Europe Daily News, 10 April 2024

COMPETITION

• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11166 - Equinor / Shell / TotalEnergies / JV)
  
• EQT, AM Fresh see fruit-genetics deal clearance decision published by EU Commission - See Case M.10783
• Omers, ABP see EU clearance decision for Kenter deal published by the EU Commission - See case M.11233

STATE AID

• Authorisation for State aid pursuant to Articles 107 and 108 of the TFEU - Cases where the Commission raises no objections - SA.100322 & SA.112636
• Commission approves €2.2 billion German State aid scheme to support the decarbonisation of industrial processes to foster the transition to a net-zero economy (SA.108729) - IP/24/1889
• 2023 State aid Scoreboard shows reduction in State aid expenditures in 2022 while crisis support to businesses continued - IP/24/1890
• CCCEU Statement on EC reportedly launching FSR probe into Chinese wind turbine suppliers

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Agenda for: Working Party on the United Kingdom - 11 April 2024
• Agenda for: Trade Policy Committee (Deputy Members) -11 April 2024
• Minutes of the Meeting of the CEG on EU Sugar Market Observatory (Trade aspects) - 15 March 2024
• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/1064 of 9 April 2024 imposing a provisional anti-dumping duty on imports of certain alkyl phosphate esters originating in the People’s Republic of China
• Report of the 13th Round of negotiations between the European Union and five Eastern and Southern Africa States (ESA5) for the deepening of the currently implemented EPA -18 to 22 March 2024 (see also 1st to 12th Meeting Reports)
• Significant distortions in the economy of the People's Republic of China for the purposes of trade defence investigations - Commission Staff Working Document
• Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao meets with CCCEU, Chinese EV& battery companies in EU, urging Europe to revise perception of global competitiveness of China's new energy vehicles
• WTO - Türkiye launches safeguard investigation on ethyl acetate

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

• Second Report from the Commission on the operation of Radio Equipment Directive 2014/53/EU
• Draft Council conclusions on the ex-post evaluation of Horizon 2020 and future outlook - Presidency text
• Speech by EVP Vestager on technology and politics at the Institute for Advanced Study
• Opening speech by President von der Leyen at the second New European Bauhaus Festival
• Statement by President von der Leyen with the Presidium of the Confederation of German Employers' Associations
• Cefic’s March Chemical Trends Report is out!

FINANCE

• ESMA publishes first overview of EU securities financing transactions markets
• The ESAs launch first recruitments to set up DORA joint oversight team 

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• Agenda for: Working Party on International Environment Issues (Climate change) - 17 April 2024
• Commission takes stock of the Clean Transition Dialogues with EU industry and social partners - IP/24/1884 & Communication
• Commissioner Hoekstra visits Germany for climate talks with national representatives - Midday Express
• The 2023 wildfire season among the worst in the EU, new Commission report shows
• Work in progress - ENVI ITER listing as updated 08 April 2024
• Climate protection is now a human right — and lawsuits will follow - Tuesday’s definition-shifting court ruling means nearly 50 governments must now contend with a new era of climate litigation - Politico.eu - see the ECHR Press Release

HEALTH, FOOD & PRODUCT SAFETY

• Commission Regulation (EU) 2024/1038 of 9 April 2024 amending Regulation (EU) 2023/915 as regards maximum levels of T-2 and HT-2 toxins in food
• EFSA - Modification of the existing maximum residue levels for fluxapyroxad in kaki/Japanese persimmons and cultivated mushrooms

TRANSPORT & MOBILITY

• EU boosts zero-emission mobility with over €424 million in funding for 42 projects -See CINEA Statement
• MEPs approve agreement with EU Council on exchange of information on road traffic offences
• Transport MEPs approve agreement on Single European Sky - see the Compromise Text

AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY & JUSTICE

• Five criminals behind multi-million pound benefit fraud convicted in the United Kingdom with support from Eurojust
• Eurojust assists with taking down of drug trafficking ring involved in killing of rivals in Greece

ECB, EURO & ECONOMY

• Agenda for: Council of the European Union (Economic & Financial Affairs) - 12 April 2024
• The calculation of the 2022 ex ante contributions to the Single Resolution Fund (SRF) is unlawful (see CPR Nº 62/2024 - Judgment of the General Court in Case T-411/22; Dexia Vs. SRB)

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• Agenda for: Meeting of the Conventional Arms Exports subgroup (COARM) of the Working Party on Non-Proliferation and Arms Exports - 17 April 2024
• Global Gateway High-Level Education Event gathers leaders to discuss the EU's role to transform education across the world
• Tajikistan: Third round of negotiations on the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement with the EU
• Defense: Speech by High Representative/Vice President Josep Borrell at Forum Europa

RUSSIAN INVASION OF UKRAINE

• War in Ukraine: the General Court annuls the inclusion of Petr Aven and Mikhail Fridman on the lists of persons subject to restrictive measures between February 2022 and March 2023 (see CPR Nº 61/2024 - Judgments of the General Court in Cases T-301/22, T-304/22, Aven Vs. Council) - Financial Times
• Multi-agency Donor Coordination Platform for Ukraine meets in Kyiv, confirms unwavering support to Ukraine's recovery and reconstruction - IP/24/1921