Europe Daily News, 14 April 2025

COMPETITION

• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11949 - Invesco / Mitel)
• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11840 - Sodecia / Huk Holding / HUF Hülsbeck & Fürst / Huf - Industrieverwaltung)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11568 - VTTI / SNAM / ALNG)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11880 - CDPE / Trilantic / Agri Holding)
• Commission clears acquisition of YNAP by Mytheresa (M.11793) - Midday Express
• Commission clears acquisition of PCP by M&G (M.11912) - Midday Express
• Germany - The Bundeskartellamt has cleared the acquisition of a stake in Commerzbank AG, Frankfurt am Main, by UniCredit S.p.A., Milan (Italy), under merger control aspects
• Greece - Unannounced inspections of the Hellenic Competition Commission in the transport sector

STATE AID

• Action brought on 5 March 2025 - Ryanair Vs. Commission - Case T-148/25
  Re: annulment of the European Commission Decision on State aid SA.43260 (2018/C) implemented by Germany in favour of Flughafen Frankfurt Hahn GmbH and Ryanair DAC
• Authorisation for State aid pursuant to Articles 107 and 108 of the TFEU - Cases where the Commission raises no objections - SA.116491 & SA.105098

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Council moves one step closer to concluding the Digital Trade Agreement with Singapore
• Clean trade and investment partnerships: A new instrument in the EU's trade policy toolbox - See the EP Study
• Answer given by Mr Brunner to a MEP written question - Import tariffs as a means of getting countries of origin to take back their nationals who do not have residency status in the EU
• WTO - Goods Council addresses trade concerns and future work, elects new Chair
• EFTA and Malaysia conclude negotiations on economic partnership agreement
• WTO - Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade - Notification - European Union - Marine equipment
• How the European Commission bypasses opposition to controversial trade deal - See the FoE Briefing

EU/US TARIFFS

• In a world of trade tensions, what do tariffs really do? - WTO Blog
• Sunday Shows: President Trump’s America first trade policies in action
• Clarification of exceptions under Executive Order 14257 of April 2, 2025, as Amended
• US tech tariff exemption will be temporary, says Trump - US president says products given reprieve will fall under separate regime - Financial Times
• Germany warns against EU hitting Big Tech in retaliation to Trump tariffs - European finance ministers discuss response to US trade moves - Financial Times
• Trump exempts smartphones from ‘reciprocal’ tariffs - Dispensation is first sign of softening of levies against China and provides a big boost for Apple - Financial Times
• Europe must choose between America and China - In a multi-polar world, old certainties about the US security guarantee and access to markets no longer hold - Financial Times
• EU will use Trump tariff freeze to push new fossil fuel deal - Officials are hoping that renewing an offer to bulk-buy American gas will help appease Washington - Politico.eu
• Trump says pharma tariffs will entice back drug production. They won’t. - Pharmaceuticals were the EU’s largest export to the U.S. last year, worth a reported $127B - Politico.eu

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

• Agenda for: Working Party on Competitiveness & Growth (Industry & Better Regulation) - 24 April 2025
• Commission welcomes Council endorsement of first simplification omnibus push on sustainability - Midday Express
• Simplification: Council gives final green light on the ‘Stop-the-clock’ mechanism to boost EU competitiveness and provide legal certainty to businesses

TAXATION

• Agenda for: Working Party on Tax Questions (High Level) - 29 April 2025
  
• Council adopts rules to extend cooperation and information exchange between tax authorities to minimum effective corporate taxation

ENERGY

• EU Council is ready to negotiate with European Parliament on revision of annual gas storage target - See the Mandate for negotiations with the European Parliament and Draft report by MEP  Borys Budka - Amendments 1 - 27 
• Answer given by Mr Jørgensen to a MEP written question - Are the Commission’s objectives regarding the rate of wind power installation still tenable and warranted?

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• Landmark agreement towards achieving net-zero emissions from global shipping by 2050
• Answer given by Mr McGrath to a MEP written question - Russian shadow fleet causing environmental risks to our waters and coastal communities – Commission should enforce EU sanctions violation law
• Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) …/... amending Regulation (EU) 2019/1021 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards perfluorooctane sulfonic acid and its derivatives

HEALTH, FOOD & PRODUCT SAFETY

• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/708 of 11 April 2025 concerning the authorisation of sodium ferrocyanide and potassium ferrocyanide as feed additives for all animal species and repealing Regulation (EC) No 1810/2005
• Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/751 of 9 April 2025 amending the Annex to Implementing Decision (EU) 2023/2447 concerning emergency measures in relation to outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza in certain Member States

