Europe Daily News, 25 March 2025

COMPETITION

• Commission clears acquisition of SURU by GROHE and VKB (M.11897) - Midday Express
• Commission clears acquisition of Aciturri Aeronautica by Govera Inversiones and Sonaca (M.11898) - Midday Express
  
• Belgium - The Competition Authority has accepted commitments from BNP Paribas Fortis, KBC, ING and Belfius to extend their integrated ATM network (Batopin) and maintain the quality of service
• Belgium - The Competition Authority approves the merger of the reinforcing steel activities of Südwest Beteiligungen and Van Merksteijn Steel Group
• Poland - The UOKiK has opened an investigation to determine whether there are unfair practices in the offering, sale and execution of all-risk property insurance contracts
• Portugal - Cencora notifies the acquisition of exclusive control over Alloga Logifarma
• Portugal - AdC adopted a decision to carry out an in-depth investigation into the concentration operation 80/2024 - Esseco Industrial/Ercros
• Romania - The Competition Council has authorized the transaction by which Niterra Co., Ltd., Japan intends to acquire Toshiba Materials Co., Ltd., Japan
• Spain - The CNMC investigates the insurance companies Sanitas and Generali for possible anti-competitive practices

STATE AID

• Authorisation for State aid pursuant to Articles 107 and 108 of the TEFU - Cases where the Commission raises no objections – SA.116824; SA.110031 & SA.108990

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Agenda for: Customs Business Group meeting on the UCC Guarantee Management system (GUM) project - 03 April 2025
• Draft report by MEP Karin Karlsbro - Suspending certain parts of Regulation (EU) 2015/478 as regards imports of Ukrainian products into the European Union  
• Report by MEP Bernd Lange on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) 2018/196 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 February 2018 on additional customs duties on imports of certain products originating in the United States of America
• Council Decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the Union, of the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Union and the Kingdom of Norway amending the Agreement of the European Union and the Kingdom of Norway pursuant to Article XXVIII of the GATT 1994 relating to the modification of concessions on all the tariff-rate quotas included in the EU Schedule CLXXV as a consequence of the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union - Adoption
• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/531 of 24 March 2025 making imports of high-pressure seamless steel cylinders originating in the People’s Republic of China subject to registration
• Commission strengthens protection for EU steel industry - See Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/612 - Midday Express
• Commission starts tracking imports of industrial chemicals rapidly filling the EU market (Ethylene - surveillance report 673100; Urea - surveillance report 673200 & Ammonium - surveillance report 673300)
• Joint Minutes: Angola – EU Sustainable Investment Facilitation Agreement (SIFA) - 1st Angola-EU Committee on Investment Facilitation - 21 January 2025
• WTO - Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade - Notification - European Union - Products with digital elements
• WTO - Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade - Notification - European Union - Measuring instruments
• WTO - Members consider China’s request for panel to examine EU battery electric vehicle duties
• WCO Secretary General officially commenced the 45th Session of the Enforcement Committee - 24 March 2025
• WCO attends the First OECD Forum on Countering Illicit Trade - 19 March 2025
• Copa and Cogeca delegation engage with US stakeholders amid rising trade tensions
• EU trade chief flies to Washington again in bid to defuse transatlantic trade fight - Politico.eu

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

• Agenda for: Working Party on Competitiveness & Growth (Internal Market) - 31 March 2025
• Agenda for: Working Party on Competitiveness & Growth (Better Regulation) - 01 April 2025
• Council adopts financial benchmarks regulation to ease burden on SMEs
• Commission expands youth participation with new Youth Report, Eurobarometer survey and online debate

CHEMICALS

• Commission hosts a High-Level Meeting on the upcoming Chemicals Industry Package - Midday Express
• Strengthening REACH: ClientEarth calls for stronger chemical protections, not loopholes

RAW MATERIALS

• Commission selects 47 Strategic Projects to secure and diversify access to raw materials in the EU - See the List and Q&A on the Strategic Projects

FINANCE

• Commission launches helpdesk to support EU SMEs comply with sanctions
• Targeted consultation on the application of the market risk prudential framework - From 24 March 2025 to 22 April 2025
• Targeted consultation on the reduced content and the standardised format and sequence of the EU follow-on prospectus and the EU growth issuance prospectus - From 18 March 2025 to 02 May 2025
• The EBA updates methodology on the regulatory and supervisory equivalence of non-EU countries

TAXATION

• Agenda for: Excise Contact Group meeting - 31 March 2025
• Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/518 of 11 March 2025 amending Implementing Regulation (EU) No 282/2011 as regards information requirements for certain VAT schemes
• Council Regulation (EU) 2025/517 of 11 March 2025 amending Regulation (EU) No 904/2010 as regards the VAT administrative cooperation arrangements needed for the digital age
• Council Directive (EU) 2025/516 of 11 March 2025 amending Directive 2006/112/EC as regards VAT rules for the digital age
• Special Report 08/2025: VAT fraud on imports – The EU’s financial interests are insufficiently protected under simplified import customs procedures
• European Commission welcomes Court of Auditor’s special report on VAT fraud
• Answer given by the Council to a MEP written question - Enforcement of VAT rules on imports from outside the EU, particularly in relation to fast fashion -

AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY & FISHERIES

• Main results - Agriculture & Fisheries Council, 24 March 2025
• Agenda for: Ad Hoc Working Party on Forest Monitoring - 01 April 2025
• Commission report on forest fires in Europe, Middle East and North Africa shows Russia's invasion caused record wildfires in Ukraine - Midday Express

ENERGY

• Agenda for: Working Party on Energy - 27 March 2025
• Serbia’s Gas TSO Certification moves forward with Energy Community Guidance
• The Energy Community Secretariat welcomes the first corporate purchase of Guarantees of Origin in Ukraine
• Energy Community Secretariat at SET Trebinje 2025: transpose the Electricity Integration Package to accelerate integration

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• Agenda for: Meeting of the Council of the EU (Environment) on 27 March 2025
  - Transboundary shipment of waste - improving accessibility of information for competent authorities and control bodies, including in cases of illegal shipment of waste - Information from the Czech Republic, France, Croatia, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Romania, Slovenia and Slovakia
  - Environmental impacts of Russian aggression against Ukraine - Presentation
• Agenda for: 2nd Meeting of Expert Group on the Nature Restoration Regulation - 10 April 2025
• Commission Notice Table of contents – Technical guidance on applying the do no significant harm principle under the Social Climate Fund Regulation
• Commission Notice – Guidance on the Social Climate Plans
• Answer given by Ms Roswall to a MEP written question - Implementation of the Single-Use Plastics Directive with particular regard to the extended producer responsibility referred to in Article 8
• Over 450 scientists rally for immediate action against ‘forever chemicals’ in EU waters - See the EEB Statement

TRANSPORT & MOBILITY

• Commission welcomes provisional agreement on modernised driving licences rules
• Council and Parliament strike provisional agreement on new rules for driving licences - See the EP Statement
• The EU and Singapore continue deepening relations at 8th EU-Singapore Transport Dialogue
• Europeans continue to prefer hybrid cars, proving the importance of an EU transport policy that includes renewable ethanol - see the ePURE Paper

DIGITAL & INFORMATION SOCIETY

• DIGITALEUROPE submission to the Commission’s call for evidence on the EU Start-up and Scale-up Strategy
• EU lawmakers warn against ‘dangerous’ moves to water down AI rules - European Commission considers softening parts of law that could spare Big Tech from key elements - Financial Times

ECB, EURO & ECONOMY

• Commission endorses preliminary assessment of Romania's third payment request under the RRF
• AI versus green: clash of the transitions? - The ECB Blog by Miles Parker
• Creditworthy: do climate change risks matter for sovereign credit ratings? - ECB Working paper Series No.3042

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• Council Regulation (EU) 2025/610 of 24 March 2025 amending Regulation (EU) No 224/2014 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in the Central African Republic
• Council Decision (CFSP) 2025/604 of 24 March 2025 amending Decision 2013/798/CFSP concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in the Central African Republic
• Council Regulation (EU) 2025/608 of 24 March 2025 amending Regulation (EU) 2022/2309 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Haiti
• Council Decision (CFSP) 2025/601 of 24 March 2025 amending Decision (CFSP) 2022/2319 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Haiti
• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/611 of 21 March 2025 amending for the 346th time Council Regulation (EC) No 881/2002 imposing certain specific restrictive measures directed against certain persons and entities associated with the ISIL (Da'esh) and Al-Qaida organisations
• European Peace Facility: Council adopts third assistance measure in support of the Armed Forces of Mauritania - See Council Decision (CFSP) 2025/609
• Strengthening Economic Cooperation between the European Union and Pakistan – High-level Business Forum set for May 2025
• EU-Thailand-Japan regional hybrid seminar discusses strengthening respect of rule of law at sea
• France and UK now leaders of hard power in Europe, says Czech PM - Petr Fiala says power balance is shifting in response to Russian threat and US pressure - Financial Times

EU/MIDDLE EAST

• Israel: remarks by High Representative/Vice-President Kaja Kallas at the joint press conference with Minister for Foreign Affairs Gideon Sa’ar
• Egypt: Press remarks by High Representative Kaja Kallas after the meeting with Minister for Foreign Affairs Badr Abdelatty
• Joint statement by the High Representative Kaja Kallas and the Arab-Islamic Ministerial Committee

EU/RUSSIA/UKRAINE

• FAQs on sanctions against Russia and Belarus, with focus on the following provision: Article 3r of Council Regulation (EU) No 833/2014 - Liquefied natural gas (LNG) transshipments
• Consolidated version of the FAQs on sanctions against Russia and Belarus