Europe Daily News, 26 July 2024

COMPETITION

• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11631 - Harng Central Department Store / Globus Holding)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11561 - PLD / NBIM / Sehnde Asset/ Rosstal Asset)
• Commission clears acquisition of ASNS by LATRAPS and Pfeifer & Langen (M.11544) - Midday Express
• Commission clears acquisition of FoxPost by CVC and EMMA (M.11613) - Midday Express
• Commission clears acquisition of SWS by ALSO (M.11499) - Midday Express
• Belgium - The Competition Authority opens an investigation into a proposed cooperation agreement for the roll-out of fiber networks in Flanders
• Ireland - CCPC clears Kilsaran’s purchase of certain assets owned by Kilmurray Precast Concrete
• Italy - Approval with conditions of the acquisition of Sammontana S.p.A. and Forno d'Asolo S.p.A. by Frozen Investment S.à.r.l. and Sammontana Finanziaria S.r.l.
• The Netherlands - ACM clears acquisition of car dealer Severs Breeman’s locations by rival Dusseldorp

STATE AID

• Authorisation for State aid pursuant to Articles 107 and 108 of the TFEU - Cases where the Commission raises no objections – SA.112762; SA.114594 & SA.62482
• Commission approves €2 billion Dutch measure to support production of medical radioisotopes for cancer diagnosis and treatment (SA.103925) 
• Commission approves €1.2 billion Spanish State aid scheme to support investments in the production of renewable hydrogen to foster the transition to a net-zero economy (SA.114137)
• Commission approves €750 million Dutch State aid scheme to support the decarbonisation of industrial processes to foster the transition to a net-zero economy (SA.112112) - Midday Express
• Commission approves €25 million Slovak State aid scheme to support livestock producers in the context of Russia's war against Ukraine (SA.115132) - Midday Express
• Commission closes State aid investigation into Hungarian advertisement tax (SA.39235) - Midday Express
• Commission provides "guidance" on Foreign Subsidies Regulation - Midday Express

TRADE CUSTOMS

• Agenda for: 64th Customs Expert Group - Tariff & Statistical Nomenclature Section, HS/WCO Coordination Sector from 21st to 23rd August 2024
• Notice of initiation of an expiry review of the anti-subsidy measures applicable to imports of certain polyethylene terephthalate originating in India (CN code 3907 61 00)
• Commission welcomes text of global E-Commerce Agreement negotiated at the WTO
• WTO issues new edition of World Tariff Profiles
• Brussels abandons crackdown on overfishing - European Commission drops possible legal action against five member states for failing to police ban on discarding fish - Financial Times

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

• Directive on Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence - FAQs

FINANCE

• First transfer of €1.5 billion of proceeds from immobilised Russian assets made available in support of Ukraine today - See the FAQs

ECB, EURO & ECONOMY

• Commission disburses fourth payment of €9.9 billion to Spain under the Recovery and Resilience Facility - Midday Express
• Commission receives Belgium's second payment request for €909 million under the Recovery and Resilience Facility - Midday Express
• ECB - Euro area economic and financial developments by institutional sector: first quarter of 2024
• ECB Consumer Expectations Survey results - June 2024
• ECB - Monetary developments in the euro area - June 2024
• Firms’ heterogeneous (and unintended) investment response to carbon price increases - ECB Working Paper Series - No.2958
• Toss a stablecoin to your banker - Stablecoins’ impact on banks’ balance sheets and prudential ratios - Occasional Paper Series No.353
• Inflation preferences - ECB Working Paper Series - No.2957
• Does IT help? Information technology in banking and entrepreneurship - ECB Working Paper Series - No.2956
• French and German falls in business confidence raise prospect of ECB cut - Dip in readings signals eurozone’s two largest economies are heading for a downturn - Financial Times

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• European Council Decision (EU) 2024/2086 of 24 July 2024 appointing the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
• Statement by the HR/VP on behalf of the EU on the alignment of certain countries with Council Decision (CFSP) 2024/1964 concerning restrictive measures against the proliferation and use of chemical weapons
• Statement by the HR/VP on behalf of the EU on the alignment of certain countries with Council Decision (CFSP) 2024/1967 concerning restrictive measures against serious human rights violations and abuses
• Statement by the HR/VP on behalf of the EU on the alignment of certain countries with Council Decision (CFSP) 2024/1968 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Haiti
• Statement by the HR/VP on behalf of the EU on the alignment of certain countries with Council Decision (CFSP) 2024/1969 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Lebanon
• Answer given by Mr Várhelyi to a MEP written question - EU-Egypt strategic partnership
• ‘Blood minerals’: EU accused of fueling conflict with Rwanda deal - Facing criticism it is stoking a humanitarian crisis, Brussels seeks to clarify the aims behind its minerals pact with Kigali - Politco.eu