Europe Daily News, 02 August 2024

COMPETITION

• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11406 - TotalEnergies / SSE / JV)
• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11640 - Genstar / TA / Affinipay)
• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11624 - BAM / Mainova / Mainova Webhouse)
• Commission clears Bunge's acquisition of Viterra subject to conditions (M.11204)
• Commission seeks feedback on draft antitrust Guidelines on exclusionary abuses
• Statement by EVP Vestager on the announcement by IAG to withdraw from proposed acquisition of Air Europa - see M.11109
• Commission clears acquisition of the Software Integrity Business of Synopsys by Clearlake and Francisco Partners (M.11593) - Midday Express
• Commission clears acquisition of the Evonik Superabsorber Companies by ICIG (M.11504) - Midday Express
• Commission clears acquisition of DGS by ICG (M.11605) - Midday Express 

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• EU initiates dispute complaint regarding Chinese Taipei’s wind installation measures - WT/DS625/1
• WTO - Tariffs on critical minerals and their role in the electric vehicle value chain
• WTO launches new interactive tool “World Trade Statistics 2023 — Key insights and trends”
• VW and BMW chiefs warn on EU’s China EV tariffs amid falling profits - German carmakers say the threat of a trade war between Europe and Beijing is looming - Financial Times

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

• ePURE: Hybrid car sales continue to grow in Europe, highlighting importance of sustainable liquid fuels

CHEMICALS

• 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: - chromium trioxide C(2024) 5099; C(2024) 5114; C(2024) 5096; C(2024) 5268; C(2024) 5124; C(2024) 5094 & trixylyl phosphate C(2024) 5109 

ENVIRONMENT & CLMIATE CHANGE

• Pollution from "industrial installations and ntensive livestock" to be reduced thanks to modernised permitting - Midday Express
• Answer given by by Vice-President Šefčovič to a MEP written question - EU Deforestation Regulation and the role of the Commission

HEALTH, FOOD & PRODUCT SAFETY

• Minutes of the Meeting of the Medical Device Coordination Group (MDCG) - Subgroup on Standards (Working Group 2) - 13 June 2024

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• Kazakhstan: Press remarks by High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell after meeting with Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Foreign Affairs, Murat Nurtleu
• EU sets up team to prepare for Donald Trump’s potential return to power - Officials to assess possible impact on bloc’s trade and defence policies if former president returns to White House - Financial Times

RUSSIAN INVASION OF UKRAINE

• Russia’s war against Ukraine: Lessons on infrastructure security and new technologies - See EPC Policy Brief
• No time to give up on Russia sanctions - Kremlin has not been stopped in its tracks — but it does have sand in its gears - Financial Times
• Brussels tells Hungary and Slovakia to wean themselves off Russian oil - European Commission rejects complaints that Ukrainian sanctions on Lukoil threaten security of supply - Financial Times