Europe Daily News, 18 June 2024

COMPETITION

• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11598 - Marubeni / Certain Parts of TrustEnergy)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11503 - Vitol / Saras)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11553 - Central / Berlin Property)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11527 - Engie / Macquarie / MPBV)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11429 - TIL / PBV / PSA Canada Ventures)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11560 - GIP / Orsted / Southfork Wind / Revolution Wind)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11470 - BASF / HAarbour Energy / Assets of Wintershall DEA)
• Commission carries out further unannounced antitrust inspections in tyres sector cartel investigation
• Belgian Competition Authority approves the acquisition of PGZ Holding by Pon Luxury Cars
• Romania - The Competition Council launches investigation into electricity meter reading services in Romania
• UK - The (Subsidy Advice Unit) SAU has published its report providing advice to DESNZ and UKIB concerning the proposed Sizewell C FID Scheme

STATE AID

• Authorisation for State aid pursuant to Articles 107 and 108 of the TFEU - Cases where the Commission raises no objections – SA.111898
• Commission invites comments on draft revised State aid rules for land and multimodal transport
• Austria - BWB applies for the imposition of an appropriate fine and cessation of infringements against Brau Union for violations of the prohibition of abuse and cartel behaviour

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Commission Regulation (EU) …/… on the introduction of tariff quota for oats resulting from Regulation (EU) 2024/1392 of the European Parliament and of the Council on temporary trade-liberalisation measures supplementing trade concessions applicable to Ukrainian products under the Association Agreement between the Union and Ukraine
• Note Verbale launching a dispute settlement case against Algeria to address several restrictions imposed on EU exports and investments updated on 18 June 2024
• Joint press statement of the EU and Côte d'Ivoire on the third phase of tariff liberalisation under the EU-Côte d'Ivoire interim Economic Partnership Agreement
• China launches anti-dumping probe into EU pork imports - Investigation comes after Brussels imposes tariffs on Chinese EVs as trade tensions rise - Financial Times
• EU gambles on diplomatic approach with Chinese electric vehicles - Brussels uses calibrated legal action to structure negotiation with Beijing - Financial Times
• Latin America is the victim of protectionist contagion - ‘Steel wars’ with China show how difficult it is to contain global tariffs - Financial Times

INTERNAL MARKET

• Commission, backed by the InvestEU programme, signs agreement with Banco Português de Fomento to unlock over €3 billion in investments for sustainable projects in Portugal
• Commission allocates €96.2 million from Horizon Europe to co-fund doctoral training and postdoctoral fellowship programmes under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
  
• Dialogue with Commission and consumer authorities brings Vinted to improve pricing information and transparency for consumers
• Commission seeks input from industry on the use of artificial intelligence in finance - Midday Express

FINANCE

• EU to delay Basel bank trading reforms as US revisits plans - Mairead McGuinness says one year deferral of market risk rules will preserve “level playing field” - Financial Times
• Kazakhstan’s Polymetal lives under shadow of sanctions despite Russian asset sales - Gold producer says its European lenders are keen to cut ties once they get their money back despite rebrand - Financial Times

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• Main Results -  Environment Council - 17 June 2024
  - High Seas Treaty: Council gives green light for its conclusion
  - Soil monitoring law: EU on the pathway to healthy soils by 2050
  - Green claims directive: Council ready to start talks with the European Parliament
• Opening remarks by Commissioners Sinkevičius and Hoekstra at the Environment Council press conference
• EU approves nature law in face of Austrian legal threat - Vienna contests move by climate minister Leonore Gewessler to back environmental protection bill - Financial Times

TRANSPORT & MOBILITY

• Maritime safety: Council adopts position to strengthen European Maritime Safety Agency
• Inland waterways: Council adopts position for safer and more efficient inland waterways information services
• Road safety: Council approves conclusions to strengthen the EU’s efforts to achieve its road safety objectives
• Greening freight package: Council adopts position for a more efficient management of rail infrastructure capacity and traffic

AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY & JUSTICE

• Refugee status: a Member State is not required automatically to recognise refugee status granted in another Member State (See CPR Nº 102/2024 - Judgment of the Court of Justice in Case C-753/22, Bundesrepublik Deutschland)
• The granting of refugee status in a Member State precludes the extradition of the person concerned to his or her country of origin (See CPR Nº 101/2024 - Judgment of the Court of Justice in Case C-352/22, Generalstaatsanwaltschaft Hamm)

ECB, EURO & ECONOMY

• Judgment of the Court of 18 June 2024 in Case C-551/22 P; European Commission v Fundación Tatiana Pérez de Guzmán el Bueno, established in Madrid (Spain), Stiftung für Forschung und Lehre (SFL), Single Resolution Board (SRB), Kingdom of Spain, European Parliament, Council of the European Union, Banco Santander SA
  Re: Appeal - Economic and monetary policy - Banking Union - Regulation (EU) No 806/2014 - Single Resolution Mechanism - Resolution procedure applicable in the event of actual or foreseeable failure of an entity - Article 18(7) - Adoption by the Single Resolution Board of a resolution scheme - Approval of that scheme by the European Commission - Article 86(2) - Actionable act - Action for annulment - Admissibility 
• Completing banking union and capital markets union is crucial, ECB report shows
• The impact of environmental regulation on clean innovation: are there crowding out effects? - ECB Working Paper Series No.2946

FUTURE OF EUROPE

• Remarks by the President Charles Michel following the Informal leaders’ meeting
• EU leaders fail to agree on von der Leyen’s second term - High hopes of deal on top jobs dashed as heads of state and government squabble over appointments - Politico.eu
• EU leaders request more time to reach deal on bloc’s top officials - Commission president Ursula von der Leyen looks to be on course to secure second five-year term - Financial Times

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/1725 of 17 June 2024 implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/735 concerning restrictive measures in respect of the situation in South Sudan
• Council Implementing Decision (CFSP) 2024/1731 of 17 June 2024 implementing Decision (CFSP) 2015/740 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in South Sudan
• Iran: The High Representative issued a statement on behalf of the EU on alignment of certain third countries concerning restrictive measures
• Commissioner Urpilainen visits Mozambique to deepen partnership and launch "Global Gateway" initiative on digital inclusiveness - Midday Express

RUSSIAN INVASION OF UKRAINE

• Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol: EU extends sanctions for further year - Council Decision (CFSP) 2024/1709
• Statement by the HR/VP on behalf of the EU on the alignment of certain countries concerning restrictive measures in view of Iran’s military support to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine