Europe Daily News, 04 July 2024

COMPETITION

• Judgment of the Court of 04 July 2024 in Case C-425/22; MOL Magyar Olaj- és Gázipari Nyrt. Vs. Mercedes-Benz Group AG,
  Re: Reference for a preliminary ruling - Judicial cooperation in civil and commercial matters - Jurisdiction and the recognition and enforcement of judgments in civil and commercial matters - Regulation (EU) No 1215/2012 - Article 7, point 2 - Jurisdiction in matters relating to tort, delict or quasi-delict - Place where the damage materialised - Agreement declared contrary to Article 101 TFEU and Article 53 of the Agreement on the European Economic Area - Subsidiaries established in different Member States - Direct damage suffered exclusively by the subsidiaries - Action for damages brought by the parent company - Concept of 'economic unit'
• Judgment of the Court of 04 July 2024 in Case C-70/23 P, Westfälische Drahtindustrie GmbH, Westfälische Drahtindustrie Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, Pampus Industriebeteiligungen GmbH & Co KG, Vs.. European Commission
  Re: Appeal - Competition - Agreements, decisions and concerted practices - European prestressing steel market - Decision finding an infringement of Article 101 TFEU and Article 53 of the Agreement on the European Economic Area (EEA) - Judgment annulling the decision in part and setting a fine of an amount identical to that of the fine initially imposed - Set-off of payments made provisionally - Decision of the European Commission relating to the amount of the fine still outstanding) European Commission's decision on the amount of the fine remaining unpaid - Date on which a fine the amount of which has been fixed by the court of the Union in the exercise of its unlimited jurisdiction becomes payable
• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11406 - Totalenergies / SSE / JV)
• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11513 - MSC / Essers / Machiels / Port of Limburg)
• Summary of Commission Decision of 9 July 2021 declaring a concentration compatible with the internal market and the functioning of the EEA Agreement (Case M.9829 - Aon/Willis Towers Watson)
  - Opinion of the Advisory Committee on mergers
  - Final Report of the Hearing Officer
• Belgium - The Competition Authority fines Securitas, G4S and Seris over 47 million euros to sanction their participation in a complex cartel scheme in the private security sector
• Belgium - The Competition Authority conditionally approves the merger between Ziekenhuis Netwerk Antwerpen and Ziekenhuis GasthuisZusters Antwerpen
• Germany - Bundeskartellamt imposes fine against Fritz! brand products manufacturer AVM
• Romania - The Competition Council updated the online platform Price Monitor with a section dedicated to products with flat prices
• Switzerland - COMCO: Relative market power in the health sector (see FR, DE & IT version)

DMA

• Summary of Commission Decision of 29 April 2024 relating to a decision pursuant to Article 17 of Regulation (EU) 2022/1925 (Case DMA.100047 - Apple - iPadOS)
• Summary of Commission Decision of 13 May 2024 relating to a decision pursuant to Article 3 of Regulation (EU) 2022/1925 (Case DMA.100019 - Booking - Online Intermediation Servces - Verticals)
• Europe’s hotel industry calls on DMA to counter Booking’s monopoly status - see the Study

STATE AID

• Authorisation for State aid pursuant to Articles 107 and 108 of the TFEU - Cases where the Commission raises no objections – SA.114616; SA.114100 & SA.114099
• Judgment of the Court of 04 July 2024 in Case C-736/22 P; Portuguese Republic Vs. European Commission
  Re: Appeal - State aid - Madeira free zone - Grant of tax advantages to undertakings - Aid scheme implemented by the Portuguese Republic - Decisions C(2007) 3037 final and C(2013) 4043 final - Decision taken by the European Commission on the basis of Article 108, (2), first subparagraph, TFEU - Regulation (EU) 2015/1589 - Article 1(b)(i) and (ii) - Concepts of 'existing aid' and 'new aid' - Implementation of existing aid in breach of a condition ensuring the compatibility of the aid with the internal market

