Europe Daily News, 28 June 2024

COMPETITION

• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11590 - CVC / Hempel Invest / Hempel)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11591 - TDR Capital / Bubbles Bidco)
• The EC release its public version of its decision to clear the merger between Orange and MásMóvil (M.10896)
• Commission clears acquisition of Mannesmann Stainless Tubes by Cogne Acciai Speciali (M.11519) - Midday Express
• Commission authorises acquisition of Perfesco by EDF and SGIF (M.11525) - Midday Express
• Commission clears acquisition of Dragon LNG by Shell and VTTI (M.11572) - Midday Express
• Commission clears acquisition of Purmo by Apollo (M.11581) - Midday Express
• Spain - CNMC approves the creation of a company combining the businesses of Arenal and Druni with compromises
• Big Tech investors should be paying more attention to EU’s regulatory strikes - Latest actions target some of the core practices that have helped the biggest companies consolidate their power - Financial Times

STATE AID

• Authorisation for State aid pursuant to Articles 107 and 108 of the TFEU - Cases where the Commission raises no objections – SA.55953
• ESA greenlights Norway’s participation in SAS Group restructuring

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Minutes of the Customs Programme - CLEN Action 3 - Progress meeting of the Samancta group - 30 April 2024
• Council Regulation (EU) 2024/1829 of 25 June 2024 amending Regulation (EU) 2021/2283 opening and providing for the management of autonomous tariff quotas of the Union for certain agricultural and industrial products
• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/1835 of 27 June 2024 amending Implementing Regulations (EU) 2020/761, (EU) 2020/1988 and (EU) 2023/2834 as regards tariff measures for certain agricultural products originating in or exported directly or indirectly from Belarus and Russia, and as regards the conversion rates for rice
• Aid for Trade vital to help seize energy transition opportunities, WTO report reveals
• EU trade ‘not working’ for UK business, warns lobby group - British Chambers of Commerce urges next prime minister to deepen ties with bloc in order to boost growth - Financial Times

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

• Regulation (EU) 2024/1735 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 June 2024 on establishing a framework of measures for strengthening Europe’s net-zero technology manufacturing ecosystem and amending Regulation (EU) 2018/1724 (Net Zero Industry Act)

CHEMICAL

• ECHA adds one hazardous chemical to the Candidate List - ECHA/NR/24/19
• ECHA Weekly Newsletter - 27 June 2024

TAXATION

• Code of Conduct Group (Business Taxation) - Subgroup on internal and external issues - 05 July 2024 

EMPLOYMENT & SOCIAL POLICY

• Judgment of the Court of 27 June 2024 in Case C‑41/23, Peigli, (i) AV, BT, CV, DW Vs. Ministero della Giustizia
  Re: Reference for a preliminary ruling - Social policy - Framework agreement on fixed-term work concluded by ETUC, UNICE and CEEP - Clauses 2 and 4 - Principle of non-discrimination - Equal treatment in employment and occupation - Honorary members of the judiciary and ordinary members of the judiciary - Clause 5 - Measures intended to penalise improper use of fixed-term contracts - Directive 2003/88/EC - Article 7 - Paid annual leave
• New funding for additional European Universities alliances will boost cooperation in higher education

ENERGY

• Minutes of the meeting of the Gas Coordination Group - 19 June 2024
• The European Union took the final and formal step of exiting the Energy Charter Treaty
• EU notifies exit from Energy Charter Treaty and puts an end to intra-EU arbitration proceedings
• Submission & Working Documents - Accelerating permitting for renewable energy projects - 05 June 2024

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• Agenda for: Working Party on the Environment - 02 July 2024
• Third meeting of the Ad Hoc Open-Ended Working Group on a Science-Policy Panel to contribute further to the sound management of chemicals and waste and to prevent pollution (OEWG-3) (Geneva, Switzerland, 17 – 21 June 2024) - Compilation of statements from the European Union and its Member States
• Regulation (EU) 2024/1781 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 June 2024 establishing a framework for the setting of ecodesign requirements for sustainable products, amending Directive (EU) 2020/1828 and Regulation (EU)

HEALTH, FOOD & PRODUCT SAFETY

• Opinion of Advocate General Emiliou of 27 June 2024 in Case C‑726/22 P, European Commission Vs. Pollinis France
  Re: Appeal - Access to documents - Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 - Refusal to grant access - Guidance document on the risk assessment of plant protection products on bees - Comitology - Matter where the decision has not been taken - Decision-making process - Individual position of the Member States - Risk of seriously undermining the decision-making process
• Commission authorises Chikungunya vaccine and funds new mosquito eradication programme
• EFSA stresses importance of adequate stunning of small ruminants before they are killed outside slaughterhouses
• Minutes of the First meeting of the Working Group on Medicinal Products under the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement - 24 April 2024
• EMA - Minutes of the meeting of the Committee for Veterinary Medicinal Products - 21-22 May 2024
• ECDC -Thirteenth external quality assessment for Salmonella typing
• ECDC - Monthly measles and rubella monitoring report - May 2024

TRANSPORT & MOBILITY

• Regulation (EU) 2024/1679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 June 2024 on Union guidelines for the development of the trans-European transport network, amending Regulations (EU) 2021/1153 and (EU) No 913/2010 and repealing Regulation (EU) No 1315/2013

DIGITAL & INFORMATION SOCITY

• Agenda for: Working Party on Telecommunications & Information Society - 04 July 2024
• Commission requests information from online marketplaces Temu and Shein on compliance with the Digital Services Act - Midday Express

DATA PRIVACY & CYBERSECURITY

• Agenda for: Horizontal Working Party on Cyber Issues - 01 July 2024
• EDPB - AI Risks: Optical Character Recognition and Name Entity Recognition

EURO, ECB & ECONOMY

• Commission endorses Germany's €30.3 billion modified recovery and resilience plan, including a REPowerEU chapter
• Commission disburses an additional €1.9 billion to Ukraine in pre-financing - see the FactSheet - Midday Express
• Commission receives Italy's sixth payment request under the Recovery and Resilience Facility - Midday Express
• President von der Leyen travels to Cairo to advance the EU's Strategic partnership with Egypt at the joint Investment Conference

FUTURE OF EUROPE

• Main Results of the European Council - 27 June 2024, see the Conclusions, remarks by President Charles Michel & President von der Leyen
  - European Council Decision electing the President of the European Council (Mr Charles Michel)
  - European Council Decision proposing to the European Parliament a candidate for President of the Commission (Ursula Von Der Leyen)
• EU leaders endorse second term for Ursula von der Leyen as bloc’s top official - But European Commission president fails to secure the backing of Italy - Financial Times
• Centrist leaders seek to appease Meloni at EU summit - Poland’s PM offers olive branch to secure Ursula von der Leyen’s nomination as European Commission president - Financial Times

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• Joint security commitments between the European Union and Ukraine
• Remarks by President Charles Michel at the joint doorstep with President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy
• Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the EU on the alignment of certain countries with Council Decision (CFSP) 2024/1470 concerning restrictive measures in view of Russia’s actions destabilising the situation in Ukraine
• Turkmenistan: 16th Human Rights Dialogue with the EU