Europe Daily News, 13 September 2024

COMPETITION

• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11407 - Drosed / Indykpol)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11658 - Hmlys II Holdings Limited / Xiamen C&D Commodities / JV)
• Commission clears acquisition of Superstruct by KK (M.11641) - Midday Express
• Commission clears acquisition of Partner in Pet Food by CVC and Cinven (M.11646) - Midday Express
• Commission clears acquisition of France LNG Shipping by Geogas, NYK, DIF and Marigold (M.11629) - Midday Express
• UK - CMA sets out provisional view on Vodafone / Three merger - See the Guidance
• Europe’s privacy watchdog probes Google’s use of data for AI model - Tech giant’s PaLM2 is the latest target of scrutiny from Ireland’s Data Protection Commission - Financial Times

STATE AID

• Authorisation for State aid pursuant to Articles 107 and 108 of the TFEU - Cases where the Commission raises no objections – SA.115344; SA.106975; SA.113163; SA.113634; SA.113210; SA.113451 & SA.105006

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Agenda for: ACP Working Party - 17 September 2024
• Agenda for: 658th meeting of the Export Credits Group - 25 September 2024
• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/2399 of 12 September 2024 amending Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 1352/2013 establishing the forms provided for in Regulation (EU) No 608/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning customs enforcement of intellectual property rights
• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/2415 of 12 September 2024 imposing a definitive anti-dumping duty and definitively collecting the provisional duty imposed on imports of certain alkyl phosphate esters originating in the People’s Republic of China
• Council Decision (EU) 2024/2153 of 4 March 2024 on the signing, on behalf of the Union, and provisional application of the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and the Kyrgyz Republic, of the other part
• Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and the Kyrgyz Republic, of the other part
• Notice concerning the date of entry into force of the Agreement establishing an Association between the EU and its Member States, on the one hand, and Central America on the other
• EU-China FDI Reports Q3/2023; Q2/2023 & Q1/2023 as published on 10 September 2024
• Germany’s Scholz wants new EU anti-deforestation law delayed - German media group has been lobbying against the rules - Politico.eu
• EU rejects Chinese EV makers’ bid to avert hefty tariffs - Commission dismisses offers to adjust pricing of allegedly subsidised vehicles - Financial Times
• WTO chief urges EU to rethink deforested goods ban - Call from Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala adds to pressure from exporters including Brazil to ‘reassess’ rules - Financial Times

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

• Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2024/2406 of 12 September 2024 amending Implementing Decision (EU) 2019/1698 on European standards for certain child care articles, children’s furniture, gymnastic equipment and laser products
• ESA takes Iceland to court for failing to include EEA financial rules in national law

TAXATION

• Agenda for: Working Party on Tax Questions (High Level) - 26 September 2024
• Agenda for: Working Party IV on Direct Taxation - DAC evaluation - 20 September 2024
• Agenda for: Working Party IV on Direct Taxation - DAC8 Q&A - 24 & 27 September 2024

AGRICULTURE & FISHERIES

• Agenda for: Working Party on International Food and Agricultural Questions (OECD - Forest Reproductive Material) - 27 September 202
• Commission authorises higher advance CAP payments to EU farmers - Midday Express
• Answer given by Mr Wojciechowski to a MEP written question - Promoting sustainable farming practices
• Answer given by Mr Wojciechowski to a MEP written question - Promoting the circular economy in agriculture

ENERGY

• Report & Working Document from the Commission on the Review of the Regulation on the Governance of the Energy Union and Climate Action
• UN Panel on Critical Energy Transition Minerals unveils Actions and Principles for Justice and Equity
• Answer given by Ms Simson to a MEP written question - EU-Azerbaijan relations
• How Ukraine’s underground gas storage boosts Europe’s energy security - Financial Times
• Russian attacks are breaking EU electricity market, Greece warns - Financial Times
• Russian oil deal proves Hungary energy crisis fears unfounded, EU says - Politico.eu

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• Judgment of the Court of 12 September 2024 in Case C‑66/23, Elliniki Ornithologiki Etaireia, Syllogos Diktyo Oikologikon Organoseon Aigaiou, Perivallontikos Syllogos Rethymnou, Politistikos Syllogos Thronos Kleisidiou, KX, and Others Vs. Ypourgos Esoterikon, Ypourgos Oikonomikon, Ypourgos Anaptyxis kai Ependyseon, Ypourgos Perivallontos kai Energeias, Ypourgos Agrotikis Anaptyxis kai Trofimon,
  Re: Reference for a preliminary ruling - Environment - Directive 92/43/EEC - Directive 2009/147/EC - Conservation of wild birds - Conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora - Classification of a territory as a Special Protection Area - ‘Classification’ species - Temporary horizontal measures applied uniformly to all Special Protection Areas - Failure to adopt individualised management plans
• Agenda for: Meeting of the Committee on Ozone-depleting substances - 25 September 2024
• Agenda for: Meeting of the Committee on Fluorinated greenhouse gases - 25 September 2024
  
• Keynote speech by President von der Leyen at the "DLD Nature Conference"
• Why are caps now attached to bottles? Blame the EU - A new regulation has shaken up the industry - Financial Times

DATA PRIVACY & CYBERSECURITY

• Agenda for: Horizontal Working Party on Cyber Issues - 18 September 2024
• Agenda for: Horizontal Working Party on Cyber Issues - 16 September 2024
• Answer given by Ms Johansson to a MEP written question - Commission’s position on the UN Cybercrime Convention

AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY & JUSTICE

• Public consultation - Security & border management – evaluation of the Schengen Information System (SIS) Return Regulation - Report - Feedback period: 11 September 2024 - 09 October 2024
• Commissioner Johansson in Ukraine to reinforce EU cooperation on migration and security - Midday Express
• Ukraine’s law firms pave the way to EU alignment - Work to overhaul the country’s legal system is increasing transparency as part of a bid to join the bloc - Financial Times

ECB, EURO & ECONOMY

• ECB cuts interest rates to 3.5% - Speech by Christine Lagarde, Luis de Guindos and the Monetary policy decisions
• ECB staff macroeconomic projections for the euro area, September 2024

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• Agenda for: Working Party of Foreign Relations Counsellors (RELEX) - Horizontal Questions - 20 September 2024
• EU-US: Dialogue on China and Indo-Pacific Consultations
• Iran: Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the European Union
• Lebanon: Press remarks by HR/VP Josep Borrell after meeting with Foreign Minister Bou Habib
• Israel/Palestine: High Representative Josep Borrell travels to Madrid for meeting on the implementation of the Two State solution
• How to reboot EU foreign policy - The bloc urgently needs new ways of working and must change how it conceives of key partnerships - Financial Times
• ‘Dragon-Bear’: How China and Russia’s spy operations overlap in Europe - Beijing is recruiting agents among EU politicians who have demonstrated fealty to Moscow, underscoring their alignment, according to a senior European intelligence official - Politico.eu

RUSSIAN INVASION OF UKRAINE

• Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine: EU individual sanctions over territorial integrity prolonged for a further six months - see Regulation (EU) 2024/2455 & Decision (CFSP) 2024/2456