Europe Daily News, 15 May 2024

COMPETITION

• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11554 - CVC / World of Talents)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11478 - Gunvor/ EVE / BBE)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11387 - Volvo / Westport / JV)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11505 - CVC / Emma / Mailstep)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11534 - Stonepeak / Orsted / Oona Energy)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11498 - Britannic Strategies/ Getec Energie)
• Commission clears creation of joint venture by BPEOC and AIC (M.11496) - Midday Express
• Germany - Bundeskartellamt has cleared plans for Konsumgenossenschaft Leipzig eG, Leipzig, to join EDEKA Nordbayern-Sachsen-Thüringen eG, Rottendorf, and thus the EDEKA group

STATE AID

• Judgment of the General Court of 15 May 2024 in Case T-508/14; Naturgy Energy Group, SA Vs. European Commission
  Re: State aid - Aid granted by the Spanish authorities in favour of certain economic interest groupings (EIGs) and their investors - Tax regime applicable to certain leasing agreements for the acquisition of vessels (Spanish tax leasing regime) - Decision declaring the aid to be partly incompatible with the internal market and ordering its partial recovery - Partial disappearance of the subject-matter of the dispute - No need to adjudicate in part - Advantage - Imputability to the State - New aid - Recovery - Contractual clauses protecting the interests of the State) no need to adjudicate in part - Advantage - Imputability to the State - New aid - Recovery - Contractual clauses protecting beneficiaries against recovery of unlawful State aid incompatible with the internal market - Division of powers between the Commission and the national authorities’
• Judgment of the General Court of 15 May 2024 in 15 May 2024 in Joined Cases T-401/14, T-406/14 to T-408/14, T-415/14 to T-417/14, T-433/14, T-442/14 and T-443/14, Duro Felguera, SA, and the other Vs. European Commission
  Re: State aid - Aid granted by the Spanish authorities in favour of certain economic interest groupings (EIGs) and their investors - Tax regime applicable to certain leasing agreements for the acquisition of vessels (Spanish tax leasing regime) - Decision declaring the aid in part incompatible with the internal market and ordering its partial recovery - Partial disappearance of the subject-matter of the dispute - No need to adjudicate in part - Article 107, (1) TFEU - Obligation to state reasons - New aid - Recovery - Contractual clauses protecting beneficiaries against recovery of unlawful State aid incompatible with the internal market - Division of powers between the Commission and the national authorities
  
• Authorisation for State aid pursuant to Articles 107 and 108 of the TFEU - Cases where the Commission raises no objections – SA.109995

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Agenda for: EU Single Window Environment for Customs - Examination and concretisation of the Business to-Government (B2G) dimension and functionality - 12 & 13 June 2024
  
• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) …/... on the derogations from the ‘originating products’ rules laid down in the Free Trade Agreement between the European Union and New Zealand that apply within the limits of annual quotas for certain products from New Zealand
• Proposal for a Council Regulation amending Regulation (EU) 2021/2283 opening and providing for the management of autonomous tariff quotas of the Union for certain agricultural and industrial products
• China ‘dwarfs’ US investments in EU neighbourhood countries - Countries in eastern Europe, north Africa and central Asia receive more funding from Beijing, EBRD says - Financial Times

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

• Preparation of the Council (Competitiveness (Internal Market, Industry, Research and Space)) on 23-24 May 2024
  - Draft Council conclusions on the ex-post evaluation of Horizon 2020 and future outlook - Approval
  - Draft Council conclusions on Strengthening knowledge valorisation as a tool for a resilient and competitive industry and for strategic autonomy in an open economy in Europe - Approval
• Draft Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on corporate sustainability due diligence and amending Directive (EU) 2019/1937 and Regulation (EU) 2023/2859 (first reading) - Adoption of the legislative act & Statements by Estonia, Lithuania, Slovakia and Hungary

CHEMICAL

• Summary of European Commission Decisions on authorisations for the placing on the market for the use and/or for use of substances listed in Annex XIV to Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning the REACH: Decision C(2024) 2882 - Decision C(2024) 2928 - Decision C(2024) 2884 - Decision C(2024) 2880 - Decision C(2024) 2864 - Decision C(2024) 2879 - chromium trioxide (EC No 215-607-8; CAS No 1333-82-0)

