Europe Daily News, 17 April 2024

COMPETITION

• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11061 - Nordic Metal / Alumeco Group)
• Commission clears acquisition of Phoenix Energy by CKI and CKA (M.11517) - Midday Express
• Spain - KKR Genesis acknowledges that it should have notified the purchase of GeneraLife Clinics and pays the corresponding fine for non-compliance

STATE AID

• Judgment of the General Court of 17 April 2024 in Case T‑112/22, Ideella föreningen Svenska Bankföreningen med firma Svenska Bankföreningen, Näringsverksamhet, Länsförsäkringar Bank AB, Vs. European Commission, supported by Kingdom of Sweden
  Re: State aid - Swedish tax law - Tax on the systemic risk of credit institutions - Decision not to raise any objections - Selective nature - Objective of the measure - Derogation from the reference system
• Authorisation for State aid pursuant to Articles 107 and 108 of the TFEU - Cases where the Commission raises no objections - SA.113201; SA.110254; SA.112000; SA.112734; SA.113044 & SA.109083
• ESA approves Norwegian state aid scheme for rail freight operators following the collapse of Randklev bridge

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Agenda for: Customs Programme - CLEN Action 3 - Progress meeting of the Samancta group - 30 April 2024
• Report of the 6th round of the EU-India negotiations on protection of Geographical Indications - 12 & 13 March 2024
• Minutes of the Meeting of the Member State Expert Group on "responsible sourcing of tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold (3TG)" - 22 March 2024
• Presentations of the stakeholder meeting on the establishment of a Multilateral Investment Court - 26 March 2024
• Notice to economic operators – New round of requests for the suspension of the autonomous Common Customs Tariff duties on certain industrial and agricultural products
• Council Decision (EU) 2024/1156 of 12 April 2024 on the conclusion of the Agreement establishing an Association between the European Union and its Member States, on the one hand, and Central America on the other
• Answer given by EVP Dombrovskis to a MEP written question - Commission response to Chinese anti-dumping investigation into European wines and grape marc spirits
• Answer given by EVP Dombrovskis to a MEP written question - Protecting EU companies against unfair competition in the form of foreign subsidies
• Answer given by EVP Dombrovskis to a MEP written question - Cambodian rice imports
• Report commissioned by European Parliament’s Greens/EFA Group proposes alternatives to EU-Mercosur trade agreement - see the Study
• UK - TRA initiates reviews into organic coated steel from China

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

• Agenda for: Working Party on Competitiveness & Growth (High Level) - 25 April 2024
• Minutes of the 12th meeting of the second mandate of the Platform on Sustainable Finance - Plenary and subgroup sessions - Meeting report - 23-24 January 2024

CHEMICAL

• Agenda for: Meeting of the REACH Committee - 26 April 2024
• Summary of European Commission Decisions on authorisations for the placing on the market for the use and/or for use of substances listed in Annex XIV to Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning the REACH (C(2024) 1913 - Sodium dichromate; C(2024) 2086 - Chromium trioxide; C(2024) 2095 - Chromium trioxide)

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

• The name Pablo Escobar may not be registered as an EU trade mark (See CPR No.67/2024 - Judgment of the General Court in Case T-255/23 - Escobar Vs. EUIPO (Pablo Escobar))

AGRICULTURE & FISHERIES

• Ukrainian agriculture - From Russian invasion to EU integration - see EPRS Briefing

EMPLOYMENT & SOCIAL AFFAIRS

• EU renews commitment to a strong and resilient social Europe at conference in La Hulpe
• Speech by Commissioner Schmit at the high-level conference on the European Pillar of Social Rights
• Speech by President von der Leyen at the high-level conference on the European Pillar of Social Rights
• European Education Area Strategic Framework - Working Group on Adult Learning:
  - Findings report PLA on financing of adult learning (12-13 May 2022)
  - Findings report PLA on National Skills Strategies (20-21 October 2022)
  - Findings report PLA on Skills for Life (9-10 March 2022)

ENERGY

• Regulation (EU) 2024/1106 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 April 2024 amending Regulations (EU) No 1227/2011 and (EU) 2019/942 as regards improving the Union’s protection against market manipulation on the wholesale energy market

