Europe Daily News, 30 May 2024

COMPETITION

• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11398 - Oakley Capital / 21 Invest Group / PLG)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11540 - Gamma / Karl Royer / RHO / Hektar Media)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11461 - Kuwait Petroleum Italia / Fox PetroliI / Eco Fox)
• Germany - 50+1 rule – Effects of the ECJ’s case law and next steps in the proceeding (Deutsche Fußball Liga)

STATE AID

• Judgment of the Court of 30 May 2024 in Case C-110/23 P, Autoridad Portuaria de Bilbao Vs. Commission of the European Communities
  Re: Appeal - State aid - Port sector - Corporation tax exemption scheme implemented by the Kingdom of Spain for ports situated in the province of Vizcaya - Decision declaring the aid incompatible with the internal market - Existing aid - Advantage - Burden of proof - Appropriate measures
• Judgment of the Court of 30 May 2024 in Case C‑353/21 P, Ryanair DAC, Vs. European Commission, Kingdom of Spain
  Re: Appeal - State aid - Article 107(3)(b) TFEU - Finnish air-transport market - Aid granted by the Republic of Finland to an airline amid the COVID-19 pandemic - Temporary Framework for State aid measures - State guarantee for a loan – Decision by the European Commission not to raise objections - Aid intended to remedy a serious disturbance in the economy - Principles of proportionality and of non-discrimination - Freedom of establishment and freedom to provide services
• Authorisation for State aid pursuant to Articles 107 and 108 of the TFEU - Cases where the Commission raises no objections – SA.112540

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Opinion of Advocate General Kokott of 30 May 2024 in Case C‑297/23 P, Harley-Davidson Europe Ltd. and Neovia Logistics Services International Vs. European Commission
  Re: Appeal - Customs union - Regulation (EU) No 952/2013 - Customs Code - Trade disputes between States - Determination of the non-preferential origin of certain motorcycles - Concept of economically justified processing or working operations - Delegated Regulation (EU) 2015/2446 - Avoidance or circumvention of a customs duty - Manipulation of origin - Delegated regulatory power
• Judgment of the Court of 30 May 2024 in Case C‑261/23 P, Hengshi Egypt Fiberglass Fabrics SAE, Jushi Egypt for Fiberglass Industry SAE Vs. European Commission, Tech-Fab Europe eV
  Re: Appeal - Dumping - Imports of certain woven and/or stitched glass fibre fabrics originating in the People’s Republic of China and Egypt - Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/492 - Definitive anti-dumping duty - Calculation of the normal value - Regulation (EU) 2016/1036 - Article 2(5) - Calculation of costs associated with the production and sale of a product under investigation on the basis of records of the party under investigation - Costs not reasonably reflected in records - Adjustment on the basis of the costs of other producers or exporters in the same country or on any other reasonable basis - European Commission’s discretion
• Proposal for a Council Decision on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union in the Administrative Committee for the Customs Convention on the international transport of goods under cover of TIR Carnets as regards the proposal to amend the Convention
• Guidance on Customs Debt - Title III UCC - Revision 2 - May 2024
• Guarantees for potential or existing customs debts - Title III UCC - Revision 4 EN - Guidance for Member States and Trade - May 2024
• EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) - evaluation - Consultation period: 28 May 2024 - 27 August 2024
• EU-Kenya: Council takes final step to allow the implementation of the Economic Partnership Agreement
• Guidance document on CBAM implementation for importers of goods into the EU - May 2024
• Council sets higher tariffs on Russian and Belarusian grain products
• WTO - Committee on Safeguards - Notification pursuant to article 12.1(c) of the Agreement on Safeguards (extension) - Notification pursuant to article 9, footnote 2 of the Agreement on Safeguards - European Union - Certain steel products - Supplement
• New WTO publication highlights strategies to tackle illicit trade in food and food fraud
• WTO - Fossil fuel subsidy reform meeting advances work plan after MC13

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

• Executive Vice-President Vestager in Catania to visit STMicroelectronics' new semiconductor manufacturing plant - Midday Express
• Answer given by Mr Breton to a MEP written question - Impact of touchscreens in cars on road safety

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

• WIPO Diplomatic Conference to Conclude an International Legal Instrument Relating to Intellectual Property, Genetic Resources and Traditional Knowledge Associated with Genetic Resources (Geneva, 13-24 May 2024) - Final EU/Member States opening and closing statements

