Europe Daily News, 24 April 2024

COMPETITION

• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11491 - MT Aerospace / EGI / JV)
• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11448 - Agrofert / East Grain Group)
• The European Commission has published its decisions to investigate Apple and Google for allegedly breaching the Digital Markets Act: DMA.100075; DMA.100193; DMA100185 & DMA.100109
• Answer given by EVP Vestager to a MEP written question - Request for clarification and action concerning competitive distortions in the ground handling market at Palermo and Catania airports
• Bulgaria - CPC adopted a Sector inquiry of the competitive environment on the markets of production and trade of sunflower oil and wheat flour in the Republic of Bulgaria
• Poland - The UOKiK issued four decisions concerning collusive tendering. The total penalties amounted to nearly PLN 650,000
• Speech by the Chair of the CMA, Marcus Bokkerink to the Regulation Forum Chairs' Summit

STATE AID

• Judgment of the General Court of 24 April 2024 in Case T-514/14, Hispavima, SL Vs. European Commission,
  Re: State aid - Aid granted by the Spanish authorities in favour of certain economic interest groupings (EIGs) and their investors - Tax regime applicable to certain leasing agreements for the acquisition of vessels (Spanish tax leasing regime) - Decision declaring the aid partly incompatible with the internal market and ordering its partial recovery - Partial disappearance of the subject-matter of the dispute - No need to give a decision in part - New aid - No need to adjudicate no need to adjudicate in part - New aid - Legitimate expectation - Recovery - Contractual clauses protecting beneficiaries against recovery of unlawful State aid incompatible with the internal market - Division of powers between the Commission and the national authorities’
• Authorisation for State aid pursuant to Articles 107 and 108 of the TFEU - Cases where the Commission raises no objections – SA.107688; SA.100746; SA.112501; SA.111823; SA.111887; SA.102930 & SA.109795
• State aid - France - State aid SA.109662 - Restructuring of Corsair - Invitation to submit comments pursuant to Article 108(2) of the TFEU
• Commission carries out unannounced foreign subsidies inspections in the security equipment sector - Midday Express
• CCCEU expresses serious concern over the European side's unannounced raids on Chinese companies Operating in Europe

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Agenda for: 63rd meeting of the Customs Expert Group – Tariff Measures subsection - 05 June 2024
• Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2024/1173 of 13 March 2024 amending Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/760 as regards some provisions following the free trade agreement between the European Union and New Zealand and deletion of obsolete provisions as regards export tariff quota for milk powder
• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/1178 of 23 April 2024 amending Implementing Regulations (EU) 2020/761 and (EU) 2020/1988 as regards the creation, modification and management of certain tariff quotas following the free trade agreement between the European Union and New Zealand
• Commission launches first investigation under EU International Procurement Instrument concerning measures and practices of the P.R. of China in the public procurement market for medical devices - IP/24/2044
• Products made with forced labour to be banned from EU single market - see the EP Resolution
• MEPs approve trade support measures for Ukraine with protection for EU farmers - see the EP Resolution
• Answer given by EVP Dombrovskis to a MEP written question - Temporary liberalisation of EU trade with Ukraine
• WTO - Thirty years of trade growth and poverty reduction

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

• April infringement package: key decisions
  
• Commission refers Czechia to the Court of Justice of the EU for failing to correctly transpose EU rules on proportionality of professional regulations - IP/24/2166
• Answer given by Mr Breton to a MEP written question - SMEs in defence procurement procedures

SPACE

• Commission launches new EU space information sharing and analysis centre to strengthen the security and resilience of Europe's space sector - Midday Express
• Answer given by Mr Breton to a MEP written question - Sustainability of ArianeGroup in the ESA’s European space strategy

LATE PAYMENT

• Commission decides to refer Greece to the Court of Justice of the EU for not correctly applying EU rules on late payments - IP/24/2165
• EP adopts its position on Late Payment Regulation - see the EP Resolution; and reactions from Eurochambres; EIBF & FEP

CHEMICAL

• Chemicals: Parliament adopts new rules to improve classification and information - see the EP Resolution

RESEARCH

• €1.25 billion from Horizon Europe to support cutting-edge research under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions - IP/24/2252
• Commission invests €112 million in artificial intelligence and quantum research and innovation - Midday Express
• EU and Singapore open exploratory talks on association with Horizon Europe - Midday Express

