Europe Daily News, 11 December 2024

COMPETITION

• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11790 - Strabag / Becker / WRG KG)
• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11774 - Vista / Blackstone / Smartsheet)
• Commission clears acquisition of Schletter by Enstall (M.11656) - Midday Express
• Commission clears acquisition of Pavilion by Shell (M.11669) - Midday Express
• UK - The CMA is investigating suspected anti-competitive arrangements in the supply of roofing and other construction services
• UK - XSYS / MGS merger - Decision on relevant merger situation and substantial lessening of competition

STATE AID

• Authorisation for State aid pursuant to Articles 107 and 108 of the TFEU - Cases where the Commission raises no objections – SA.103774
• Commission approves €32.5 million Irish State aid scheme to support agricultural producers in the context of Russia's war against Ukraine (SA.11676) - Midday Express
• Commission Decision (EU) 2024/3031 of 11 June 2024 on the regional State aid SA.63470 (2022/C) (ex 2021/N) which Hungary is planning to implement for GKN Automotive Hungary Kft.

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Agenda for: Working Party on Customs Union - 17 December 2024
• Agenda for: Working Party on Trade Questions - 17 December 2024
• Agenda for: Trade Policy Committee (Deputies) - 12 December 2024
• Minutes & Presentations of the 2nd Meeting of the informal Expert Group on the CBAM - 13 November 2024
• EU-Switzerland: Report of the 18th meeting of the Joint Committee on mutual recognition in relation to conformity assessment (MRA) - 05 December 2023
  
• Council Decision (EU) 2024/3022 of 21 November 2024 on the position to be adopted on behalf of the European Union within the Joint Committee established by the Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Kingdom of Norway with regard to a decision establishing the general requirements for proofs of origin issued electronically under Article 17(4) of Appendix A to Protocol 3 to that Agreement
• Council Decision (EU) 2024/3025 of 21 November 2024 on the position to be adopted on behalf of the European Union within the Joint Committee established by the Euro-Mediterranean Interim Association Agreement on trade and cooperation between the European Community, of the one part, and the Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO) for the benefit of the Palestinian Authority of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, of the other part, with regard to a decision establishing the general requirements for proofs of origin issued electronically under Article 17(4) of Appendix A to Protocol 3 to that Agreement
• Council Decision (EU) 2024/3028 of 21 November 2024 on the position to be adopted on behalf of the European Union within the Joint Committee established by the Agreement on the European Economic Area, with regard to a decision establishing the general requirements for proofs of origin issued electronically under Article 17(4) of Appendix A to Protocol 4 to that Agreement
• EU-Colombia, Peru and Ecuador preferential trade: update to Harmonised System 2022
• European Commission publishes texts of EU/Mercosur agreement - See the Summary of the upgraded agreement

FINANCE

• ESAs provide Guidelines to facilitate consistency in the regulatory classification of crypto-assets by industry and supervisors
• Verena Ross' speech at the ISDA Conference on ‘Completing the Carbon Pricing Framework’, 5 December 2024

AGRICULTURE & FISHERIES

• Main results - Meeting of the Agriculture & Fisheries Council, 9-10 December 2024
  - Council approves fishing opportunities for 2025 in the Atlantic, North Sea, Mediterranean and Black Seas
• Agenda for: Meeting of the Commission Expert Group for Agricultural Markets - Animal Products - 12 December 2024
• EU agricultural outlook 2024-35: A resilient sector adapts to climate change, sustainability concerns, and shifting consumer demand

