Europe Daily News, 06 January 2025

COMPETITION

• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11808 - Permira / Basicnet / K-Way)
• Commission clears creation of joint venture by Sagax and Swiss Life (M.11794) - Midday Express
• Cyprus - Notification of a concentration concerning the acquisition of share capital of Anonymi (NEA) Emporiki Kai Viomichanki Etaireia Eidon Oikiakis Chriseos Kai Exoplismou Xenodocheion CH. Benroumpi Kai Yios A.E.by Quest Holdings S.A.
• Finland - FCCA conditionally approves the acquisition in which Mehiläinen acquires elderly care services from Humana
• Romania - The Competition Council approved the transaction by which Yongyi (Hainan) Investment Consulting Co. Ltd. intends to take over Rus-Savitar SA
  

STATE AID

• Authorisation for State aid pursuant to Articles 107 and 108 of the TFEU - Cases where the Commission raises no objections – SA.114943, SA.114781,SA.116252, SA.33828, SA.116447 & SA.111282

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Agenda for: 264th Meeting of the Tariff and Statistical Nomenclature Section of the Customs Code Committee (Combined Nomenclature Sector) - 16 January 2025
  
• Minutes of the 28th Project Group meeting on the UCC Customs Decisions System - 22 November 2024
  
• Notice concerning the entry into force of the Strategic Partnership Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and Japan, of the other part
• Commission notice concerning the application of the Regional Convention on pan-Euro-Mediterranean preferential rules of origin or the protocols on rules of origin providing for diagonal cumulation between the Contracting Parties to this Convention
• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/3210 of 18 December 2024 laying down rules for the application of Regulation (EU) 2023/956 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the CBAM registry
  
• Council Decision (EU) 2025/10 of 9 December 2024 amending the Decision of 30 November 2017 authorising the opening of negotiations with the CARIFORUM States for an agreement on the protection of geographic indications based on Article 145 of the CARIFORUM Agreement, as regards craft and industrial products
• Merz pushes for EU free trade deal with Trump’s US - German conservative leader predicted to be next chancellor rejects retaliatory tariffs - Financial Times
  

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

• Open Consultation - Single Market Strategy 2025 - Communication - Feedback period: 03 January 2025 - 31 January 2025
• Europe needs to tackle its red tape problem - Complex, overlapping rules and burdensome reporting requirements are strangling EU growth - Financial Times

CHEMICAL

• Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2024/3199 of 15 October 2024 amending Regulation (EU) No 649/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the listing of pesticides and industrial chemicals

FINANCIAL SERVICES

• ESMA launches selection of the Consolidated Tape Provider for bonds
  

ENERGY

• Agenda for: Meeting of the Ecodesign and Energy Labelling Consultation Forum (EELCF) on
  - EPREL Sub-Group - 23 January 2025
  - Market Surveillance & Compliance - 22 January 2025
  - Solid fuel local space heaters & solid fuel boilers - 12 February 2025

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• Working Documents - Meeting of the Standing Forestry Committee - 17 December 2024
• Minutes of the 30th Meeting of the “Multi-Stakeholder Platform on Protecting and Restoring the World’s Forests” (Deforestation) - 06 December 2024
• Rich must pay for others to go green, says EU environmental pioneer - ‘Green Deal’ architect Frans Timmermans warns of boost to radical right from rising costs - Financial Times
• EU’s energy fixation has left water crisis unchecked, top official warns - Environment commissioner Jessika Roswall says bloc must urgently address water shortages affecting business - Financial Times

HEALTH, FOOD & PRODUCT SAFETY

• Commission Regulation (EU) 2024/3190 of 19 December 2024 on the use of bisphenol A (BPA) and other bisphenols and bisphenol derivatives with harmonised classification for specific hazardous properties in certain materials and articles intended to come into contact with food, amending Regulation (EU) No 10/2011 and repealing Regulation (EU) 2018/213
• Open Consultation - Plant protection products – labelling obligations (update) - Regulation - Feedback period/ 06 January 2025 - 03 February 2025

EFSA

• New approach methodologies for risk assessment using deep learning
• New advanced models (NAMs) for risk assessment of bisphenol A alternatives
• Statement on the confirmatory data following the Article 12 MRL review for triclopyr
• Assessment of chemical risks and benefits connected with macroalgae consumption
• Exploring frameworks for quantitative risk assessment of antimicrobial resistance along the food chain
  

AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY & JUSTICE

• Agenda for the Schengen Borders Code Committee meeting - 17 January 2025
• Directive (EU) 2024/3237 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 December 2024 amending Directive (EU) 2015/413 facilitating cross-border exchange of information on road-safety-related traffic offences
• New EU rules to improve Gender Balance in corporate boards enter into application
• 3 million in EU funding for a European festival of media freedom - Midday Express
  

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• Appeal brought on 4 November 2024 by Ammar Sharif against the judgment of the General Court of 4 September 2024 in Case T-503/23, Sharif Vs. Council (Case C-760/24 P)
  Re: Council Decision (CFSP) 2023/1035 and Council Implementing Regulation (EU) concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Syria 
• Northern Ireland should make the most of its proximity to the EU - Belfast stands to gain from enhancing its unique position between London, Dublin and Brussels - Financial Times
• EU Sanctions - Russian smugglers import luxury cars from Europe despite sanctions - Wealthy customers hit with hefty charges as importers forced to take longer routes - Financial Times