Europe Daily News, 11 February 2025

COMPETITION

• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11891 - Greenyellow / Stoa / DEG / Yoko Asset Management 2)
• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11815 - AZ Direct / IPTIQ)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11801 - Mutares / Buderus)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11761 - TPG / New Mountain / HB)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11743 - Centerbridge / Banca Progetto)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11866 - Krefeld / ICG / Groupe Climater)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11861 - Towerbrook / JC Flowers / Railsr / Equals)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11816 - OTPP / Nordic Capital XI / Max Matthiessen)
• Marcegaglia Steel, Manni Group JV clearance decision published by EU Commission - see Case M.11670
  
• Commission clears acquisition of BISA by Repsol and Bunge (M.11575) - Midday Express
• Commission clears the acquisition of Arkolia by BNPP AM and MET 6 (M.11831) - Midday Express
• Commission clears the acquisition of NAI by the Ellison Family and RedBird and the acquisition of Paramount by the Ellison Family (M.11744) - Midday Express
• Bulgaria - The CPC conducted unannounced inspections at the premises of leading traders of specialized equipment and machinery
• Estonia - Electric vehicle charging network developing only in major settlements
• Italy - Telecom Italia has seen the fiber-rollout dominance abuse fine reduced to over €87 million from €116 million
• Portugal - The Competition Authority adopted a non-opposition decision in merger operation 3/2025 - JBCM / Palacios.

STATE AID

• Authorisation for State aid pursuant to Articles 107 and 108 of the TFEU - Cases where the Commission raises no objections – SA.115630
• Commission approves amendment and prolongation of German State aid scheme to promote rail transport interoperability (SA.116931) - Midday Express

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Agenda for: Trade Policy Committee (Experts - Services & Investment) - 12 February 2025
• Agenda for: Working Party on European Free Trade Association (EFTA) - 12 February 2025
  
• Proposal for a Council Decision on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union in the Association Committee in Trade configuration established by the Association Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community and their Member States, of the one part, and Ukraine, of the other part as regards the modification of Appendix XVII-3 (Rules applicable to telecommunication services) of Annex XVII to that Agreement
• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/260 of 10 February 2025 making imports of fused alumina originating in the People’s Republic of China subject to registration
• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/261 of 10 February 2025 imposing a definitive anti-dumping duty on imports of biodiesel originating in the People’s Republic of China
• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/289 of 6 February 2025 repealing Implementing Regulation (EU) No 708/2013 concerning the classification of certain goods in the Combined Nomenclature (CN code 9405 40 99)
• Samancta relocates: What you need to know about the "new website"
• Statement by President von der Leyen on announced US tariffs on imports of steel and aluminum - See the "White House Proclamation" - Financial Times & Politico.eu
• Answer given by Mr Šefčovič to a MEP written question - Effectiveness of the steel safeguard measure
• Answer given by HR/VP Kallas to a MEP written question - Request for urgent action concerning the inclusion of announced US sanctions against the ICC in the annex to Council Regulation (EC) No 2271/96 (Blocking Statute)
• Canada - Tribunal initiates expiry review: Hot-rolled carbon steel plate from Brazil, Denmark, Indonesia, Italy, Japan and Korea

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

• Commission awards fellowships worth €417 million to nearly 1,700 researchers through the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions - Midday Express
  
• The Commission assesses the impact of the geographical blocking regulation on the internal market - Midday Express

AUTOMOTIVE

• Commissioner Hoekstra hosts the Working Group on Clean Transition under the Strategic Dialogue with the European automotive sector - Midday Express
• Green corporate fleets initiative for trucks and buses could spell gains for zero-emission uptake - see Acea Statement

AGRICULTURE & FISHERIES

• Agenda for: Meeting of the Standing Forestry Committee - 04 March 2025
• Agenda for: Working Party on Genetic Resources & Innovation in Agriculture (Genetic Resources) - 24 February 2025
• Agenda for: Meeting of the Expert group on the Implementation of the CAP Strategic Plans Regulation - 18 February 2025 & 27 March 2025
• Agenda for: Expert Group for Technical Advice on Organic Production (EGTOP) - Subgroup Fertilisers and Plant protection - 06 March 2025
• Minutes & Working Documents - Meeting of the Expert group on the Implementation of the CAP Strategic Plans Regulation - 16 January 2025

ENERGY

• ACER recommends aligning the Romanian gas transmission tariffs with the Network Code’s requirements

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• Working Documents of the Environmental Footprint Steering Group meeting (Dairy, Pet Food, Marine Fish, Feed) - 18 December 2024
• LIFE PRISTINE protecting the environment through contaminant removal - Midday Express
• New rules enter into force for a more sustainable and competitive packaging economy
• Over half of deaths attributed to ground-level ozone in Europe are due to ozone that originated outside the region
• Large European banks’ dependency on – and exposure to – ecosystem services shows that considerable value is at risk
• Answer given by Ms Roswall to a MEP written question - IUCN red list update, tree species and deforestation 

DIGITAL & INFORMATION SOCIETY

• Agenda for: 2nd meeting of the Committee on interoperability regulatory sandboxes - 21 February 2025
• Commission welcomes new European Board for Media Services
• Safer Internet Day 2025 - The Commission shares progress in boosting child safety online as part of the 22nd edition of Safer Internet Day

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

• EU launches InvestAI initiative to mobilise €200 billion of investment in artificial intelligence
• Speech by President von der Leyen at the Artificial Intelligence Action Summit
• Speech by President von der Leyen at the European working meeting of the Artificial Intelligence Action Summit
• Answer given by EVP Virkkunen to a MEP written question - Protecting the copyright of subtitles in European series and films and developing our AI using this data
• Musk’s shadow hangs over Macron’s AI summit - The special relationship that the French president tried to nurture with the tech billionaire never really bore fruit - Politico.eu

ECB, EURO & ECONOMY

• Speech by Christine Lagarde: European Parliament plenary debate on the ECB Annual Report
• The Commission opens applications to reward the best Cohesion Policy supported projects (2025 edition of the REGIOSTARS competition)

FUTURE OF EUROPE

• Agenda for: Meeting of the Coreper (Part.1 & Part.2) - 12 February 2025
• Possible items for College agendas from 19 February to 26 March 2025
• EU plans radical budget overhaul handing more power to capitals - Bloc’s 50 spending programmes to be lumped into 3 funds, according to paper - Financial Times

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• The European Institute of Innovation and Technology and the EU4Innovation launch the new Community Hub to boost the innovation ecosystem in Albania
• EU supported the reconstruction of health-care and water services in war-damaged Nemishaeve community in Ukraine
• EU Statement – 3rd Preparatory Committee for the 4th Financing for Development Conference
• EU Statement – UN Commission for Social Development – General Discussion
  
• Iceland bid to join EU should not be driven by Trump fears, says PM - Kristrún Frostadóttir favours restarting talks for economic reasons and not in reaction to US president’s Arctic sabre-rattling - Financial Times