Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, President of the French Republic from 1974 to 1981, has just left us. "This great French liberal honoured Europe, which will miss him," writes Jean-Dominique Giuliani.

Faced with the second wave of the pandemic, the countries of Europe are trying to strike a balance between health measures and maintaining business activities and family ties for the festive season, while trying to coordinate their action. The Foundation offers you a summary of the health measures in place and travel conditions across Europe. An indispensable, regularly updated resource designed to help you understand the situation.

Since 9 August, Belarusians have been protesting against the result of the rigged presidential election and demanding the departure of Alexander Lukashenko, whom the Union no longer recognises as president and subjects to sanctions. To follow this crisis, the Foundation offers you a chronology of events and links to European responses and initiatives.

On 1 December, the Foundation organised an online debate on Russia and the political ambitions of its President Vladimir Putin, with historian Sergei Medvedev, author of "The Four Wars of Putin", Galia Ackerman, Associate Researcher at the University of Caen, and Philippe de Suremain, former French Ambassador and member of the Foundation's Scientific Committee. You can watch the discussion again in full.

On 2 December, the Commission presented its strategy for the implementation of the Charter of Fundamental Rights on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of its signature. The Commission will present an annual report on the Charter, which will take a closer look at its implementation in the Member States in specific areas; the first report will focus on fundamental rights in the digital age. The strategy provides for a more proactive response by the Commission when national measures are contrary to EU law, and calls on member countries to set up human rights institutions if they do not already have them.

The action plan for European democracy presented by the Commission on 3 December sets out several measures to guarantee freedom of the press, the smooth running of elections and the fight against disinformation. The Commission wants to restrict the micro-targeting in political advertising and strengthen the obligations imposed on online platforms. It will put forward recommendations for the safety of journalists, as well as an initiative to protect journalists from abusive litigation.

On 2 December, the Commission presented a strategy for the management of the pandemic during the winter period. It recommends that countries continue screening and tracing of contact cases, that they develop business continuity plans for health facilities, coordinate to introduce future vaccination certificates and communicate on the rules established by each country for travel abroad. On the same day, the EU's Centre for Disease Prevention and Control and the Aviation Safety Agency published guidelines recommending that States inform air passengers about the health situation at their destination and for them not to make quarantine procedures automatic.

On 3 December, the Commission presented an action plan to improve media financing, promote investment in the digital and green transition of the media sector and ensure its resilience. The plan calls for the creation of a tool to help media companies benefit from EU support and national recovery plans, as well as the creation of European media data-sharing spaces. The plan is intended to strengthen citizens' media literacy, facilitate their access to audiovisual content and further promote cultural diversity.

The Council and the Parliament agreed on 4 December on the guidelines for the European Maritime Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) for the multi-annual budget 2021-2027. The €6.1 billion fund includes provisions for strengthening international ocean governance, increased support for small-scale fishermen and aquaculture (which provides 80% of the freshwater fish consumed in Europe).

Negotiators from the Council and Parliament agreed on 4 December on the EU budget for 2021. Total payments are set at a record €166.1bn. However, its final validation is suspended as Hungary and Poland have blocked the financial framework for 2021-2027. If the multi-annual budget is not approved by 1 January, the EU will be forced to adopt a 2021 budget based on the system of provisional twelfths, which would lead to cuts of €25-30bn, mainly in structural funds.

In a declaration adopted on 2 December, the Council expresses its "concern" about antisemitism and calls for the fight against antisemitism to be mainstreamed in all Union policies and the internal policies of the Member States. It wishes to address the increase in hate crimes and threats against Jews through prevention and awareness-raising policies, in particular on the history of the Holocaust and the contribution of Jews to European identity and culture.

The employment ministers met by videoconference on 3 December to discuss the protection of platform employees (Uber, Deliveroo, Monster), particularly in terms of trade union rights and access to health insurance. They discussed the gender equality plan presented in March by the Commission, as well as the conclusions on the action to tackle gender pay inequalities adopted two days earlier by the Council.

At their meeting on 1 December, the Ministers of Economy and Finance discussed the Banking Union, tax cooperation, the European semester and the Union of Capital Markets. New rules for the exchange of information between Member States' tax authorities will be put in place from 2023 and will notably help to combat fraud on digital platforms. The ministers would like to set up a deposit insurance scheme to strengthen the banking union.

The Ministers of Culture and Audiovisual Affairs discussed the Creative Europe programme, gender equality in culture and media pluralism. They made proposals to ensure sustainable funding for the media and to fight against the proliferation of misinformation. The German city of Chemnitz has been named European capital of culture for the year 2025 and the programmes of Galway (Ireland) and Rijeka (Croatia), cultural capitals for 2020, have been extended until spring 2021.

On 1 December, the Sports Ministers discussed the impact of the pandemic on the organisation of sports competitions and on the sports industry. They exchanged views on the EU work plan on sport for the years 2021 to 2024, as well as on the Council conclusions on promoting cross-sectoral cooperation for the benefit of sport and physical activity in society.

