Europe Daily News, 19 March 2024

COMPETITION

• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11409 - Elia / Glentra / Energyre / Energyre Giga Projects USA)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11475 - Mitsui / Osaka Gas / RWE KK / JV)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11442 - Lantmännen / HKSCAN Sweden)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11321 - VWFS / Pon Bike / BMS)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11441 - CVC / Emma / Packeta)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11454 - KKR / Veritas / Cotiviti)
• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11501 - CD&R / Stone Point / Truist - Insurance Holdings)
• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11417 - Generali / GSD / GK Holding / JV)
• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11445 - Carlyle / GTCR / Resonetics)
• Commission sends Statement of Objections to Kingspan for providing incorrect, incomplete and misleading information during merger investigation - IP/24/1434
• Commission clears creation of joint venture by DPI and PI (M.11334) - Midday Express
• EU and China meet during 27th Competition Week in Beijing to discuss competition policy priorities and enforcement - Midday Express
• Austria - Prohibited implementation of a merger: BWB applies for fines against Lenzing and Palmers for violation of the Cartel Act
• Portugal - The AdC fines the SIBS Group for abusing its dominant position in accessing domestic payment schemes
• Apple says it's complying with EU's Digital Markets Act amid criticism - Reuters

STATE AID

• Authorisation for State aid pursuant to Articles 107 and 108 of the TFEU - Cases where the Commission raises no objections – SA.111369 & SA.33487

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Agenda for: Working Party on Customs Union - 20 March 2024
• Agenda for: Meeting of the EP INTA Committee - 20 & 21 March 2024
• Revised Agenda for: Trade Policy Committee (Full Members) - 20 March 2024
• Revised Agenda for: Trade Policy Committee (Experts - Services & Investment) - 20 March 2024
• EU-Chile: Council gives final endorsement to bilateral trade agreement & Press remarks by EVP Valdis Dombrovskis
• Answer given by EVP Dombrovskis to a MEP written question - The Union’s position on the tensions between China and Taiwan
• WTO - The third review of the trade policies and practices Angola takes place on 18 and 20 March 2024
• EU to impose tariffs on Russian grain - Brussels has long resisted pressure to levy import duties on food from Russia and Belarus - Financial Times
• Renault calls for European war chest to tackle Chinese EV competition - Industry grapples with slowdown in sales and rise of cheaper models from China - Financial Times

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

• Agenda for: Working Party on Technical Harmonisation (Safety of Toys) - 27 March 2024
• Commission recommends actions to combat counterfeiting and better protect intellectual property rights - IP/24/1551, QaA, FactSheet & Recommendation
• European authorities will work together to improve risk management of chemicals - ECHA/NR/24/07

FINANCE

• Vested interests must not block the EU’s capital markets union - Europe’s global economic standing requires progress on a project that has been in the works since 2015 - Financial Times

TAXATION

• New data on Tax Revenues in 2022 confirms a positive momentum for capital taxes
• HOT – A head office tax system for small companies - see the EP Briefing

EMPLOYMENT & SOCIAL POLICY

• Platform Work: first green light to new EU rules on employment status - see the EP Statement

ENERGY

• Wholesale energy markets: Council adopts law to protect against market manipulation
• Hot rock batteries are coming to Europe -  soon - Electro-thermal batteries’ selling point is they can heat up bricks and rocks using cheapest six hours of electricity in any given day - Financial Times
• EU electricity carbon tax will hit net zero targets and consumers, industry warns - Calls for London and Brussels to relink energy markets to prevent ‘regulatory nightmare’ - Financial Times

