Europe Daily News, 14 November 2024

COMPETITION

• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11798 - Patient Square / Carlyle / Corrohealth)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11696 - OEP Capital Advisors / Comau)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11633 - Tubacex / Mubadala / Spanish JV / UAE JV)
• Commission clears acquisition of PKF by Investcorp and PSP (M.11739) - Midday Express
• Commission clears acquisition of Europe Snacks by One Rock Capital (M.11714) - Midday Express
  
• Commission clears creation of joint venture by Marcegaglia and Manni Group (M.11670) - Midday Express
• Commission clears acquisition of Mont du Centre et de Phoenix Belgium par COVH, CDC et SOGECAP (M.11630) - Midday Express
• Commission clears acquisition of Integrated Grain Processors Co-operative Inc. by Vanden Avenne and Alcogroup (M.11758) - Midday Express
• Commission fines Meta €797.72 million over abusive practices benefitting Facebook Marketplace (AT.40684)
• Belgium - Notification MEDE-CC-24/0014: Multipharma / Popelin
• Czech Republic - The Authority has conducted another local investigation, this time into a possible cartel in the transport infrastructure sector
• Spain - CNMC initiates disciplinary proceedings against Telefónica

STATE AID

• Authorisation for State aid pursuant to Articles 107 and 108 of the TFEU - Cases where the Commission raises no objections – SA.115993

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Agenda for: Working Party on Customs Union - 15 November 2024
  
• Agenda for: 6th CBAM Committee meeting - 21 November 2024
  - A draft Commission Implementing Regulation laying down rules for the application of Regulation (EU) 2023/956 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the CBAM registry and draft Commission Implementing Regulation declarant - Annex
  - A draft Commission Implementing Regulation laying down rules for the application of Regulation (EU) 2023/956 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the CBAM registry and draft Commission Implementing Regulation declarant - Annex
  
• Decision No 1/2024 of the CETA Joint Committee on Mutual Recognition of Professional Qualifications of 10 October 2024 setting out an agreement on the mutual recognition of professional qualifications for architects
• Italy joined the CCI system implementing the first phase of CCI system on 8 November 2024
• Some forty organisations are calling on France to take a firm stance against EU/Mercosur trade agreement - see the Letter
• EFTA and Malaysia achieve substantial progress in 16th round of free trade negotiations
• WTO - Report shows surge in G20 trade-restrictive measures amid increased unilateral policies
• China arms itself for potential trade war with Donald Trump - Beijing has enacted sweeping laws since US president-elect’s first term that would allow it to retaliate if threatened - Financial Times
• South America’s ‘made in China’ megaport prepares to transform trade - Beijing-backed project in Peru poses strategic challenge to US as Donald Trump prepares to take office in January - Financial Times

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

• November infringements package: key decisions

SMEs

• Regulation (EU) 2024/2809 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2024 amending Regulations (EU) 2017/1129, (EU) No 596/2014 and (EU) No 600/2014 to make public capital markets in the Union more attractive for companies and to facilitate access to capital for small and medium-sized enterprises
• Directive (EU) 2024/2810 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2024 on multiple-vote share structures in companies that seek admission to trading of their shares on a
• multilateral trading facility
• Directive (EU) 2024/2811 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2024 amending Directive 2014/65/EU to make public capital markets in the Union more attractive for companies and to facilitate access to capital for small and medium-sized enterprises and repealing Directive 2001/34/EC

DEFENCE

• EU boosts defence readiness with first ever financial support for common defence procurement

CHEMICAL

• Guidance on the Application of the CLP Criteria - Guidance Series Overview - November 2024, see also Part.1, Part.2, Part.3 and Part.4/5
  

TAXATION

• Judgment of the Court of 14 November 2024 in Case C-613/23 [Herdijk]: KL Vs. Staatssecretaris van Financiën
  Re: Reference for a preliminary ruling - Common system of VAT - Directive 2006/112/EC - Article 273 - VAT due by a taxable establishment - National legislation providing for joint and several liability of the establishment's administrator - Presumption of liability of the administrator in the absence of notification of the establishment's inability to pay the VAT due - Principle of proportionality
  