On 2 December, Justice Ministers discussed the annual report on the rule of law, published by the Commission in September, and the fight against terrorism. The German Presidency of the Council discussed the possibility of setting up a preventive mechanism for monitoring the rule of law. The ministers would like to strengthen the fight against terrorism by stepping up the prevention of online hate speech, digital cooperation and by adopting conclusions on the European Arrest Warrant.

On 2 December, the Council adopted conclusions designed to strengthen the resilience, security and safety of connected devices by establishing comprehensive and sustainable legislation on the availability, integrity, confidentiality rules and conditions for placing such devices on the market. The Council invited the Commission to request the creation of a prototype for cybersecurity certification for connected devices and related services through the European Union Cybersecurity Agency.

Meeting on 7 December, the Foreign Affairs Ministers adopted the introduction of a sanctions mechanism against the perpetrators of human rights violations. Inspired by the US Magnitsky Act, it imposes travel bans and asset freezes against those responsible for genocide, crimes against humanity and other human rights abuses anywhere in the world. Ministers also discussed the situation in Venezuela, Georgia, Hong Kong, Belarus, Ethiopia and Turkey. They adopted conclusions on the transatlantic relationship, Lebanon, the CSDP Civil Compact for 2021 and EU mediation for peace.

Negotiators from the European Union and the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (ACP) reached an agreement on 3 December on the framework for their political and economic relations for the next 20 years. This new framework will succeed the Cotonou Agreement signed in 2000, which is due to be extended in December until 30 November 2021. The European Parliament warned on 2 December that it would block the treaty if it did not include a provision giving a stronger role in terms of scrutiny to parliamentary assemblies.

On 2 December, following the election of Joe Biden, the Commission presented a new agenda for cooperation between the European Union and the United States. It proposes cooperation on global economic recovery, financing and development of coronavirus vaccines and the establishment of a transatlantic green agenda leading to global commitments such as carbon neutrality. It proposes the creation of an EU-US Trade and Technology Council. An EU-US summit could be held in spring 2021 to launch this new agenda.

Helga Schmid, Secretary General of the European External Action Service, was appointed Secretary General of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) on 4 December. She will be replaced at the head of the European Diplomatic Service on 1 January by Stefano Sannino.

On 3 December, the European Investment Bank (EIB) announced the implementation of a €150 million financing instrument for companies in the field of artificial intelligence. This instrument will be used by the EIB to invest alongside managers supported by the European Investment Fund and other private investors to support projects in areas such as high-performance computing, quantum technologies and cybersecurity.

On 4 December the Council adopted the text detailing the form of cooperation between the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) and the European Public Prosecutor's Office, which should be operational by the beginning of 2021. The new relationship will be based on the principles of cooperation, exchange of information, complementarity and non-duplication. The European Public Prosecutor's Office, in which Hungary, Poland, Ireland, Denmark and Sweden do not participate, is the only European body able to investigate and prosecute fraud affecting the Union's budget and crimes against the Union's financial interests. The text must be approved by the Parliament.

On 3 December, the Council of Europe Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) published a report on the fight against human trafficking in Croatia since 2016. The report warns of inadequacies in police care of victims, with some complaints not being taken seriously and insufficient psychological support given to victims.

On 1 December the Commission published its Association Implementation Report with Ukraine. It notes that Ukraine is continuing reforms in the economic, banking, digital and judicial fields despite the pandemic. In particular, progress has been made in the fight against corruption, the digital sector and the restoration of financial stability. Further efforts are still needed for the independence of the Central Bank and the protection of the rule of law, as well as in the areas of environment and energy.

The Madrid International Documentary Film Festival is holding its 17th edition until 20 December, with part of the programme online on the VOD FILMIN platform. This year, there are three main competitive sections: International, National and Fugas.

During the lockdown, the Berlin Philharmonic is offering classical music and jazz concerts online. 28 concerts are scheduled on Saturdays and Sundays until June 2021. Of particular note is the concert on December 31st with Kirill Petrenko.

The Musée d'Orsay has made a point of honouring the memory of Valéry Giscard d'Estaing. It was he who, when he was President of the Republic, decided to transform the former Gare d'Orsay (railway station) in Paris into a museum dedicated to the art of the second half of the 19th century. "A man of profound culture, President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing guided the creation of the museum and followed its development". It is hoped that the museum will bear his name in the future.

From 13 December to 1 January, the National Theatre of Scotland will be launching its "Festive season", 20 days of online events including poetry by Jackie Kay, cinema with the film Rapunzel by Stewart Kyasimire and theatre with director Johnny McKnight and his company.

Until 21 March 2021, the Contemporary Art Centre at the Ujazdowski Castle in Warsaw is running an online exhibition of sculptures by the artist Ludwika Ogorzelec. The exhibition focuses on some of her works from the 1980s, including mobile and wooden sculptures.

The Rouen Normandy Metropolitan Museums meeting, which includes 8 museums, has created the "Museums in your home" platform, which offers online the 6 exhibitions and 3 contemporary projects planned for the 2020 Impressionist season. The exhibitions provide an overview of the Impressionist period with, among others, a retrospective devoted to the collector François Depeaux, another to the ceramics of Camille Moreau-Nélaton and an exhibition at the Musée de la Corderie on the fashion of the Second Empire.