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• Judgment of the Court of 11 December 2024 in Case T‑554/22, Carmeuse Holding SRL, Vs. European Commission
  Re: Environment - Directive 2003/87/EC - Scheme for greenhouse gas emission allowance trading - Transitional rules for the harmonised free allocation of emission allowances for the 2021-2030 period - Changes to Romania’s national allocation table for the 2021-2025 period - Transitional free allocation of greenhouse gas emission allowances to installations producing quicklime - Obligation to state reasons - Right to be heard - Principle of good administration - Error of law - Manifest error of assessment - Equal treatment - Legal certainty - Legitimate expectations
• Agenda for: Working Party on International Environment Issues (Global) - 19 December 2024
• Submissions for the Meeting of the Circular Economy / Sustainable Production and Consumption Expert Group - 29 November 2024
• Eleventh meeting of the Working Group of the Parties to the Protocol on Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers to the Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters (PRTR WGP 11) (Geneva, 22 November 2024) - Statements by the EU and its Member States
• Support from the EU Solidarity Fund helps "Slovenia" and "Greece" recover from climate-related disasters
• Health and environment impacts of air pollution exposure remain high across Europe - See EEA Statement

ENERGY

• Meeting of the TTE (Energy) Council on 16 December 2024
  - Follow up to the Action Plan on Grids - Information from the Commission and the Presidency (Part.1 & Part.2)
  - Towards the export of cleaner fuels: a commitment to public health and the environment - Information from Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg
• Council Decision (EU) 2024/3086 of 2 December 2024 on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union in the Energy Charter Conference

AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY & JUSTICE

• Justice and Home Affairs Council on 12 & 13 December 2024
  - Overview of the current legislative proposals under the Hungarian Presidency
• Commission steps up support for Member States to strengthen EU security and counter the weaponisation of migration - See the Communication
• Answer given by Mr Brunner to a MEP written question - The financing of terrorist organisations through migrant smuggling under the hybrid regimes in Moscow and Minsk

DATA PRIVACY & CYBERSECURITY

• ENISA - Cyber Europe - After Action Report 2024

ECB, EURO & ECONOMY

• Recovery and resilience fund: Council greenlights the amended plans of Sweden, Slovenia, Denmark and Belgium
• European Commission to issue €90 billion in long-term EU-Bonds in the first half of 2025
• ECB - Consolidated financial statement of the Eurosystem as at 6 December 2024

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• Judgment of the Court of 11 December 2024 in Case T-420/23. Mudar Al-Assad v Council of the European Union
  Re: CFSP - Restrictive measures taken on account of the situation in Syria - Freezing of funds - List of persons, entities and bodies to whom the freezing of funds and economic resources applies - Inclusion of the applicant's name on the list - ‘Family affiliation’ criterion - Article 15(1a)(b) of Regulation (EU) No 36/2012 - Obligation to state reasons - Error of assessment ’
• Judgment of the Court of 11 December 2024 in Case T-326/22: Dmitry Konov Vs. Council of the European Union, supported by European Commission
  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 - Inclusion and maintenance of the applicant's name on the list - Concept of ‘influential businessman or businesswoman engaged in activities in sectors which provide a substantial source of income to the Government of the Russian Federation’ - 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, (1)(g) of Decision 2014/145/CFSP - Article 3(1)(g) of Regulation (EU) No 269/2014 - Right to effective judicial protection - Obligation to state reasons - Error of assessment - Proportionality - Equal treatment - Right to property - Freedom to conduct a business - Right to privacy - Legal certainty - Plea of illegality - Non-contractual liability ’
• Kuwait: 5th Human Rights Dialogue with European Union held in Kuwait City
• Georgia: Statement by the Spokesperson on the developments in Georgia
• Haiti: Statement by the Spokesperson on the attacks in Cité Soleil

RUSSIAN INVASION OF UKRAINE

• FAQs on sanctions against Russia and Belarus, with focus on the following legislation: Council Regulation (EU) No 833/2014; Council Regulation (EU) No 269/2014; Council Regulation (EU) No 692/2014; Council Regulation (EU) 2022/263; Council Regulation (EC) No 765/2006 (Circumvention and due diligence)
• FAQs on sanctions against Russia and Belarus, with focus on the following provision: Article 12gb of Council Regulation (EU) No 833/2014 (Enhanced due diligence for operators manufacturing and/or trading with CHP items)
• Consolidated version of the FAQs on sanctions against Russia and Belarus - 11 December 2024