Europe Daily News, 11 June 2024

COMPETITION

• The Commission must pay interest on fines it has unduly imposed in competition matters and which it has provisionally collected (See CPR No.97/2024 - Judgment of the Court in Case C-221/22 P, Commission Vs. Deutsche Telekom)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11128 - Iberdrola/ BP / JV)
• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11512 - OTPP / Nordic Capital / Advanz Pharma)
• Commission calls on Czechia to improve competition for organising waste collection and recovery in the packaging sector (AT.40775) - IP/24/3188
• Modelling the macroeconomic impact of competition policy: 2023 update and further development - Study by DG COMP
• Lufthansa ups its offer to try to win over EU on ITA deal - Italy has pushed hard for the deal to be cleared (see Case M.11071) - Politico.eu
• Belgium - The Competition Authority approves the acquisition of Porsche Centre East-Flanders by D'Ieteren subject to conditions aimed to remedy possible anti-competitive effects
• Germany - The Bundeskartellamt has approved the planned acquisition of large housing and property portfolios from Vonovia SE by two state-owned companies of the federal state of Berlin
• Spain - CNMC investigates the Lonja Agropecuaria de Extremadura for price recommendations
• UK - The CMA has cleared the anticipated acquisition by TGS ASA of PGS ASA

STATE AID

• Authorisation for State aid pursuant to Articles 107 and 108 of the TFEU - Cases where the Commission raises no objections – SA.114165
• Commission finds Hungarian support for new auto parts plant in Észak Magyarország to be incompatible State aid (SA.63470) - IP/24/3167
• Commission opens in-depth foreign subsidies investigation into e&'s acquisition of parts of PPF Telecom (FS.100011) - IP/24/3166

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Agenda for: 5th Meeting of the EU-Japan Committee on Trade and Sustainable Development - 28 June 2024
• Proposal for a Council Decision on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union within the Partnership Committee established by the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community and its Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Armenia, of the other part, regarding the adoption of the Mediation Mechanism, Rules of Procedure and Code of Conduct for dispute settlement procedures on trade and trade related matters
• Commission Implementing Regulation amending Implementing Regulations (EU) 2020/761, (EU) 2020/1988 and (EU) 2023/2834 as regards tariff measures for certain agricultural products originating in or imported directly or indirectly from Belarus and Russia, and as regards the conversion rates for rice
• Startups shortlist announced: EU-India collaboration on EV Battery Recycling under Trade and Technology Council
• Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) - Regulatory Cooperation Forum 2024 Work plan
• Joint Report of the 11th meeting of the Korea-EU Trade in Goods Committee - 12 June 2023
• Answer given by to HR/VP Borrell a MEP written question - Urgent need to assess the continuation of the EU-Ecuador trade agreement in the light of systematic human rights and sovereignty violations
• Europe’s rightward swing won’t knock trade policy off course - Populists in European parliament loathe immigration but not trade as such - Financial Times
• European companies step up efforts to decouple from China - Move comes as Brussels increases scrutiny of goods from world’s largest export economy - Financial Times

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

• Council Regulation amending Regulation (EU) 2021/1173 as regards an EuroHPC initiative for start-ups in order to boost European leadership in trustworthy artificial intelligence

FINANCE

• Answer given by Ms McGuinness to a MEP written question - Implementation of the CSRD Directive - sustainability reporting of scope 3 emissions for leased vehicles
• EBA issues Opinion to the Norwegian Ministry of Finance on a measure adjusting the risk weight for commercial immovable property
• ESAs publish Joint Annual Report for 2023

EMPLOYMENT & SOCIAL AFFAIRS

• Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 2009/38/EC as regards the establishment and functioning of European Works Councils and the effective enforcement of transnational information and consultation rights - General approach

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on Soil Monitoring and Resilience (Soil Monitoring Law) - General approach
• New data: CO2 emissions from new cars and vans further decrease as electric vehicle sales grow in Europe - See EEA Statement

HEALTH, FOOD & PRODUCT SAFETY

• SCCS - Draft Agenda of the 8th plenary meeting, Luxembourg, 20 June 2024
• Minutes of: Meeting of the General Product Safety Regulation Committee - 22 May 2024
• Commission secures access for Member States to 665,000 doses of zoonotic influenza vaccines to prevent avian flu - IP/24/3168 & QaA
• Answer given by Ms Kyriakides to a MEP written question - Measures to alleviate plight of African swine fever in Greece and Bulgaria and measures to curb spread of this zoonotic disease
• EMA - Two new advice pilots to improve clinical trials in Europe
• EMA -  Agenda for: Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee (PRAC): 10-13 June 2024
• Worsening spread of mosquito-borne disease outbreaks in EU/EEA, according to latest ECDC figures
• ECDC - Helping football fans stay safer this summer: new public health advice developed for spectators of UEFA European Championship

DIGITAL & INFORMATION SOCIETY

• Commission services sign administrative arrangement with Australian eSafety Commissioner to support the enforcement of social media regulations - Midday Express
• Answer given by Mr Breton to a MEP written question - Consumer protection and safety in the e-commerce sector

AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY & JUSTICE

• International protection: refugee status may be granted to women who identify with the value of equality between women and men (See CPR No.96/2024 -Judgment of the Court in Case C-646/21, Staatssecretaris van Justitie en Veiligheid (Women identifying with the value of gender equality))
• EU Justice Scoreboard 2024 shows that perception of judicial independence has improved - IP/24/3164 & QaA
• Commission proposes to extend temporary protection for people fleeing Russian aggression against Ukraine until March 2026 - IP/24/3173
• The European Report on Drugs 2024 provides an overview and assessment of the drug situation in Europe, as well as key recommendations - Midday Express
• New report on encryption in criminal matters stresses balance between security and privacy - Eurojust

ECB, EURO & ECONOMY

• President von der Leyen participates along with several members of the College in the Ukraine Recovery Conference 2024 to showcase steadfast support for Ukraine - IP/24/3182 & Speech by President von der Leyen
• Parliamentary scrutiny of the Single Resolution Board - Discretion in applying the resolution objectives and mechanisms for accountability to Parliament - See the Briefing
• Christine Lagarde: Interview with Expansión, Handelsblatt, Il Sole 24 Ore and Les Echos
• Christine Lagarde says ECB can keep rates on hold as long as needed - Eurozone policymakers not following ‘pre-determined path’ after recent cut, says president - Financial Times

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• Statement by the HR/VP on behalf of the EU on the alignment of certain countries with Council Decision (CFSP) 2024/1510 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Syria
• Statement by the HR/VP on behalf of the EU on the alignment of certain countries with Council Decision (CFSP) 2024/1496 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Syria
• Statement by the Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarčič, on the urgent need for a ceasefire and humanitarian access in Gaza
• WHA77 - Item 15.5 - Economics and health for all - EU Statement at the 77th World Health Assembly (27 May - 1 June 2024)
• High Representative Josep Borrell concludes visit to Singapore