Europe Daily News, 21 March 2025

COMPETITON

• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11751 - TPG / Techem)
• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11782 - Air Liquide / Fluxys / JV)
• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11880 - CDPE / Trilantic / Agri Holding)
• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11917 - Segro / PSPIB / Central Bohemia Target Asset)
• Belgium - Decision in Case: 25-CCS-8-AUD : Waterland – Pennoit/PGB
• Belgium - The Competition Authority is considering closing its investigation after being informed of the termination of Dossche Mills’ proposed acquisition of Ceres' artisanal bakery activities
• Italy - The Competition Authority launches investigation into suspected abuse of dominant position by Rfi and Fs
• UK - Sports broadcast and production companies (Sky, BT, IMG, ITV and BBC) fined £4 million in freelancer pay investigation

STATE AID

• Authorisation for State aid pursuant to Articles 107 and 108 of the TFEU - Cases where the Commission raises no objections – SA.115268

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Agenda for: Working Party on the United Kingdom - 24 March 2025
• Agenda for: Customs Business Group on EU CSW-CERTEX, WSR non-customs formalities - 27 March 2025
• Agenda for: Customs Business Group on the management of authorisation process for centralised clearance for Import and Export - 28 March 2025
• Minutes of the 35th Joint meeting with Customs Expert Group on "Data Integration & Harmonisation" - 12 March 2025
• Report of the 15th negotiating round of deepening the EPA at technical and Senior Officials’ level between the EU and the five Eastern and Southern African on the implementing the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) - 03 to 07 March 2025
• 6th Round of Negotiations of the EU-Central America Free Trade Agreement: Annex on Government Procurement for Paraguay & Uruguay
• Answer given by Mr Šefčovič to a MEP written question - Upcoming conclusion of the Mercosur agreement: stabbing French farmers in the back
• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/511 of 20 March 2025 making imports of candles, tapers and the like originating in the People’s Republic of China subject to registration
• Council Decision (EU) 2025/542 of 18 March 2025 establishing the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union regarding the decision of the Participants to the Sector Understanding on Export Credits for Civil Aircraft contained in Annex III to the Arrangement on Officially Supported Export Credits on amendments to that Sector Understanding
• Presentation of the Report on "A New Trade Policy Landscape: Mapping trade-related agreements" by the Swedish National Board of Trade at the EP INTA Committee - 20 March 2025
• France’s push for strategic autonomy crumbles under Trump’s booze tariffs - Paris goes weak at the knees as another trade rival singles out France’s famed wines and spirits - Politico.eu

ENERGY

• Opening Nord Stream 2 would be a catastrophic mistake - Caught between Russia and an increasingly adversarial US, Germany’s ties to Europe are being tested - Financial Times

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

• Application of EMC Directive and/or EMC Vehicle Directive to After-Market Equipment (18 February 2025), created by GROW.01.DIR

FINANCE

• Artificial intelligence in EU investment funds: adoption, strategies and portfolio exposures - ESMA TRV Risk Analysis - Financial Innovation (25 February 2025)
• The International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) publishes a report on artificial intelligence in financial markets

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• Agenda for: 6th Meeting of the Mercury Expert group - 25 March 2024
• Minutes - 8th Meeting of the Mission Board for Adaptation to Climate Change Mission - 20 February 2025

CONSUMER PROTECTION

• Commission and national authorities take action to protect children from harmful practices in video games

DATA PRIVACY & CYBERSECURITY

• Answer given by Executive Vice-President Ribera to a MEP written question - Data leak affecting owners of Volkswagen Group electric vehicles

AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY & JUSTICE

• Judicial statistics 2024: significant increase both in new cases before the Court of Justice and in cases completed by the institution as a whole
• Judgment of the Court of 20 March 2025 in Case C‑763/22, OP intervener: Procureur de la République,
  Re: Reference for a preliminary ruling - Area of freedom, security and justice - Judicial cooperation in criminal matters - European arrest warrant - Framework Decision 2002/584/JHA - Conflict between a European arrest warrant and an extradition request presented by a third State - Article 16(3) - Concept of ‘competent authority’ - National legislation conferring power on a body of the executive to rule on whether the European arrest warrant or the extradition request takes precedence, in the event of a conflict - Right to a remedy
• Commissioner McGrath in Hungary to discuss rule of law - Midday Express
• Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration Brunner meets Eurojust presidency
• Eurojust: The European Protection Order – A brief overview for judicial practitioners
• OLAF hosts Bosnian Prosecutors and Investigators to strengthen cooperation on financial crime
• International law enforcement strike against multimillion-euro healthcare fraud network - Fraudsters issued €6.7 million in fake invoices for hearing aids - Europol Statement

ECB, EURO & ECONOMY

• The Euro Summit, meeting in inclusive format, adopted a statement on 20 March 2025
• EP INTA Committee approved two proposals to offer Jordan and Egypt loans worth €500 million and €4 billion respectively
• ECB - Euro area monthly balance of payments: January 2025

FUTURE OF EUROPE

• European Council conclusions, 20 March 2025
  -  Adopted conclusions on competitiveness, European defence and security and migration
  -  Adopted conclusions on the Middle East, oceans and multilateralism
  -  Remarks by President António Costa
• Possible items for College agendas from 26 March to 16 April 2025

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• Agenda for: Working Party of Foreign Relations Counsellors (RELEX) - Horizontal Questions - 28 March 2025
  
• Remarks by President António Costa at the joint doorstep with UN Secretary-General António Guterres
• Answer given by HR/VP Kallas to a MEP written question -Deterioration of human rights in Cambodia and consequences on the tariff preferences under the EBA scheme
• European military powers work on 5-10 year plan to replace US in Nato - UK, France, Germany and Nordics among countries engaged in informal discussions over a managed transfer - Financial Times