on 16 January by the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China, European companies remain lukewarm about China's pharaonic New Silk Roads project, whose opacity they fear. Out of 132 companies that took part in the study, only 20 submitted bids for projects related to this initiative. The Silk Roads are criticized for their lack of transparency and suspected of encouraging developing countries to incur excessive debt for projects with no economic benefit.

The Brussels Art Fair (BRAFA), one of the most prestigious fairs for modern and contemporary art, design and antiques in Europe, takes place from 26 January to 2 February at the Tour & Taxis site in Brussels.