Europe Daily News, 23 September 2024

COMPETITION

• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11614 - CVC / Comarch)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11629 - Geogas / NYK / DIF / Marigold / FLS JV)
• EU and Africa meet during 3rd Competition Week to discuss competition policy developments and enforcement
• Belgium - Notification - MEDE-CC-24/0017 - EQT / Constellation Cold Logistics
• France - Public works sector in Wallis and Futuna: the General Rapporteur of the Autorité de la concurrence has notified an objection concerning abuse of a dominant position to a company

STATE AID

• Authorisation for State aid pursuant to Articles 107 and 108 of the TFEU - Cases where the Commission raises no objections – SA.110676

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Action brought on 24 July 2024 - MNFPUGs Sustainable Cashmere Vs. Commission - (Case T-383/24)
  Re: Article 2(1) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012, Council Regulation (EEC) No 2658/87 of 23 July 1987, Regulation (EU) No 668/2014,  cashmere wool
• Agenda for: Working Party on Customs Union - 25 September 2024
• Agenda for: Working Party on Customs Union - 26 September 2024
• Agenda for: Trade Policy Committee (Deputies) / Attachés & experts - 26 September 2024
• Commission launches WTO consultations challenging China's anti-subsidy investigation into EU dairy
• Report of the UNCITRAL Commission 57th session updated on 20 September 2024
• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) …/... amending Annex I to Council Regulation (EEC) No 2658/87 on the tariff and statistical nomenclature and on the Common Customs Tariff (CN 2025)
• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) …/... concerning the classification of certain goods in the Combined Nomenclature (CN: 6108 22 00)
• Proposal for a Council Decision on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union within the Association Council established by the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an association between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Tunisia, of the other part, as regards the amendment of Protocol 4 to that Agreement concerning the definition of the concept of 'originating products' and methods of administrative cooperation
• Annual Report of the Hearing Officer covering the year 2023, in accordance with the Terms of Reference of the Hearing Officer for Trade proceedings
• Out now: Union Customs Code Annual Progress Report 2023 - The 5th Report outlines the progress made in implementing the UCC and its 17 key digital projects
• European steelmakers plead with Brussels to tackle flood of Chinese exports - European prices drop below cost of production as world market is deluged - Financial Times
• China’s electric carmakers warn of EU investment cuts over tariff threat - Statement comes as talks continue between Beijing’s commerce minister and European trade commissioner - Financial Times
• Why Europe needs a foreign economic policy - Current EU structures discourage joined-up thinking in pursuing geostrategic goals - Financial Times

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

• Agenda for: Working Party on Technical Harmonisation (Attachés) & Working Party on Competitiveness and Growth (Internal Market & Industry Attachés) - 30 September 2024

CHEMICAL

• Summary of European Commission Decisions on authorisations for the placing on the market for the use and/or for use of substances listed in Annex XIV to Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning the REACH - chromium trioxide C(2024) 6363 - C(2024) 6369 - C(2024) 5990 - C(2024) 6378 - C(2024) 6366 - C(2024) 6013 - C(2024) 6383 - C(2024) 6353 - C(2024) 6351 - C(2024) 6354 - C(2024) 6359 - C(2024) 6364 & Sodium dichromate (C(2024) 6352)
• REACH - List of Amendments to Annex XVII - Restrictions - Created by GROW.F.1 as of 20 September 2024
• RAC/SEAC opinion on an Application for Authorisation by HAAS group for chromium trioxide; sodium dichromate; potassium dichromate Passivation of (non-Al) metallic coatings using CT-SD-PD in aerospace and defence industry and its supply chains- Created by GROW.F.1 as of 19 September 2024
• RAC/SEAC opinion on an Application for Authorisation by HAAS group for CT-SD-PD Chemical conversion coating using chromium trioxide, sodium dichromate and/or potassium dichromate in aerospace and defence industry and its supply chains - Created by GROW.F.1 as of 19 September 2024
• RAC/SEAC opinion on an Application for Authorisation by HAAS group for CT-SD passivation of stainless steel using chromium trioxide or sodium dichromate in aerospace and defence industry and its supply chains - Created by GROW.F.1 as of 19 September 2024
• CSR - REACH Authorisations decisions - ADCR 327 - CT-SD-PD; ADCR 332 - CT-SD-PD & ADCR 334 - CT-SD - Haas-Henkel - Created by GROW.F.1 as of 19 September 2024