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

• EU trade marks: the General Court confirms that the reputation of a trade mark is acquired and, in general, lost progressively (See CPR Nº 71/2024 - Judgment of the General Court in Case T-157/23, Kneipp Vs. EUIPO - Patou (Joyful by nature))

AGRICULTURE & FISHERIES

• Agenda for: Meeting of the Committee for Common Organisation of Agricultural Markets - Horizontal Questions - 24 April 2024
• Report - Joint Meeting of the Committee for Common Organisation of Agricultural Markets - Subgroup Wine & Spirit Drinks - 10 April 2024
• Report - Meeting of the Committee for Common Organisation of Agricultural Markets - Animal Products - 18 April 2024
• Report - Meeting of the Committee for Common Organisation of Agricultural Markets - Subgroup Wine - 15 April 2024
• Minutes of Meeting of the EU Crops Market Observatory Expert Group - 13 March 2024
• Minutes of Meeting of the Sugar Market Observatory Expert Group - 15 March 2024

EMPLOYMENT & SOCIAL AFFAIRS

• Parliament adopts Platform Work Directive

ENERGY

• Opening remarks by Commissioner Simson at an event on 'The EU blueprint for fusion energy'
• Energy Smart Appliances: launch of an EU Code of Conduct for interoperability
• Closing remarks by EVP Šefčovič at the EU Blueprint for Fusion Energy event
• Speech by Commissioner Simson at an event to launch the European Energy Efficiency Financing Coalition
• Speech by Commissioner Simson at the first Ukraine Biomethane Forum

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• Air pollution: Parliament adopts revised law to improve air quality
• Due diligence: MEPs adopt rules for firms on human rights and environment
• New EU rules to reduce, reuse and recycle packaging - see the EP statement
• Right to repair: Making repair easier and more appealing to consumers - see the EP Resolution
• EP adopts its position on regulation aiming to reduce microplastic pollution - see the EP Resolution
• EP adopted its "provisional agreement" on Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation - see the reactions from the Greens-EFA, EuRIC, FESI, Orgalim
• Answer given by Mr Hoekstra to a MEP written question - Climate change and the threat to civilisation

DIGITAL & INFORMATION SOCIETY

• Agenda for: 11th meeting of the Digital Europe Programme Committee - 25 April 2024
• Gigabit Infrastructure Act: MEPs back plans to accelerate Gigabit-Capable Connectivity Rollout - see the EP Resolution
• Answer given by Mr Breton to a MEP written question - Inadequate answers from Commissioner Breton on ‘pay or consent’ model introduced by Meta 

TRANSPORT & MOBILITY

• Agenda for: Meeting of the European ITS Committee - 30 April 2024
• Minutes of the meeting of the Road accidents (CARE) Committee - 22 March 2024
• Urban Vehicle Access Regulations (UVARs) – Recommendations adopted by the Expert Group on Urban Mobility

AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY & JUSTICE

• The General Court partially annuls the Frontex decision refusing a request by Sea-Watch for access to documents (See CPR Nº 70/2024 - Judgment of the General Court in Case T-205/22, Naass and Sea-Watch Vs. Frontex)
• Commission issues recommendations to better protect children from violence - IP/24/2243 & Recommendation
• Parliament approves first ever EU rules on combating violence against women - see the Text of the Agreement
• Trafficking in human beings: MEPs adopt more extensive law to protect victims - see the EP Resolution

ECB, EURO & ECONOMY

• Commission disburses additional €1.5 billion in bridge financing to Ukraine - IP/24/2244
• European Commission issues €8 billion in its 4th syndicated transaction of 2024 - IP/24/2226
• New EU fiscal rules approved by MEPs - see the amending Regulation & amending Directive
• The Commission approves Spain's request for a targeted revision of its recovery plan - Midday Express
• Commission publishes in-depth reviews for six Member States to assess macroeconomic imbalances in the context of the European Semester - Midday Express
• Speech by ECB's Piero Cipollone: “An innovative and integrated European retail payments market”

FUTURE OF EUROPE

• Speech by President von der Leyen at the European Parliament formal sitting on the 20th anniversary of the 2004 EU Enlargement