• Agenda for: Working Party on Tax Questions (High Level) - 27 November 2024
• Agenda for: Code of Conduct Group (Business Taxation) - 20 November 2024
• New Web Portal: VAT Rules for Small Enterprises from 1 January 2025
• The Commission decides to refer Germany to the Court of Justice of the EU for failure to eliminate discriminatory tax treatment of reinvested capital gains on the sale of German real estate

AGRICULTURE & FISHERIES

• Agenda for: Agriculture & Fisheries Council - 18 November 2024
  - Presidency summary of the discussions on the challenges and future perspectives of the different agricultural sectors - Information from the Presidency
  - Implementation of the N+3 rule for rural development interventions in the CAP Strategic Plans - Information from Spain, supported by Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Greece, Ireland, Latvia, Luxembourg, Poland, Romania,Slovakia and Slovenia
  

EMPLOYMENT & SOCIAL POLICY

• Directive (EU) 2024/2841 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2024 establishing the European Disability Card and the European Parking Card for persons with disabilities

ENERGY

• European Commission consults on revision of "ecodesign" and "energy labelling" rules for electronic displays - Consultation period: 13 November 2024 - 05 February 2025
• EIB Group, European Commission and Solar Impulse Foundation present energy efficiency initiative for smaller companies at COP29 in Baku
• Germany tells its ports to reject Russian gas cargoes - Economy ministry instructs import terminal to refuse planned shipment of LNG - Financial Times
• EU governments struggle to fund green transition - Investors in Czech solar parks threaten to sue Prague over planned cuts to subsidies for photovoltaic installations - Financial Times

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• Agenda for: 103rd Meeting of the CITES Scientific Review Group - 03 December 2024
• Agenda for: Meeting of the Ambient Air Quality Expert Group - 11 December 2024
• Minutes of: Meeting of the Ambient Air Quality Expert Group - 23 April 2024
• The Commission decides to refer Bulgaria and Romania to the Court of Justice of the European Union for failure to adequately collect and treat urban waste water

DEFORESTATION

• EU deforestation law: European Parliament wants to give companies one more year to comply
• S&Ds denounce EPP and far-right attack on landmark EU Deforestation Law and urge European Commission to withdraw proposal

DIGITAL & INFORMATION SOCIETY

• Agenda for: 6th Meeting of the Digital Services Committee - 21 November 2024
• Agenda for: 88th meeting of the Radio Spectrum Committee - 04 December 2024
• Booking must now comply with the Digital Markets Act
• Commission opens consultation on Internet Governance from 13 November until 31 December 2024
• Commission publishes first draft of General-Purpose Artificial Intelligence Code of Practice - Midday Express
• Public consultation - Digital product passport – rules for service providers - Delegated decision - Feedback period: 12 November 2024 - 10 December 2024

AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY & JUSTICE

• Judgment of the Court of 14 November 2024 in Case C-643/23,  Agenciart - Management Artístico Lda Vs. CT
  Re: Reference for a preliminary ruling - Directive 2011/7/EU - Combating late payment in commercial transactions - Article 2(3) - Concept of ‘undertaking’ - Pursuit of a self-employed professional activity - Actress - Agency contract - Order for payment procedure

ECB, EURO & ECONOMY

• Agenda for: Economic & Financial Affairs Council (Budget) - 15 November 2024
  
• ECB - Quantitative Tightening: How do shrinking Eurosystem bond holdings affect long-term interest rates?
• Real effects of credit supply shocks: evidence from Danish banks, firms, and workers - ECB Working Paper Series No.3001
• Banks and non-banks stressed: liquidity shocks and the mitigating role of insurance companies - ECB Working Paper Series No.3000
• The impact of central bank digital currency on central bank profitability, risk-taking and capital - ECB Occasional Paper Series No.360

FUTURE OF EUROPE

• The Trump challenge for Europe - An isolationist US will force the continent to rethink its defence and economy - Financial Times

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• Agenda for: Meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council, 18 November 2024
• UAE: 7th Structural Dialogue with the EU on anti-money laundering and counter terrorism-financing held in Abu Dhabi
• United States: Speech by High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell at the EP plenary on transatlantic relations after the US Presidential elections
• United States: Remarks by High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell at the start of his meeting with Secretary of State Antony Blinken
• Parliament calls for an EU crackdown on Russia’s ’shadow fleet’ - see the EP Statement & EPRS Briefing