Europe Daily News, 12 December 2024

COMPETITION

• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11810 - Adrill / ADH / Deep Well Services)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11302 - MSC / HGV / HHLA)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11723 - Onex / QH / Mars Debtco)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11768 - Telia Company / Capman AIFM / Kotikuitu Target Assets)
• Italy - Investigation opened into alleged cartel in the copper cable manufacturing sector
• Lithuania - Restricted competition between distributors has prevented consumers from getting cheaper heat pumps

STATE AID

• Commission seeks feedback on proposed revision of the State aid Aviation Guidelines 

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Judgment of the Court of 12 December 2024 in Case C‑772/23 P, European Association of Non-Integrated Metal Importers & Distributors (Euranimi), Vs. European Commission
  Re: Appeal - Common rules for imports - Safeguard measures - Regulation (EU) 2015/478 - Article 19(2) - Extension of a safeguard measure - Conditions - Steel products market - Import of certain steel products - Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/1029
• Judgment of the Court of 12 December 2024 in Case C-388/23, Golden Omega S.A. v Inspecteur van de Belastingdienst/Douane, kantoor Rotterdam Rijnmond
  Re: Reference for a preliminary ruling - Customs Union - Regulation (EEC) No 2658/87 - Common Customs Tariff - Tariff classification - Combined Nomenclature - Heading 1516 - Fats and oils and their fractions - Fish oil in the form of ethyl esters - Esterification of fatty acids with ethanol - Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1661 - Validity
• Judgment of the Court of 12 December 2024 in Case C-781/23, Malmö Motorrenovering AB Vs. Allmänna ombudet hos Tullverket
  Re: Reference for a preliminary ruling - Customs Union - Customs Code of the Union - Regulation (EU) No 952/2013 - Article 250 - Temporary admission procedure - Article 251 - Period of stay for goods imported under that procedure - Period insufficient to achieve the objective of authorised use - Customs debt incurred as a result of failure to observe that period - Conditions for extending that period - Importation of a racing car
• Notice on Information gathering in relation to Information and Communication Technology goods subject to import duties by India and on possible EU commercial policy measures under Regulation (EU) No 654/2014
• Regulation (EU) 2024/3015 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 November 2024 on prohibiting products made with forced labour on the Union market and amending Directive (EU) 2019/1937
• EU Trade organisational chart as updated on 09 December 2024
• Joint Conclusions of the 8th EU-Cameroon EPA Committee - September 2024
• EFTA Deputy Secretary-General discusses TEPA with Swiss-Indian business community
• WTO Fish Fund Steering Committee endorses 2025 budget and workplan, readies call for proposals
• WTO - The fourth review of the "trade policies and practices" of the Solomon Islands takes place on 11 and 13 December 2024
• WTO report shows increase in trade restrictions against backdrop of unilateral policies - See Remarks by DG Okonjo-Iweala after the Formal TPRB meeting & Monitoring report
• Here’s what’s new in the EU-Mercosur trade deal - Politico.eu
• The state intervention that’s not destroying trade - Governments are experimenting with industrial policy but tariffs are staying low - Financial Times

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

• ERGP Report on the regulation of end-user pricing - Created by GROW.C.3 - update: 11 December 2024

RAW MATERIAL

• Commission hosts the Minerals Security Partnership to advance on critical raw materials projects (2024 Raw Materials Week) - Midday Express
• Joint Statement on the High-Level Minerals Security Partnership Forum Events in Brussels

AUTOMOTIVE

• Public Consultation - Road safety – General Vehicle Safety Regulation (update of references to regulatory acts in Annexes) - Delegated regulation - Feedback period: 10 December 2024 - 07 January 2025
• ACEA president unveils input for EU automotive industrial plan; including a simplified regulatory framework

FINANCE

• The Court clarifies the rules concerning the independence of a national resolution authority and actions against its decisions in respect of failing financial institutions (See CPR Nº 197/2024 - Judgment of the Court of Justice in Case C-118/23, Getin Holding)
• ESMA appoints Carlo Comporti as a new member to its Management Board and reappoints the Chairs of its Standing Committees
• ESMA consults on Technical Advice on Listing Act implications
• ESMA publishes latest edition of its Newsletter No.34

AGRICULTURE & FISHERIES

• Rights of usufruct over agricultural land in Hungary: EU law does not preclude the reinstatement of such rights in accordance with a judgment of the Court of Justice, even where their initial registration was unlawful (See CPR Nº 198/2024 - Judgment of the Court of Justice in Case C-419/23, Nemzeti Földügyi Központ)
• Public Consultation -  Replanting vineyards – extension of application period for replanting authorisation after grubbing-up of a vineyard - Implementing regulation - Feedback period: 11 December 2024 - 08 January 2025
• Tackling non-sustainable fishing practices allowed by non-EU countries: Council endorses negotiating mandate

