Europe Daily News, 06 December 2024

COMPETITION

• Summary of Commission Decision of 9 June 2023 declaring a concentration compatible with the Internal Market and the functioning of the EEA Agreement (Case M.10433 - Vivendi/Lagardère) - See the Opinion of the Advisory Committee on mergers & Final Report of the Hearing Officer
• Commission clears acquisition of Uniper Hungary by Veolia (M.11515) - Midday Express
• Commission clears creation of joint venture by TPG and M&G (M.11799) - Midday Express
• Commission has published its decision clearing the buyout of French rival Courir by UK sports retailer JD Sports - See Case M.11159
• Commission has published its decision clearing Czech Media Invest's acquisition of French publishing house Editis - See Case M.11153
• Belgium - Notification - MEDE-CC-24/0031: Gimv NV /TDP NV

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Agenda for: Working Party on Customs Union - 16 December 2024
• Agenda for: Meeting of the ACP Working Party - 10 December 2024
• Agenda for: Trade Policy Committee (Services & Investment) - 11 December 2024
• Agenda for: Working Party on European Free Trade Association (EFTA) - 10 December 2024
• Notice of initiation of an expiry review of the anti-subsidy measures applicable to imports of biodiesel originating in Indonesia
• Notice of initiation of an anti-dumping proceeding concerning imports of high-pressure seamless steel cylinders originating in the People’s Republic of China
• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/3020 of 29 November 2024 concerning the classification of certain goods in the Combined Nomenclature (CN: 3926 90 97)
• Council Decision (EU) 2024/3023 of 21 November 2024 on the position to be adopted on behalf of the European Union in the Customs Sub-Committee established by the Association Agreement between the EU and the European Atomic Energy Community and their Member States, of the one part, and Georgia, of the other part, with regard to a decision concerning the amendment of Protocol I to that Agreement as regards permeability between the Regional Convention on pan-Euro-Mediterranean preferential rules of origin and the Transitional rules of origin
• Decision No 1/2024 of the Specialised Committee on Social Security Coordination established by Article 8(1)(P) of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, of the one part, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, of the other part, of 8 November 2024 as regards the amendment of certain Annexes to the Protocol on Social Security Coordination
• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/3084 of 4 December 2024 on the functioning of the information system pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2023/1115 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the making available on the Union market and the export from the Union of certain commodities and products associated with deforestation and forest degradation
• WTO issues panel report regarding agricultural import measures in Panama - (DS599)
• WTO Members take stock of sustainability discussions, consider objectives for MC14
• Tariff Man’s superpowers are weaker than he thinks - Donald Trump’s obsession with import taxes belies their limited effects - Financial Times
• UK’s balanced trade with US reduces risk of fresh Trump tariffs - Focus on services may mean Britain does not face ire of incoming US president, business secretary tells FT summit - Financial Times
• Europe in the line of fire as Trump threatens trade war with China - Trump’s punitive tariffs would put Brussels under pressure to cut a defensive deal to fend off a glut of Chinese exports - Politico.eu
• Franco-German fight over South American trade deal threatens EU rupture - Ursula von der Leyen granted the wish of her native Germany by flying off to seal an accord with the Mercosur bloc. France, which fiercely opposes the deal, is in uproar - Politico.eu

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

• Agenda for: Working Party on Technical Harmonisation - 12 December 2024
• Council Conclusions adopted on 29 November 2024 - Competitiveness Council on a potential Europe-wide R&I initiative on advancing sustainable natural resource management, food systems security and the deployment of the bioeconomy, harnessing the potential of Central and Eastern Europe - Information from the Presidency
• Waving goodbye to 2024 with another successful Copernicus Launch: Sentinel-1C now in orbit - Midday Express
• Europe races to set up €500bn defence fund - Initiative is open to UK and would tap bond markets to boost spending for Trump’s White House return - Financial Times

FINANCE

• EBA - Consultation on Regulatory Technical Standards on CCP to strengthen fight against financial crime - see the Statement

AGRICULTURE &  FISHERIES

• Meeting of the "Agriculture and Fisheries" Council of 09 and 10 December 2024
  - The potential of biotechnology within the agri-food sector ‒ Information from Denmark and Spain, supported by Czechia, Estonia, Finland, The Netherlands, Portugal and Sweden
  - Regulation on plants obtained by certain new genomic techniques and their food and feed products: state of play ‒ Information from the Presidency
  - Work in the veterinary field under the Hungarian Presidency ‒ Information from the Presidency
  - A harmonised terminology of “biological control” in plant protection and/or others similar approaches ‒ Information from Denmark and Germany, supported by Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Estonia, Finland, The Netherlands, Portugal and Sweden
  - Introduction of a “charitable food business operator” under European food law ‒ Information from Germany, supported by Cyprus, Denmark, Latvia, Luxembourg and Spain
  - The need to establish appropriate legislation for the use of drones to contribute to the resilience of agricultural systems ‒ Information from Portugal, supported by Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, Spain and Sweden
  - Agreement on a Green Denmark: Model for a greenhouse gas tax on agricultural production and reduced nitrogen leaching to improve the protection of nature, biodiversity and water resources - Information from Denmark
  - Revision of the EU’s animal welfare legislation ‒ Information from Sweden, supported by Austria, Denmark, Finland, Germany and Slovenia
  - Animal diseases (African Swine Fever and Bluetongue disease) ‒ Information from Germany and Italy, supported by Czechia and France
• Agenda for: Meeting of the Standing Forestry Committee - 17 December 2024