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• Green diplomacy: Council conclusions reaffirm the EU’s commitment to work closely with partners to accelerate a global just and inclusive green transition
• Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on preventing plastic pellet losses to reduce microplastic pollution - Policy debate
• Directive (EU) 2024/884 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 March 2024 amending Directive 2012/19/EU on waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE)
• Council (Environment) meeting on25 March 2024.
  - Proposal for a Regulation on a monitoring framework for resilient European forests - Information from the Presidency
  - Ratification of Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) - an updated call for urgent action - Information from the Commission
  - Stricter controls on exports of textile waste to developing countries - Information from the Danish, French and Swedish delegations
  - Outcome of the fourteenth Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS COP 14) (Samarkand, Uzbekistan, 12 - 17 February 2024) - Information from the Presidency and the Commission
• Almost €39 million in Cohesion Funds to upgrade wastewater treatment in Velika Gorica, Croatia - Midday Express

HEALTH, FOOD & PRODUCT SAFETY

• Directive (EU) 2024/869 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 March 2024 amending Directive 2004/37/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council and Council Directive 98/24/EC as regards the limit values for lead and its inorganic compounds and for diisocyanates
• HERA and partners launch Global Consortium for Wastewater and Environmental Surveillance for Public Health - Midday Express
• Answer given by Ms Kyriakides to a MEP written question - Participation of the EU at the 10th Conference of the Parties to the WHO FCTC in February 2024
  
• ECDC - Guidance - Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) reporting protocol 2024
• EMA - Meeting highlights from the Committee for Veterinary Medicinal Products (CVMP) - 12 & 13 March 2024
• EFSA - Specific effects on the thyroid relevant for performing a dietary cumulative risk assessment of pesticide residues: 2024 update

DIGITAL & INFORMATION SOCIETY

• Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down harmonised rules on artificial intelligence (Artificial Intelligence Act) and amending certain Union legislative acts - Outcome of the European Parliament's first reading (Strasbourg, 11 to 14 March 2024)

AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY & JUSTICE

• Agenda for: Meeting of the EP LIBE Committee - 19 March 2024
• The Council has adopted a Regulation amending Protocol No 3 on the Statute of the Court of Justice of the European Union
• Anti-SLAPP: Final green light for EU law protecting journalists and human rights defenders
• Case studies to illustrate the implementation of the Regulation (EU) 2021/1232 ‒ Additional contributions from Member States

COMPANY LAW

• First green light to new bill on firms’ impact on human rights and environment (Due Diligence) - see the EP Statement

ECB, EURO & ECONOMY

• National Recovery and Resilience Plan: Latest state of play for: Cyprus, Latvia; France; Belgium; Lithuania; Romania; Slovakia and Bulgaria
• Eurogroup President Paschal Donohoe's report to the Euro Summit President ahead of the Euro Summit meeting of 22 March 2024

FUTURE OF EUROPE

• Agenda for: Meeting of the Coreper (Part.2) - 20 & 22 March 2024

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• Agenda for: Meeting of the EP Foreign Affairs Committee - 20 & 21 March 2024
• EP Foreign Affairs Committee and EU ministers debate enlargement - see the Agenda
• Opening remarks by President von der Leyen at the NEAR Days, via video message
• Press statement by President von der Leyen with President Amherd of the Swiss Confederation
• Statement by HR/VP Josep Borrell and Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarčič on famine in Gaza
• Answer given by Ms Urpilainen to a MEP written question - Participation of companies from the People's Republic of China in the Global Gateway initiative

RUSSIAN INVASION OF UKRAINE

• "If we want peace, we must prepare for war" - see the Council Statement
• Ukraine Assistance Fund: Council allocates €5 billion under the European Peace Facility to support Ukraine militarily - see Council Decision (CFSP) 2024/890

EU SANCTIONS

• Notice for the attention of the persons and entities subject to the restrictive measures provided for in the Annex to Council Decision (CFSP) 2019/797 and in Annex I to Council Regulation (EU) 2019/796 concerning restrictive measures against cyber-attacks threatening the Union or its Member States
• Council Regulation (EU) 2024/898 of 18 March 2024 amending Regulation (EC) No 147/2003 concerning certain restrictive measures in respect of Somalia
• Council Decision (CFSP) 2024/882 of 18 March 2024 amending Decision 2010/231/CFSP concerning restrictive measures against Somalia