Europe Daily News, 22 July 2024

COMPETITION

• Action brought on 3 June 2024 - Brasserie Nationale and Munhowen Vs. Commission (Case T-289/24)
  Re: Case No C (2024) 1788 final; Article 22 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004
  
• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11621 - Hankook Tire & Technology / Hanon Systems)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11582 - Advent/ WPF / Nuvei)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11610 - Apollo / Panasonic Automotive Systems)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11506 - CE / Richard Gartner / Gartner Transport Holding)
• Commission accepts commitments by Vifor to address possible anticompetitive disparagement of iron medicine - see Case AT.40577
• Commission clears acquisition of Port of Limburg by MSC, Essers and Machiels (M.11513) - Midday Express
• Commission authorises the creation of a joint venture by SSE and TotalEnergies (M.11406) - Midday Express
• Commission clears acquisition of Harvest by Montagu and TA Associates (M.11604)  - Midday Express
• Greece - Sector inquiry by the Hellenic Competition Commission into bank deposits

STATE AID

• Action brought on 14 May 2024 - Scandlines Danmark and Others Vs. Commission (Case T-258/24)
  Re: Annulment of European Commission decision C(2024) 959 final of 13 February 2024 on the measures State aid SA.52162 (2019/C) (ex 2018/FC) - Denmark and State aid SA.52617 (2019/C) (ex 2018/FC) – Sweden, implemented by Denmark and Sweden for Øresundsbro Konsortiet;
• Authorisation for State aid pursuant to Articles 107 and 108 of the TFEU - Cases where the Commission raises no objections – SA.108613; SA.113388; SA.114644 & SA.114620
• Commission approves €105 million Dutch State aid scheme to reduce nitrogen deposition on nature conservation areas (SA.111058) - Midday Express

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Commission Regulation (EU) 2024/1999 of 19 July 2024 on the introduction and management of tariff-rate quotas for groats resulting from Regulation (EU) 2024/1392 of the European Parliament and of the Council on temporary trade-liberalisation measures supplementing trade concessions applicable to Ukrainian products under the Association Agreement between the Union and Ukraine
• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/1976 of 19 July 2024 initiating an investigation concerning possible circumvention of the anti-dumping measures imposed by Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/633 on imports of monosodium glutamate originating in the People’s Republic of China by imports of monosodium glutamate consigned from Malaysia, whether declared as originating in Malaysia or not, and making such imports subject to registration
• The Commission has prepared a Q&A document which provides answers to the most frequently asked questions about the CBAM - Updated on 19 July 2024
• EU to set tariffs on Chinese biodiesel in anti-dumping probe - see "pre-disclosure" and reactions from EBB and T&E
• Report from the Commission on the operation of Regulation (EU) No 912/2014 on the financial responsibility linked to investor-to-state dispute settlement under international agreements to which the European Union is party
• Report of the 8th Meeting - EU-Ukraine Association Committee in Trade Configuration - November 2023
• Report of the 10th Meeting - EU-Georgia Association Committee in Trade Configuration - December 2023

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

• Answer given by Executive Vice-President Dombrovskis to a MEP written question - 2 Green Steel and the use of EU funds for non-EU competitors
• Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) …/... of 15.7.2024 amending Regulation (EU) 2019/1009 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards biodegradability criteria for coating agents and water retention polymers - see the Annexes

CHEMICALS

• Chemicals: Council adopts legislation on fertilisers labelling
• Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) …/... of 19.6.2024 amending Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the harmonised classification and labelling of certain substances - see the Annexes

AGRICULTURE & FISHERIES

• Council adopts updated fisheries measures in the North-East Atlantic

ENERGY

• Request for a preliminary ruling from the Curtea de Apel București (Romania) of 09 April 2024 – Axpo Energy Romania SA Vs. Agenția Națională de Administrare Fiscală, Guvernul României (Case C-251/24, Axpo Energy Romania)
  Re: Article 3(1), (3) and (4) and Article 9(2) of Directive (EU) 2019/944; Articles 101 and 102 TFEU; Articles 107(1) and 108(3) TFEU, Regulation 2019/943; Directive 2019/944; Article 401 of Directive 2006/112
• Minutes of the Commission expert group on climate change policy - Joint meeting with the Energy Poverty and Vulnerable Consumers Coordination Group - 25 June 2024
• Azerbaijan hits out at EU for failing to agree long-term gas deals - Short-term contracts leave Baku unable to raise investment needed to meet demand from bloc, says Azeri envoy - Financial Times
• Can the solar industry keep the lights on? - Global supply glut of panels is hurting producers but also helping installations - Financial Times

DIGITAL & INFORMATION SOCIETY

• Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2024/1983 of 18 July 2024 on the harmonisation of the 40,5-43,5 GHz frequency band for terrestrial systems capable of providing wireless broadband electronic communications services in the Union
• Commission coordinates action by national consumer protection authorities against Meta on ‘pay or consent' model

TRANSPORT & MOBILITY

• Commission publishes new guidelines for more clarity on air passenger rights

AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY & JUSTICE

• Agenda for: 6th Meeting of the Digitalisation of judicial cooperation committee - 24 July 2024
• Council conclusions on opening up of a visa liberalisation dialogue with Armenia
• Council decides to remove visa requirement for holders of Serbian passports issued by Serbian Coordination Directorate

EURO, ECB & ECONOMY

• Commission Notice – Guidance on recovery and resilience plans
• Commissioners Gentiloni and Urpilainen attend the G20 meetings in Rio de Janeiro - Midday Express
• Europe’s prosperity depends on solving its budgetary conundrum - We now have an important ingredient for progress that we did not in the past — political will - Financial Times

FUTURE OF EUROPE

• Agenda for: Meeting of the Coreper (Part.1 & Part.2) - 24 July 2024

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• Sexual and gender-based violence: Council lists four individuals and two entities under the EU's Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime - see Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/2008 & Council Decision (CFSP) 2024/2009 
• Syria - Request by the Italian Delegation for an AOB item on behalf of Austria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Greece, Croatia, Italy, Slovakia and Slovenia
• Organization of Turkic States summit - Request by the Cypriot Delegation for an AOB item
  
• Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the EU Work Programme - Working Party on Humanitarian Aid and Food Aid (COHAFA) 1 July – 31 December 2024
• European Peace Facility: Council adopts assistance measure in support of the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania
• European Peace Facility: Council adopts the first ever assistance measure in support of the Armenian Armed Forces
• Defence: Press remarks by High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell during his visit to Tapa Military Base
• Cyprus: Statement by the Spokesperson on the need for a fair, comprehensive and viable settlement

ISRAEL/PALESTINE

• The European Commission and the Palestinian Authority agree on emergency financial support and the principles for a recovery and resilience programme
• Israel/Palestine: Statement by the High Representative on the Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice

RUSSIAN INVASION OF UKRAINE

• Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine: Council renews economic sanctions for a further 6 months
• Answer given by Mr Reynders to a MEP written question - Severe allegations of Russian interference
  
• The European Union becomes a fully-fledged participant of the Register of Damage for Ukraine - Midday Express
• Spy-linked Russians restart trade with German toolmaker - Heller Tools exported machinery to entities linked to a covert FSB smuggling network - Financial Times