AGRICULTURE & FISHERIES

• Commission proposes €120 million support to farmers affected by adverse weather events in Bulgaria, Germany, Estonia, Italy and Romania

ENERGY

• Pledge on sustainable lifestyles, fairness and access to clean energy technologies - Clean Energy Ministerial - Authorisation to negotiate a non-binding instrument (NBI)
• Commission publishes final guidance documents for implementing the revised Energy Efficiency Directive
• Answer given by Ms Simson to a MEP written question - Rising Russian gas imports undermine European plans to become independent of Russian gas

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) …/... amending Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2066 as regards updating the monitoring and reporting of greenhouse gas emissions pursuant to Directive 2003/87/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council
• Farming must pay for its emissions, says EU chief climate scientist - ‘Price signal’ is needed to reduce agricultural greenhouse gases and meet bloc’s targets - Financial Times

DIGITAL & INFORMATION SOCIETY

• Agenda for: Meeting of the High Level Group on Internet Governance - 17 September 2024
• Agenda for: Meeting of the Expert Group on the transition to Web 4.0 and Virtual worlds - 22 October 2024

TRANSPORT & MOBILITY

• Rail market opening: competition leads to lower ticket prices, EU study finds
• Latest figures on Ukrainian exports and imports via the EU-Ukraine Solidarity Lanes: new transport routes established in the face of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.

EURO, ECB & ECONOMY

• Recovery fund: Council greenlights Luxembourg’s amended plan that includes a RepowerEU chapter
• Council agrees to €1028.54 million in disaster relief aid for Italy, Slovenia, Austria, Greece and France
• Past and future challenges for the external competitiveness of the euro area - Economic Bulletin Issue 6, 2024
• Labour productivity growth in the euro area and the United States: short and long-term developments - Economic Bulletin Issue 6, 2024

FUTURE OF EUROPE

• Agenda for: Meeting of the Coreper (Part.1 & Part.2) - 25 September 2024
• Ursula von der Leyen, the politician tightening her grip on Brussels - The EC president has pitched herself as the answer to the question: ‘who do I call if I want to speak to Europe?’ - Financial Times

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• Action brought on 6 August 2024 - Al-Aqeelah Takaful Insurance Company Vs. Council (Case T-409/24)
  Re: Council Decision 2013/255/CFSP; Council Regulation (EU) n° 36/2012, Council Decision (CFSP) 2024/1510 & Council implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/1517
• Speech by President Charles Michel at the UN Summit of the Future
• EU kicks off high-level meetings in New York - Midday Express
• Answer given by HR/VP Borrell to a MEP written question - Turkey – an unreliable acceding country
• Nato chief warns EU against setting up ‘competing’ force - Jens Stoltenberg says bloc should not duplicate efforts with US-led military alliance - Financial Times

RUSSIAN INVASION OF UKRAINE

• Action brought on 21 July 2024 - Pumpyanskiy Vs. Council (Case T-369/24)
  Re: annulment of judgment delivered in Case T-734/22; Article 41 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU; restrictive measures review procedure; Freezing of funds
• Request for a preliminary ruling from the Augstākā tiesa (Senāts) (Latvia) of 9 July 2024 – Ģenerālprokuratūra Vs. SIA Čiekuri-Shishki, SIA Country Heli (Case C-480/24, Čiekuri-Shishki)
  Re: Article 2, Article 11(1), Article 11(1)(b) of Council Regulation (EU) No 269/2014; personal data;
• Appeal brought on 18 July 2024 by Gulbakhor Burkhanovna Ismailova against the judgment of the General Court of 8 May 2024 in Case T-234/22, Ismailova Vs. Council (Case C-506/24 P)
  Re: Annulment of Council Decision (CFSP) 2022/582; Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/581,Council Decision (CFSP) 2023/572 & Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/571
• Commission proposes up to €35 billion MFA loan for Ukraine as the EU's contribution to the EU-G7 support of up to €45 billion - see the Q&A and the Regulation - Financial Times
• Statement by President von der Leyen with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy on the occasion of the President's visit to Kyiv