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Agenda for: Working Party on Customs Union - 09 July 2024
• Agenda for: Working Party on Customs Union - 10 July 2024
• Agenda for: Meeting of the Working Party on Dual Use Goods -16 July 2024
• Council Regulation (EU) 2024/1851 of 25 June 2024 amending Regulation (EU) 2021/2278 suspending the Common Customs Tariff duties referred to in Article 56(2), point (c), of Regulation (EU) No 952/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council on certain agricultural and industrial products
• Commission imposes provisional countervailing duties on imports of battery electric vehicles from China while discussions with China continue - See Regulation (EU) 2024/1866
• Overview of economic partnership agreements updated on 03 July 2024
• Support to the CARIFORUM – EU Economic Partnership Agreement
  - Maritime, Ports and Logistics Report (January 2024)
  - Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Processing Report (January 2024)
  - Infrastructure and Utilities Report (December 2023)
  - Sustainable Tourism Report (August 2023)
  - Renewable Energy and Other Clean Technologies Regional Report (April 2023)
  - Information and Communication Technologies Regional Report (January 2024)
  
• Indonesia: Economic indicators and trade with EU  - See EP Briefing
• Solidarity Lanes: Latest figures - A lifeline for Ukraine – May 2024
• Germany vetoes sale of sensitive turbine unit to Chinese group - Blocking of MAN Energy’s proposed deal reflects Berlin’s more security-conscious relations with Beijing - Financial Times

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

• EU invests €325 million to support Europe's semiconductor innovation ecosystem - Midday Express
• Review of SME performance in 2024 shows that SMEs are driving job creation despite high inflation - Midday Express
• Public consultation - Statistical classification of economic activities NACE Revision - Delegated regulation - Feedback period: 02 July 2024 - 30 July 2024
• Public consultation - Statistical classification of economic activities – update of legislation using the NACE classification - Regulation - Feedback period: 27 June 2024 - 25 July 2024
• Public consultation - Construction products (permanent anchor devices and safety hooks) – thresholds & classes - Delegated regulation - Feedback period: 04 July 2024 - 01 August 2024
• EIF and NATO Innovation Fund join forces to unlock private capital for Europe's defence and security future

RESEARCH

• Canada joins Horizon Europe programme
• Joint Statement by President von der Leyen and Prime Minister Trudeau on the association of Canada to Horizon Europe
  

CHEMICAL

• Dangerous substances – List of authorisation decisions taken by the EEA EFTA States in accordance with Article 64(8) of Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 (REACH) in the second half of 2023
• Dangerous substances – List of authorisation decisions taken by the EEA EFTA States in accordance with Article 44(5) of Regulation (EU) No 528/2012 in the second half of 2023

FINANCE

• Mortgage loans: the transparency of ‘floor’ clauses may be reviewed in the context of a collective action concerning the entire banking system of a country (See Nº 109/2024 - Judgment of the Court of Justice in Case C-450/22; Caixabank and Others)

TAXATION

• Judgment of the Court of 04 July 2024 in Case C-87/23; Biedrība 'Latvijas Informācijas un komunikācijas tehnoloģijas asociācija' Vs. Valsts ieņēmumu dienests
  Re: Reference for a preliminary ruling - Taxation - VAT - Directive 2006/112/EC - Article 2(1)(c) - Supply of services for consideration - Article 9(1) - Concepts of 'taxable person' and 'economic activity' - Non-profit-making association carrying out projects financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) - Provision of training services through subcontractors - Inclusion of the amount of the subsidy in the taxable amount - Article 73
• Judgment of the Court of 04 July 2024 in Case C-179/23, Centrul Român pentru Administrarea Drepturilor Artiștilor Interpreți (Credidam) Vs. Guvernul României, Ministerul Finanțelor
  Re: Reference for a preliminary ruling - VAT - Directive 2006/112/EC - Taxable transactions - Supply of services for consideration - Management fee charged by an organisation for the collective management of copyright and related rights for the collection, distribution and payment of the remuneration due to rightholders - Remuneration not forming part of a taxable transaction
• Annual Report on Taxation 2024 - Review of taxation policies in EU Member States