FINANCE

• Capital markets Union: Council approves conclusions on financial literacy
• Statement by the Eurogroup President on the follow-up to the Eurogroup agreement on the future of the Capital Markets Union
• European Commission issues €6 billion in its 5th syndicated transaction of 2024 - IP/24/2575

TAXATION

• Taxation: Council agrees on new rules for withholding tax procedures (FASTER) - see the General Approach
• FASTER initiative on withholding tax to boost cross-border investment and help fight tax fraud - IP/24/2607
• Fiscal sustainability challenges arising from ageing ‒ Council conclusions (14 May 2024)

ENERGY

• Speech by Commissioner Simson at the high-level stakeholders event on the second anniversary of the REPowerEU Plan
• EU rebuffs UK attempt to continue collaborating on nuclear fusion experiment - Financial Times

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• Commission should appoint carbon capture "Czar", see also the full Action Plan for Carbon Capture

DIGITAL & INFORMATION SOCIETY

• Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down harmonised rules on artificial intelligence and amending Regulations (EC) No 300/2008, (EU) No 167/2013, (EU) No 168/2013, (EU) 2018/858, (EU) 2018/1139 and (EU) 2019/2144 and Directives 2014/90/EU, (EU) 2016/797 and (EU) 2020/1828 (Artificial Intelligence Act) - Adoption

AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY & JUSTICE

• Commission reports on overall progress on the Security Union - IP/24/2565, FactSheet and 7th Progress Report

ECB, EURO & ECONOMY

• Main results of: Economic & Financial Affairs Council, 14 May 2024, Remarks by EVP Dombrovskis
• Spring 2024 Economic Forecast: A gradual expansion amid high geopolitical risks - IP/24/2567 & Statement by Commissioner Gentiloni
  
• Advancements in stress-testing methodologies for financial stability applications - ECB Occasional Paper Series No.348
• The rise of artificial intelligence: benefits and risks for financial stability - ECB Financial Stability Review Issue 2, 2024
• Turbulent times: geopolitical risk and its impact on euro area financial stability - ECB Financial Stability Review Issue 2, 2024
• Household inflation expectations: an overview of recent insights for monetary policy - ECB Financial Stability Review Issue 2, 2024

FUTURE OF EUROPE

• Possible items for College agenda from 22 May to 3 July 2024

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• Judgment of the General Court of 15 May 2024 in Case T‑235/22, Russian Direct Investment Fund Vs. Council of the European Union supported by European Commission
  Re: CFSP - Restrictive measures adopted in view of Russia’s actions destabilising the situation in Ukraine - Prohibition on investing in, participating in or otherwise contributing to projects co-financed by the applicant - Jurisdiction of the General Court - Action for annulment - Locus standi - Admissibility - Plea of illegality - Manifest error of assessment - Rights of the defence - Freedom to conduct a business - Proportionality
• Judgment of the General Court of 15 May 2024 in Case T-471/22, Issam Anbouba Vs. Council of the European Union
  Re: CFSP - Restrictive measures taken on account of the situation in Syria - Freezing of funds - Restrictions on admission to the territory of the Member States - Maintenance of the applicant's name on lists of persons, entities and bodies - Criterion of ‘association with the Syrian regime’ - Criterion of ‘influential businessman or businesswoman operating in Syria’ - Presumption of link with the Syrian regime - Error of assessment - Admissibility of evidence
  
• Iran: Council broadens EU restrictive measures in view of Iran military support of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and armed groups in the Middle East and Red Sea region - See Council Regulation (EU) 2024/1338 & Council Decision (CFSP) 2024/1336
• Council Decision (CFSP) 2024/1353 of 14 May 2024 amending Decision 2014/486/CFSP on the European Union Advisory Mission for Civilian Security Sector Reform Ukraine (EUAM Ukraine)
• Council Decision (CFSP) 2024/1354 of 14 May 2024 amending Decision (CFSP) 2021/1143 on a European Union Military Training Mission in Mozambique (EUTM Mozambique)
• EU allocates €130 million in humanitarian aid for Latin America and the Caribbean in 2024 - IP/24/2606
• Statement by HR/VP Josep Borrell with the European Commission on the adoption of the “transparency of foreign influence” law in Georgia*
• Moldova defies Russia with EU security pact - Ukraine’s neighbour set to join bloc’s military drills and jointly obtain weapons - Financial Times
• Defiant regional leaders resist the road map to EU membership - The heads of Serbia, the Bosnian Serbs, North Macedonia and Georgia oppose the steps needed to join the club - Financial Times