Europe Daily News, 09 October 2024

COMPETITION

• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11712 - Waterland / Lebara)
• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11568 - VTTI / SNAM / ALNG)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11691 - Marubeni / NAP / FMG / Aquagreen)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11681 - Amundi / Marguerite / ZE Way Invest / ZE Energy JV)
• Commission clears acquisition of Terna by Masdar (M.11634) - Midday Express
• Commission clears acquisition de France LNG Shipping par Ocean Yield, Geogas, NYK et Marigold (M.11652) - Midday Express
• France - The Autorité de la concurrence has fined the Loste group for obstructing the dawn raids conducted on 16 and 17 November 2023
• Google break-up reads like antitrust fan-fiction - A world where the tech giant gets dismantled is more plausible than it was, but investors have reason to be unfazed - 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.112313 & SA.103720
• Commission approves €1 billion Italian State aid scheme to support farmers affected by floods and landslides (SA.114194)

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Agenda for: Working Party on the United Kingdom - 11 October 2024
• Agenda for: 659th meeting of the Export Credits Group - 24 October 2024
• Agenda for: Customs Programme - CLEN Preparatory Meeting for the 27th CLEN Plenary Meeting - 28 November 2024
• Proposal for a Council Decision on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union in the Joint Committee established by the Regional Convention on pan-Euro-Mediterranean preferential rules of origin as regards the amendment of Decision 1/2023 of that Joint Committee to include transitional provisions to the amendments of the Regional Convention on pan-Euro-Mediterranean preferential rules of origin applicable as of 1 January 2025 - see the Annex
• Proposal for a Council Decision on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union in the OACPS-EU Council of Ministers concerning the adoption of joint guidelines for the conduction of partnership dialogue under Article 3 of the Partnership Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and the Members of the Organisation of the African, Caribbean and Pacific States, of the other part - see the Annex
• Decision No 1/2024 of the EU-Egypt Association Council of 1 October 2024 amending the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an association between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Arab Republic of Egypt, of the other part, by replacing Protocol 4 thereto concerning the definition of the concept of ‘originating products’ and methods of administrative cooperation
• The EU takes with utmost seriousness any unfair use of trade defence instruments against any sector of our economy - See the Statement
• Trump’s trade policies would hurt the world - His new suggestions would have a far bigger impact than the relatively modest ‘starter protectionism’ of his first term - Financial Times

FINANCE

• Agenda for: Att. & Exp. Financial Services & Banking Union (Digital Euro) - 22 October 2024
• European Commission issues €11 billion in its 9th syndicated transaction of 2024

ENERGY

• Most of Europe is fine without Russian gas - But the end of the supply contract through Ukraine at the end of this year could prove costly for Austria, Slovakia and Hungary - Politico.eu

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• Commissioner Hoekstra participates in Pre-COP29 meeting in Azerbaijan ahead of annual UN Climate Conference - Midday Express
• Conclusions on climate finance in view of the 2024 UN Climate Change Conference, COP29, on 11-22 November 2024 - Council conclusions (8 October 2024)

HEALTH, FOOD & PRODUCT SAFETY

• Agenda for: Working Party on Public Health - 14 October 2024
• ECDC country visit to North Macedonia to discuss surveillance of communicable diseases

TRANSPORT & MOBILITY

• Communication from the Commission – Interpretative guidelines on the application of the exemptions referred to in Article 5 of Regulation (EU) 2023/2405 of the European Parliament and of the Council on ensuring a level playing field for sustainable air transport (ReFuelEU Aviation)

DIGITAL & INFORMATION SOCIETY

• Agenda for: Working Party on Telecommunications & Information Society - 15 October 2024
• Commission to invest €865 million under Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) to support fast and secure digital connectivity networks

DATA PRIVACY & CYBERSECURITY

• Minutes of the Cybersecurity Committee meeting - 09 September 2024
• First review of EU-US Data Privacy Framework concludes that US authorities have put in place the constitutive elements of the framework - Midday Express
• Europe’s privacy patrol is spoiling Big Tech’s AI party - New leadership in Dublin has put the EU’s privacy regulators on a collision course with Big Tech - Politico.eu

INSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

• Mr Maciej Szpunar is re-elected First Advocate General of the Court of Justice
• Election of the Presidents of the Chambers of five Judges of the Court of Justice
• Mr Koen Lenaerts is re-elected as President of the Court of Justice of the European Union
• Mr Thomas von Danwitz is elected Vice-President of the Court of Justice of the European Union
• Recommandations to national courts and tribunals in relation to the initiation of preliminary ruling proceedings

FUTURE OF EUROPE

• Minutes of the Meeting of the Coreper - 25 and 30 September 2024
• Speech by President von der Leyen at the European Parliament Plenary on the presentation of the programme of activities of the Hungarian Presidency

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• The Council extended restrictive measures in view of the situation in Sudan for a further year, until 10 October 2025 - see Council Decision (CFSP) 2024/2655
• The Council extended restrictive measures against ISIL/Da'esh and Al-Qaeda for a further year, until 31 October 2025 - see Council Decision (CFSP) 2024/2654
• Nicaragua: Council extends restrictive measures for a further year - see Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/2672 & Council Decision (CFSP) 2024/2665
• Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/2663 of 8 October 2024 implementing Regulation (EU) No 101/2011 concerning restrictive measures directed against certain persons, entities and bodies in view of the situation in Tunisia
• Council Decision (CFSP) 2024/2664 of 8 October 2024 amending Decision 2011/72/CFSP concerning restrictive measures directed against certain persons and entities in view of the situation in Tunisia
• Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/2670 of 8 October 2024 implementing Regulation (EC) No 1183/2005 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
• Council Implementing Decision (CFSP) 2024/2668 of 8 October 2024 implementing Decision 2010/788/CFSP concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
• EU launches Humanitarian Air Bridge operation for Lebanon and mobilises further assistance from Member States - Midday Express

RUSSIAN INVASION OF UKRAINE

• Russia: New sanctions framework against those responsible for destabilising activities against the EU and its member states - see Council Regulation (EU) 2024/2642 & Council Decision (CFSP) 2024/2643