ENERGY

• Meeting of the TTE Council (Energy) on 16 December 2024
  - Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET Plan) Conference (Budapest, 14- 15 November 2024) - Information from the Presidency
  
• Christian Zinglersen reappointed to lead ACER for the next five years
• ACER scrutinises temporary exemption for bi-directional gas flow on STORK I pipeline between Poland and Czech Republic
• 2024 Implementation Report: Energy Community Advances Steadily Towards Integration with the EU
• The EU’s definition of CO2-neutral fuels should include eFuels and biofuels, industry working group tells European Commission - See ePURE Report
• Norway campaigns to cut energy links to Europe as power prices soar - Financial Times
• EU’s new energy chief vows to end Russian fuel ties for good - Politico.eu

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• Opinion of Advocate GeneralCampos Sanchez-Bordona of 12 December 2024 in Case C‑414/23, Metsä Fibre Oy, intervening party: Energiavirasto
  Re: Reference for a preliminary ruling - System for the exchange of greenhouse gas emission allowances - Union Registry - Regulation (EU) No 389/2013 - Recording of a restitution of allowances in the Union Registry - Restitution under a provision subsequently invalidated by the Court of Justice - Impossibility of recovering allowances which have already been surrendered
• Agenda for: Working Party on International Environment Issues (Climate change) - 18 December 2024
• Directive (EU) 2024/3019 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 November 2024 concerning urban wastewater treatment (recast)
• Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on preventing plastic pellet losses to reduce microplastic pollution - General approach & Statement
• Public consultation - Aviation fuels & emissions trading – calculating the price difference between eligible fuels and kerosene (detailed rules) - Delegated regulation - Feedback period: 09 December 2024 - 06 January 2025
• Regulation (EU) 2024/3005 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 November 2024 on the transparency and integrity of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) rating activities, and amending Regulations (EU) 2019/2088 and (EU) 2023/2859
• Next step: glyphosate approval is now in the European Court of Justice - See the Statement by ClientEarth

HEALTH, FOOD & PRODUCT SAFETY

• Council Recommendation of 3 December 2024 on smoke- and aerosol-free environments replacing Council Recommendation 2009/C 296/02
• New EU rules to ensure the safety of consumer products enter into application tomorrow - Midday Express

EFSA

• Scientific Opinion - Revised safety evaluation of the food enzyme glucose oxidase from the genetically modified Trichoderma reesei strain AR‐352
• External Scientific Report - Refining the methodology for verifying GLP studies submitted within an application for regulated products
• Scientific Opinion - Revised safety evaluation of the food enzyme endo‐1,4‐β‐xylanase from the genetically modified Bacillus subtilis strain LMG S‐24584 produced by a modified process

ECDC 

• Zoonotic diseases on the rise in EU: listeriosis cases hit highest level since 2007

EMA 

• Clinical Trial Information System (CTIS) structured data form - Initial application, additional Member State Concerned, substantial modification, non-substantial modification

DIGITAL & INFOMATION SOCIETY

• Ukraine joins the MEDIA strand of the Creative Europe programme
• Commission hosts high-level roundtable on advancing science with AI - Midday Express
• EU-funded AI innovation powers a new era in cooperative smart city development - Midday Express

DATA PRIVACY & CYBERSECURITY

• The Council has approved conclusions on access to data for effective law enforcement - See the Report
• Shaping DPP service providers: Building a secure and flexible framework - See DigitalEurope Paper
• "Digital autonomy or sovereignty for the European Union is the precondition for assuring the implementation of legal principles and constitutional frameworks in the digital environment" - By Jan Philipp Albrecht Co-President of the Heinrich Böll Foundation

AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY & JUSTICE

• Justice and Home Affairs ministers define priorities for next five years - See the Strategic guidelines
• Commission steps up support for Member States to strengthen EU security and counter the weaponisation of migration - Remarks by EVP Virkkunen
• Schengen: Council decides to lift land border controls with Bulgaria and Romania - See the Statement by the European Commission - Financial Times 
• Minutes of the Meeting of the EU law network - 29 November 2024

FUTURE OF EUROPE

• Possible items for College agenda from 17 December 2024 to 5 March 2025

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• 18-month programme of the Council, prepared by the future Polish, Danish and Cypriot Presidencies and the High Representative, Chair of the Foreign Affairs Council
  
• Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the EU on the alignment of certain countries with Council Decision (CFSP) 2024/2936 concerning restrictive measures in view of Türkiye’s
• unauthorised drilling activities in the Eastern Mediterranean
• Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the EU on the alignment of certain countries with Council implementing Decision (CFSP) 2024/2933 concerning restrictive measures in Syria
• Belarus: Fourth meeting of the Consultative Group with democratic forces and civil society held in Brussels
• Ethiopia/Somalia: Statement by the Spokesperson on the Ankara Declaration