AGRICULTURE & FISHERIES

• Agenda for: Meeting of the Common Agricultural Policy Committee - Horizontal questions - 11 July 2024
  
• Public consultation - Trade Control and Expert System (TRACES) – publication of 'organic' operator certificates (detailed rules) - Implementing regulation - Feedback period: 02 July 2024 - 30 July 2024

ENERGY

• Commission sets new ecodesign rules for industrial fans - See Regulation C(2024)4427
• Communication from the Commission – Guidance on collaborative investment frameworks for offshore energy projects
• Short-term sector coupling model : outlook on EU gas adequacy - METIS 3 Study S1/10
• Keynote speech by Commissioner Simson at the 'Dialogue on Energy Transition and Green Hydrogen' event in Argentina
• Eurostat: Declining market shares of biggest EU energy companies
• Future European Union gas imports: balancing different objectives - see Bruegel Analysis

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• Agenda for: Working Party on the Environment - 08 July 2024
• Agenda for: Working Party on International Environment Issues (WPIEI Desertification) - 18 July 2024
• 11th Annual Subcommittee meeting of the Committee of Permanent Representatives to the United Nations Environment Programme (8-12 July 2024, Nairobi, Kenya) - First EU coordination
• How to finance the EU’s building decarbonisation plan - This policy brief discusses the challenges of meeting EPBD targets and introducing ETS2 smoothly - see Bruegel Policy Brief 
• ECNO: 2024 Report: State of EU progress to climate neutrality

HEALTH, FOOD & PRODUCT SAFETY

• EFSA - Scientific Opinion - Risk assessment of Phlyctinus callosus for the EU
• EFSA - Pest survey card on beet necrotic yellow vein virus
• EFSA - Scientific Opinion - Commodity risk assessment of Prunus avium plants from United Kingdom
• EFSA - Scientific Opinion - Safety evaluation of an extension of use of the food enzyme α‐amylase from the non‐GM Bacillus licheniformis strain AE‐TA
• ECDC - Protocol for a survey of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii in Europe
• Belgian medtech Nyxoah secures €37.5 million EIB venture-debt financing to treat obstructive sleep apnea

DIGITAL & INFORMATION SOCIETY

• Commission to invest more than €210 million in cyber security, capabilities and digital technologies as part of the Digital Europe programme - Midday Express
• EDPB - Coordinated Supervision Committee elected Fanny Coudert as a new coordinator
• Minister of Foreign Affairs of Latvia, Ms Baiba Braže, and a delegation of high-level cybersecurity officials from Moldova visited ENISA headquarters in Athens

ECB, EURO & ECONOMY

• EIF teams up with three leading Baltic banks to provide more than €720 million in new financing in the region
• Commission receives Cyprus' third payment request under the Recovery and Resilience Facility - Midday Express
• Commission receives Portugal's fifth payment request under the Recovery and Resilience Facility - Midday Express
• EU assistance increases trade and free movement in Cyprus, supporting the island's reunification - Midday Express
  - the annual report on the implementation of the Green Line Regulation in Cyprus in 2023 (the ‘Green Line Report')
  - the annual report on the implementation of the Aid Programme for the Turkish Cypriot Community in 2023 (the ‘Aid Programme Report')

FUTURE OF EUROPE

• Hungarian Presidency to prioritise agriculture reform, drive EU enlargement - 2 July 2024
  - see the full Memorandum to the Hungarian Presidency
  - see the full Assessment of the Belgian Presidency

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• Agenda for: Working Party on Enlargement and Countries Negotiating Accession to the EU
• Judgment of the Court of 04 July 2024 in Case C-375/23 [Meislev] (i): EN Vs. Udlændingenævnet
  Re: Reference for a preliminary ruling - EEC-Turkey Association Agreement - Decision No 1/80 - Article 13 - 'Standstill' clause - Scope - Concept of 'new restriction' - National legislation introducing more restrictive conditions for obtaining a permanent residence permit
• DPRK: Statement by the Spokesperson on the recent launch of ballistic missiles
• Israel/Palestine: Statement by the High Representative on the so-called legalization of outposts in the occupied West Bank