Europe Daily News, 20 November 2024

COMPETITION

• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11742 - Sennder / EST)
• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11799 - TPG / M&G / JV)
• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11701 - Santander / Pemberton / Emerald JV)
• Commission clears acquisition of NOA by VMAG (M.11769) - Midday Express
• Commission clears creation of joint venture by Neveon and Brantner (M.11666) - Midday Express
• Austria - Gerresheimer/Bormioli merger in the area of glass and plastic products for the pharmaceutical industry subject to conditions
• Czech Republic - Pet Food Supplier VAFO has to pay CZK 120 million for prohibited resale price fixing
• Czech Republic - ÚOHS conducted a local investigation of 4 competitors operating in the construction industry
• Romania - The Competition Council has authorized the acquisition of Intersystems Holdings Inc. by A-AG Holdco Ltd.
• UK - CMA: Reference to a Phase 2 investigation: Boparan /ForFarmers (Burston and Radstock feed mills)

STATE AID

• Authorisation for State aid pursuant to Articles 107 and 108 of the TFEU - Cases where the Commission raises no objections – SA.115099 & SA.113443

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Judgment of the Court of 20 November 2024 in Case T‑403/20, Wuxi Suntech Power Co. Ltd, Vs. European Commission, supported by Council of the European Union
  Re: Dumping - Subsidies - Imports of crystalline silicon photovoltaic modules and cells originating in or consigned from China - Definitive anti-dumping and countervailing duties - Undertaking - Invalidation of undertaking invoices - Legal basis - Article 8(9) of Regulation (EU) 2016/1036 - Article 13(9) of Regulation (EU) 2016/1037 - Implementing Regulations (EU) No 1238/2013 and No 1239/2013 - Implementing Regulations (EU) 2017/367 and 2017/366 - Manifest error of assessment
• Judgment of the Court of 20 November 2024 in Case T‑660/20, Zhejiang Beyondsun Green Energy Technology Co. Ltd, supported by BT Solar d.o.o., RC-Log d.o.o., interveners, Vs. European Commission supported by Council of the European Union
  Re: Dumping - Subsidies - Imports of crystalline silicon photovoltaic modules and cells originating in or consigned from China - Definitive anti-dumping and countervailing duties - Undertaking - Invalidation of undertaking invoices - Legal basis - Article 8(9) of Regulation (EU) 2016/1036 - Article 13(9) of Regulation (EU) 2016/1037 - Implementing Regulations (EU) No 1238/2013 and No 1239/2013 - Implementing Regulations (EU) 2017/367 and 2017/366 - Manifest error of assessment
• Judgment of the Court of 20 November 2024 in Case T‑733/19, Zhejiang Sunflower Light Energy Science & Technology Ltd, Sunowe Solar GmbH Vs. European Commission supported by Council of the European Union
  Re: Dumping - Subsidies - Imports of crystalline silicon photovoltaic modules and cells originating in or consigned from China - Definitive anti-dumping and countervailing duties - Undertaking - Invalidation of undertaking invoices - Legal basis - Article 8(9) of Regulation (EU) 2016/1036 - Article 13(9) of Regulation (EU) 2016/1037 - Related company - First independent customer - Article 3(1)(a) of Implementing Regulation (EU) No 1238/2013 - Article 2(1)(a) of Implementing Regulation (EU) No 1239/2013 - Implementing Regulations (EU) 2017/367 and 2017/366
• Agenda of the fourth Committee on Trade and Sustainable Development (TSD) under Chapter 13 of the EU-Viet Nam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) - 21st November 2024
• Digital trade agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Korea
  - Report of the sixth round of negotiations -15 to 17 October 2024
  - Report of the fifth round of negotiations -10 to12 September 2024
  - Report of the fourth round of negotiations - 01 to 03 May 2024
  - Report of the third round of negotiations - 25 to 27 March 2024
• Minutes of the Committee for Investment Agreements - 15 October 2024
• Council Decision (EU) 2024/2912 of 5 November 2024 establishing the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union within the Joint Committee established by the Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community as regards the adoption of a decision adding two newly adopted Union acts to Annex 2 to the Windsor Framework
• Overview of the EU’s active dispute settlement cases: WTO cases involving the EU as a complainant or respondent, cases under bilateral agreements, and cases under the Trade Barriers Regulation as of 11 November 2024
  
• WTO - Committee on Market Access - EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) - Consultation on notification to the CMA - Communication from Brazil, Colombia, Paraguay and Peru - Revision
• WTO - Trade Policy Review Body - Overview of developments in the International Trading Environment - Annual report & Annexes by the Director-General - Mid-October 2023 to Mid-October 2024
• WTO - Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade - Notification - European Union - External power supplies
• WTO - Items proposed for consideration at the next meeting of Dispute Settlement Body - 25 November 2024
• WTO - Fisheries subsidies chair seeks views on year-end target for “second wave” agreement
• WTO members consider five regional trade agreements

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

• Agenda for: Meeting of the Commission Expert Group on Fertilising Products - 26 & 27 November 2024
• Environmental, social and governance (ESG) ratings: Council greenlights new regulation
• Council gives its final approval to the forced labour ban regulation

CHEMICAL

• Regulation (EU) 2024/2865 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2024 amending Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 on classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures

FINANCE

• European Commission issues €7 billion in its 10th syndicated transaction of 2024
• Capital markets union: Council adopts revamped rules for EU clearing services - See EMIR Regulation & Directive
• ESMA has published its Final Report on the Technical Advice for the European Commission on the Penalty Mechanism under the CSDR

TAXATION

• Agenda for: 38th meeting of the VAT Expert Group - 13 December 2024
• Agenda for: Working Party on Tax Questions (Direct Taxation) - 26 November 2024
• Agenda for: 47th meeting of the Group on the Future of VAT (VIDA) - 02 December 2024

AGRICULTURE & FISHERIES

• Meeting of the Working Party on Innovation in Agriculture - 19 November 2024
  - Item 1f: Presentation of the Commission
  - Item 1c: Presentation of the DARWIN project
  - Item 1c: Presentation of the DETECTIVE project
  - Item 1b: Presentation of the European Food Safety Authority

ENERGY

• Public Consultation - External power supplies – ecodesign & information requirements (review)- Regulation - Feedback period: 18 November 2024 - 16 December 2024
• ACER identifies need for higher consistency in European gas and hydrogen network plans
• ACER’s hydrogen monitoring report foresees that Europe is likely to miss its 2030 renewable hydrogen targets
• ACER recommends aligning the Estonian gas transmission tariffs with the Network Code’s requirements
• Hungary ready to quit Russian oil — for a price - Hungary’s sole refiner of Russian crude told POLITICO it wants millions in EU funds to help it end a reliance on Moscow

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• Agenda for: Meeting of the Climate Change Committee - 04 December 2024
• Agenda for: Working Party on International Environment Issues (UNECE CLRTAP) - (Biodiversity) - 25 November 2024
• Council greenlights EU certification framework for permanent carbon removals, carbon farming and carbon storage in products
• Directive (EU) 2024/2881 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2024 on ambient air quality and cleaner air for Europe (recast)

DIGITAL & INFORMATION SOCIETY

• Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council Meeting (TTE - Telecoms) - 06 December 2024
  - Austrian Framework of Reference for Digital Competence - Information from Austria
• Minutes of the 1st Committee for the Interoperability Regulatory Sandboxes - 08 October 2024
• EU and Singapore strengthen cooperation on AI safety - Midday Express

DATA PRIVACY & CYBERSECURITY

• Regulation (EU) 2024/2847 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2024 on horizontal cybersecurity requirements for products with digital elements and amending Regulations (EU) No 168/2013 and (EU) No 2019/1020 and Directive (EU) 2020/1828 (Cyber Resilience Act) 
• Joint political statement by the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission (additional tasks on ENISA)
• EDPS co-hosted the 74th Meeting of the International Working Group on Data Protection in Technology
• ENISA - Public Consultation on Specifications for EUICC Certification under the EUCC scheme
• Cyber attacks on the rise in the EU: need for skills, investments and implementation - A Eurelectric short paper

AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY & JUSTICE

• Council calls for the closure of the ODR platform and its replacement with a better tool
• Citizenship of the Union: denying EU citizens residing in a Member State of which they are not nationals the right to become a member of a political party infringes EU law (See CPR Nº 194/2024 - Judgments of the Court of Justice in Cases C-808/21, C-814/21 Commission Vs. Czech Republic)

FUTURE OF EUROPE

• Main results - Meeting of the General Affairs Council, 19 November 2024

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• Main results - Meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council (Defence), 19 November 2024
  • EU defence cooperation: Council approves conclusions on the PESCO Strategic Review
• 2024 Defence Review paves way for joint military projects - See EDA Statement

G20 - RIO DE JANEIRO

• Main results - G20 summit, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 18-19 November 2024
• Remarks by President von der Leyen at Session III of the G20: Energy Transitions and the Promotion of Sustainable Development

RUSSIAN INVASION OF UKRAINE

• Judgment of the Court of 20 November 2024 in Case T-1074/23, Evgeny Borisovich Zubitskiy Vs. Council of the European Union
  Re: CFSP - Restrictive measures taken in respect of actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine - Freezing of funds - List of persons, entities and bodies to whom the freezing of funds and economic resources applies - Retention of the applicant's name on the list - Concept of ‘businessman or businesswoman engaged in economic sectors which provide a substantial source of income to the Government of the Russian Federation’ - Article 2, (1)(g) of Decision 2014/145/CFSP - Article 3(1)(g) of Regulation (EU) No 269/2014 - Plea of illegality - Obligation to state reasons - Error of assessment - Right of property - Freedom to conduct a business - Proportionality - Non-contractual liability
• Judgment of the Court of 20 November 2024 in Case T-571/23, Artem Alexandrovich Uss, Vs. Council of the European Union
  Re: CFSP - - Restrictive measures taken in respect of acts which jeopardise or threaten the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine - Freezing of funds - List of persons, entities and bodies to whom the freezing of funds and economic resources applies - Inclusion and maintenance of the applicant's name on the list - Concept of ‘businessman or businesswoman engaged in activities in economic sectors which provide a substantial source of income to the Government of the Russian Federation’ - Article 2,Article 2(1)(g) of Decision 2014/145/CFSP - Article 3(1)(g) of Regulation (EU) No 269/2014 - Plea of illegality - Error of assessment - Misuse of powers - Abuse of rights - Proportionality