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• Agenda for: Working Party on the Environment - 13 December 2024
• Agenda for: Working Party on International Environment Issues (Int. Chemicals /Synergies) - 13 December 2024
• Meeting of the Council (Environment) on 17 December 2024
  - Key issues in the targeted revision of the REACH Regulation Information from Sweden, supported by Denmark, Finland and Luxembourg
• Regulation (EU) 2024/3012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 November 2024 establishing a Union certification framework for permanent carbon removals, carbon farming and carbon storage in products
• Regulation (EU) 2024/3024 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 November 2024 amending Regulation (EU) No 691/2011 as regards introducing new environmental economic account modules
• Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2024/2974 of 29 November 2024 establishing the best available techniques (BAT) conclusions, under Directive 2010/75/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council on industrial emissions, for the smitheries and foundries industry
• Forever Chemical found even in Pristine Mineral Waters - EU Commission set to propose ban on Pesticides due to TFA pollution - See PAN Statement
• European Parliament finally greenlights negotiations on water pollutants - See PAN Statement
• Joint Civil Society letter to the President of the European Commission on the LIFE funding - CAN

HEALTH, FOOD & PRODUCT SAFETY

• Public consultation - Authorisation of lumiVAST Trichinella for Trichinella testing - Implementing regulation - Feedback period: 05 December 2024 - 02 January 2025
• EFSA - Pest survey card on potato viruses and phytoplasmas regulated as Union quarantine pests

TRANSPORT & MOBILITY

• Driving disqualifications: Council adopts negotiating position to improve road safety in the EU
• Intermodal transport: Council adopts negotiating positions to reinforce passenger rights in the EU
• Directive (EU) 2024/3017 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 November 2024 amending Directive 2009/18/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the fundamental principles governing the investigation of accidents in the maritime transport sector and repealing Commission Regulation (EU) No 1286/2011

DIGITAL & DATA PRIVACY & CYBERSECURITY

• Digital infrastructure: Council approves conclusions on the Commission’s White Paper
• ENISA: Council approves conclusions for a stronger EU agency for cybersecurity
• EDPB Letter to the European Commission on its review of its eleven adequacy decisions adopted under Directive 95/46/EC

CONSUMER PROTECTION

• Judgment of the Court of 05 December 2024 in Case C‑379/23, Guldbrev AB Vs. Konsumentombudsmannen
  Re: Reference for a preliminary ruling - Consumer protection - Unfair commercial practices - Directive 2005/29/EC - Article 2(c), (d) and (i) - Article 3(1) - Scope - Concept of ‘product’ - Combined offer consisting of the valuation and purchase of a good
• New liability rules create a clear, predictable, and effective system for victims to seek compensation for damages caused by defective products online and offline - Midday Express

AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY & JUSTICE

• Judgment of the Court of 05 December 2024 in Case C‑389/23, Bulgarfrukt -Fruchthandels GmbH Vs. Oranzherii Gimel II EOOD,
  Re: Reference for a preliminary ruling - Judicial cooperation in civil matters - European order for payment procedure - Regulation (EC) No 1896/2006 - European order for payment declared enforceable - Service of judicial and extrajudicial documents in civil or commercial matters - Regulation (EC) No 1393/2007 - Invalid service ascertained during enforcement - National legislation providing for a legal remedy enabling the defendant to apply for the annulment of a European order for payment - Legal consequences - Obligation of the court seised to annul the European order for payment
• Agenda for: Fourth Specialised Committee on Law Enforcement and Judicial Cooperation under the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement - 13 December 2024

EURO, ECB & ECONOMY

• Agenda for: Meeting of the Economic & Financial Affairs Council, 10 December 2024
  - Current financial services legislative proposals - Information from the Presidency

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• Council Decision (CFSP) 2024/3096 of 5 December 2024 amending Decision 2012/389/CFSP on the European Union Capacity Building Mission in Somalia (EUCAP Somalia)
• Council Decision (CFSP) 2024/3097 of 5 December 2024 in support of the comprehensive programme on supporting efforts to prevent and combat illicit trafficking of Small Arms and Light Weapons and Conventional Ammunition in South-Eastern Europe
• A dangerous stand-off in Georgia - Protesters fear a Russia-leaning government has closed the door to the EU - Financial Times
• We need a more agile EU sanctions regime to counter the Kremlin - Measures adopted so far are too cumbersome to match Russia’s artful ways of circumventing them - Financial Times