FINANCE

• Anti-money laundering: Council adopts package of rules
• Basel III reforms: new EU rules to increase banks’ resilience to economic shocks
• Funds to protect deposits in case of bank failure are going up, EBA data shows
• ESMA provides guidance to firms using artificial intelligence in investment services

AGRICULTURE & FISHERIES

• Commission clarifies support for farmers in case of exceptional weather events - IP/24/2981 & Communication

ENERGY

• Energy Charter Treaty: Council gives final green light to EU’s withdrawal
• Central European countries amp up pressure on EU over German gas tariff - Reuters

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• Circular economy: Council gives final approval to right-to-repair directive
• The Commission announces the Estonian, Portuguese, Irish, Spanish, French, Italian, Polish and Belgian winners of the Natura 2000 prize - Midday Express
• Answer given by Mr Sinkevičius to a MEP written question - NO2 in Athens, Greece
• Answer given by Mr Sinkevičius to a MEP written question - Improving the treatment of mixed household waste
• Answer given by Mr Sinkevičius to a MEP written question - North-South discrimination in the closure of vulnerable marine ecosystems
• Some fifty businesses and associations call on Belgian Presidency of EU Council to adopt Nature Restoration Law - see the Business Statement

HEALTH, FOOD & PRODUCT SAFETY

• Agenda for: Working Party on Pharmaceuticals & Medical Devices - 05 & 06 June 2024
• Medical devices: Council adopts new measures to help prevent shortages
• Presentations and recording - EUHPP Live Webinar: Info Session - Open Call for Proposals EU4H Annual Work Programme 2024 (29 May 2024)
• Public consultation - Health technology assessment – procedural rules for assessing and managing conflicts of interest - Implementing regulation - Feedback period: 29 May 2024 - 26 June 2024
• EFSA - Scientific Opinion - Safety evaluation of the food enzyme inulinase from the non‐GM Aspergillus welwitschiae strain NZYM‐KF
• EFSA - External Scientific Report - National Dietary Survey on the adult and on the children population

DIGITAL SINGLE MARKET & INFORMATION SOCIETY

• Online orders: the order button, or a similar function, must clearly indicate that, by clicking on it, the consumer assumes an obligation to pay (See CPR Nº 90/2024 - Judgment of the Court of Justice in Case C-400/22, Conny)
• E-commerce: a Member State may not impose additional obligations on an online service provider established in another Member State (See CPR Nº 89/2024 -Judgments of the Court of Justice in Cases C-662/22, C-663/22, C-664/22, C-665/22, C-666/22, C-667/22, Airbnb Ireland)
• Agenda for: Working Party on Telecommunications & Information Society - 03 June 2024

DATA PRIVACY & CYBERSECURITY

• Agenda for: Working Party on Data Protection - 05 June 2024

AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY & JUSTICE

• Serbia: Council gives green light to signing of Frontex cooperation agreement
• Commission to fund projects strengthening the fight against corruption in the EU and abroad - Midday Express
• Proposal for a Council Decision on the position to be taken on behalf of the Union in the Council of Europe bodies on the change of status of the European Union from Associate Member to Participant in the Enlarged Partial Agreement on the Register of Damage caused by the Aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine

EURO, ECB & ECONOMY

• Minutes of the Council of the European Union (Economic & Financial Affairs) - 14 May 2024

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• 2023 Human Rights and Democracy in the World Annual Report - Report of the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
• Roadmap for a Safe Environment in Syria: Resetting the Political Process towards a Sustainable Solution of Syrian Crisis
• Honduras: EU and Honduras celebrate the first round of Bilateral Consultations
• Answer given by HR/VP Borrell i Fontelles to a MEP written question - Statements of Commissioner Simson on Azerbaijan

RUSSIAN INVASION OF UKRAINE

• EU Statement on the Russian Federation’s ongoing aggression against Ukraine - OSCE Permanent Council No.1476 Vienna, 30 May 2024
• Judgment of the Court of 30 May 2024 in Case T‑116/22, Belavia – Belarusian Airlines AAT Vs. Council of the European Union
  Re: CFSP - Restrictive measures taken because of the situation in Belarus and the involvement of Belarus in the Russian aggression against Ukraine - Freezing of funds - Lists of persons, entities and bodies to whom the freezing of funds and economic resources applies - Registering and maintaining the applicant’s name on the lists - Organisation of activities of the Lukashenko regime facilitating the illegal crossing of the external borders of the EU or contribution to those activities - Benefit derived from the Lukashenko regime - Error of assessment