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We need to take into account the different state of economic and social development of each country, not to mention their varying energy systems. We cannot put a climate muzzle on economic growth.

The way Poland disciplines its judges gives rise to political abuse, a European anti-corruption watchdog has said, but Warsaw is planning to tighten the leash further still.

The European commissioner for justice Didier Reynders urged Malta on Monday to accelerate reforms of its judiciary system to ensure an independent investigation over the murder of the journalist Daphne Caruana Galicia. "Recent controversies have underlined that progress should accelerate, for example on securing an effective and autonomous prosecution service with clear protections from the risk of political interference," Reynders wrote in a letter to Maltese justice minister Owen Bonnici.

The French official tasked with overseeing the pension reforms that sparked strikes across the country, Paul Delevoye, stepped down "on his own initiative" on Monday due to a transparency scandal, the daily France24 reported. French media reported that Delevoye failed to disclose outside income from multiple second jobs that he maintained after joining the government. Protest are expected to continue during the next days.

Member states have called on the European Commission to assess which measures will be the best to tackle deforestation and forest degradation in the EU and worldwide. They also request the commission to work together with the member states, industry, civil society and partner countries on the conservation, restoration and sustainable management of forests as part of the Green Deal.

Far-right trolls commonly target women and minorities and seek to subvert the work of politicians, journalists and activists. But technology platforms and their supporters tend to resist legislation that could help tame the trolls.

The hearing over the arrest warrant issued by Spain for the extradition of three Catalan leaders, Carles Puigdemont, Toni Comín and Lluis Puig, was postponed again on Monday by a Brussels court, until 3 February. The European Court of Justice will announce its preliminary ruling on the parliamentary immunity of Catalan MEP Oriol Junqueras on Thursday, which may affect Puigdemont's and Comín's cases as they were also elected MEPs.

EU member states have asked the European Commission to develop a new strategy for the protection and welfare of animals, calling it "an issue of high importance to European citizens". The ministers recognised on Monday the need to update the current legislation for animal transportation over long distances, the welfare of cattle over six months, pet-breeders and animal slaughter.

EU ambassadors have agreed on a slightly-modified version of the EU sustainable investment taxonomy - which aims to clarify which sectors are fully sustainable. The previous version was blocked last week by nine countries (France, UK, Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Romania and Slovenia), because they wanted more guarantees regarding "technological neutrality". Now MEPs will have to decide if the newly agreed council position is strong enough.

The deputy Turkish minister of foreign affairs, Faruk Kaymakci, said Saturday that the EU should spend more than €6bn to support Syrian refugees in Turkey, Reuters reported. "As long as the crisis is there we have to work together. The €6bn will not solve the problem when it is finally all spent," Kaymakci said. According to the EU, more than €5.6bn have already been allocated, €3.5bn contracted, and €2.4bn disbursed.

Greek prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has called on EU states to take in migrants and asylum seekers from the Greek islands, which are currently overcrowded. "We need to develop a European asylum and migration pact, like what the [European] Commission promised, we need more burden sharing," he said in an interview with the German Bild am Sonntag newspaper, adding that some asylum applications should be processed in other countries.

The outcome of the UN climate conference in Madrid (COP25) has been described as a "catastrophe" by environmental groups, since countries failed to agree on article six of the Paris Agreement, referring to the carbon markets system.

Indonesia has filed a lawsuit at the World Trade Organisation against the European Union claiming that its restrictions on palm oil-based biofuels were unfair, according to a statement by the country's trade ministry on Sunday. The European Commission believes palm oil cultivation provokes deforestation and its use for transport fuel should be phased out by 2030, Reuters reports. Indonesia is the biggest producer of palm oil worldwide.

Letting Serb war crime suspects go free while pursuing Kosovar ones only is bad for Western Balkans reconciliation, Kosovo's outgoing prime minister, Ramush Haradinaj, has said.

It is disconcerting that some prominent members of the European Parliament use the Selmayr case to accuse Emily O'Reilly of party political actions.

EU Scream, the podcast about EU affairs co-hosted by EUobserver, has won the 'Media of the Year' award from The Good Lobby, a non-profit start-up aimed at empowering European citizens. The award recognised aim to "develop a European public space by uncovering untold stories." Recent episodes have looked at political pressure on the cultural scene in Poland and the anti-abortion lobby in eastern EU member states.

Scotland's first minister, Nicola Sturgeon announced on Friday she would set out plans for a second referendum on Scottish independence next week, in the light of the Conservative victory in the UK election, and Brexit. She told British PM Boris Johnson: "It is the right of the people of Scotland, and you, as the leader of a defeated party in Scotland, have no right to stand in the way."

Rule of law, environmental protection, and minority rights will feature high on the agenda in Brussels and Strasbourg as 2019 comes to a close.

Rule of law, environmental protection, and minority rights will feature high on the agenda in Brussels and Strasbourg as 2019 comes to a close.

The remaining 27 EU countries also told the UK to quickly ratify the withdrawal agreement, and start negotiations on future trade. The EU is keen to protect its own interests and prevent unfair competition from Britain.