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• Judgment of the General Court of 17 April 2024 in Case T‑331/22, Nederlandse Vereniging Omwonenden Windturbines (NLVOW) supported by Fédération environnement durable and by People Over Wind (POW), interveners Vs. European Commission supported by European Parliament, and by Council of the European Union (See also Case T-344/22, T-345/22 & T-346/22)
  Re: Environment - Netherlands Integrated National Energy and Climate Plan 2021-2030 - Request for internal review - Article 10(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1367/2006 - Rejection of the request - Application for annulment - Error of assessment - Action for failure to act - No invitation to act - Inadmissibility
• EU Ecolabel Showroom on Wheels gears up for Olympic-inspired adventure! 
• EU Legislation in Progress: Revision of the Ozone Regulation - See the EPRS Briefing

HEALTH, FOOD & PRODUCT SAFETY

• Agenda for: Meeting of the Network of Expertise on Long COVID under the PHEG - 30 April 2024
• Agenda for: EUHPP Live Webinar: Unveiling the efficiency path in cancer care: a step-by-step guide - 25 April 2024
• Agenda for: EUHPP Webinar: Back to the Future, Nurse! ENSA: Amplifying Voices, Celebrating Mentors - 06 May 2024
• Agenda for: Informal meeting of consumer protection ministers - 18 & 19 April 2024
• Public consultation - Product safety – indicators for reporting on the General Product Safety Regulation - Implementing regulation - Feedback period: 16 April 2024 - 14 May 2024
• EMA - COVID-19 vaccine strain updates: Global regulators agree on timing and data requirements
• EMA - Agenda for: Committee for Medicinal Products for Veterinary Use (CVMP): 16 to 18 April 2024
• ECDC - Continuum of HIV care – Monitoring implementation of the Dublin Declaration on partnership to fight HIV/AIDS in Europe and Central Asia: 2023 progress report

DIGITAL & INFORMATION SOCIETY

• Regulation (EU) 2024/1083 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 April 2024 establishing a common framework for media services in the internal market and amending Directive 2010/13/EU (European Media Freedom Act)
• Commission mobilises research and innovation funding for the green and digital transitions - IP/24/2104
• Commission sends request for information to TikTok regarding the launch of TikTok Lite in France and Spain - Midday Express

DATA PRIVACY & CYBERSECURITY

• Agenda of the EDPB plenary meeting - 16 & 17 April 2024
• Commercial prospecting: French SA fined HUBSIDE.STORE €525,000
• Ministry of Migration and Asylum receives administrative fine and GDPR compliance order following an own-initiative investigation by the Greek SA
• In an open letter to the Member States 18 European companies criticised the latest version of the EU-wide cybersecurity certification scheme, known as EUCS - Euractiv.com
• Vote on EU cybersecurity label delayed to May, sources say - Reuters

AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY & JUSTICE

• Commission seeks views on the monitoring and control of drug precursors - 17 April 2024 - 10 July 2024 
• Commissioner Johansson visits Bulgaria to celebrate the recent Schengen enlargement and discuss border, migration management, police cooperation - Midday Express

ECB, EURO & ECONOMY

• Commission receives Greece´s fourth payment request for loans under the Recovery and Resilience Facility - Midday Express

FUTURE OF EUROPE

• Agenda for: Special European Council - 17 & 18 April 2024

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• Judgment of the General Court of 17 April 2024 in Case T‑782/22, Cogebi, Cogebi, a.s., Vs. Council of the European Union supported by Republic of Estonia and by European Commission
  Re: CFSP - Restrictive measures adopted in view of Russia’s actions destabilising the situation in Ukraine - Prohibition on purchasing, importing or transferring, directly or indirectly, in the EU, goods which generate significant revenues for Russia as listed in Annex XXI to Regulation (EU) No 833/2014 - Mica products - Action for annulment - Regulatory act not entailing implementing measures which directly affects the legal situation of importers - Admissibility - Obligation to state reasons - Right to be heard - Right of access to the file - Freedom to conduct a business - Proportionality
• Main results of the Foreign Affairs Ministers - 16 April 2024
• High Representative Borrell attends G7 Foreign Ministers' meeting in Capri - Midday Express
• EU support to Somalia: Council approves further support under the European Peace Facility to the Somali National Army and to the military component of the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia
• Joint Statement by HR/VP Borrell and Commissioner Lenarčič on the occasion of the High-Level pledging Conference to address the humanitarian crisis in Ethiopia
• EU to start work on expanding Iran sanctions, Borrell says - Reuters