EFSA

• Safety and efficacy of the feed additive consisting of clinoptilolite of sedimentary origin for all animal species for the renewal of its authorisation (ZEOCEM, a.s.)
• Safety and efficacy of a feed additive consisting of guanidinoacetic acid (Creamino®) for turkeys for fattening and reared for breeding (Alzchem Trostberg GmbH)
• Efficacy of a feed additive consisting of guanidinoacetic acid (Creamino®) for weaned piglets and pigs for fattening in water for drinking (Alzchem Trostberg GmbH)
• Assessment of the feed additive consisting of Saccharomyces cerevisiae CBS 493.94 (Yea‐Sacc®) for dairy cows, minor dairy ruminant species, cattle for fattening and minor ruminant species for fattening for the renewal of its authorisation (ALL‐TECHNOLOGY (IRELAND) LIMITED [Alltech Ireland])

DIGITAL, DATA PRIVACY & INFORMATION SOCIETY

• Action brought on 5 February 2025 - Tiktok Technology Vs. Commission (Case T-88/25)
  Re: annulment of Commission’s Implementing Decision C(2024) 8465 determining the supervisory fee applicable to TikTok pursuant to Article 43(3) of Regulation (EU) 2022/2065
• Action brought on 6 February 2025 - Meta Platforms Ireland Vs. Commission (Case T-89/25)
  Re: Article 5(2) and Article 5(4) of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/1127; Regulation (EU) 2022/2065 (DSA); very large online platforms and very large online search engines
• Forum on Quantum Science and Technology in Brussels
• EVP Virkkunen visits semiconductor equipment manufacturer ASML - Midday Express
• Answer given by Mr McGrath to a MEP written question - EU-US data transfers following Trump’s election

ECB, EURO & ECONOMY

• Informal meeting of the EU Ministers for Economic and Financial Affairs and Central Bank Governors (ECOFIN)
  - Remarks by Commissioner Dombrovskis at the second ECOFIN press conference in Warsaw
  - Remarks by Commissioner Dombrovskis at the ECOFIN press conference
• Main Results  - Meeting of the Eurogroup, 11 April 2025
  - Remarks by Commissioner Dombrovskis at the Eurogroup press conference
• ECB - Survey on the Access to Finance of Enterprises: firms report lower interest rates amid reduced need for bank loans

FUTURE OF EUROPE

• Agenda for: Meeting of the Coreper (Part.1 & Part.2) - 16 April 2025

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• Agenda for: Working Party on European Free Trade Association (EFTA) - 16 April 2025
• Foreign Affairs Council: press remarks by High Representative Kaja Kallas ahead of the meeting
• Remarks by President António Costa at the joint doorstep with Prime Minister of Albania Edi Rama
• UK and EU close ranks on defence amid Trump turmoil - British PM next month will host first summit with bloc’s leaders since Brexit - Financial Times

EU/MIDDLE EAST

• Jordan: Council adopts decision to provide EU assistance of €500 million in loans
• Enhancing radiological data exchange and strengthening EU-GCC Cooperation in Nuclear Safety
• Commission announces multiannual programme for Palestinian recovery and reliance worth up to €1.6 billion
• Joint Statement by High Representative Kallas and Commissioners Šuica and Lahbib on the humanitarian situation in Gaza
• The EU and UNICEF deliver 40 tons of medical supplies to the Ministry of Public Health to address emergency health needs in Lebanon

EU/AFRICA

• EU boosts humanitarian aid for Greater Horn of Africa and West and Central Africa
• EU-Mauritius first Partnership Dialogue: Towards a new partnership, a joint agenda
• Connecting People, Empowering Communities: Zambia-Tanzania Interconnector launched to strengthen Regional Energy Security and Climate Resilience

EU/UKRAINE/RUSSIA

• Action brought on 12 February 2025 - Sergiyenko Vs. Council (Case T-111/25)
  Re: annulment of Council Decision (CFSP) 2024/3174; restrictive measures; payment transactions within the EU
• Action brought on 26 February 2025 - Qisda Optronics (Suzhou) Vs.. Council (Case T-139/25)
  Re: annulment of Council Decision (CFSP) 2024/3187 and of Council Regulation (EU) 2024/3192; as well as Council Decision (CFSP) 2025/394 and Council Regulation (EU) 2025/395
• Appeal brought on 21 February 2025 by Dmitry Konov against the judgment of the General Court (of 11 December 2024 in Case T-326/22, Konov Vs. Council (Case C-156/25 P)
  Re: annulment of Council Decision (CFSP) 2023/176; Council Regulation (EU) 2023/1765; Council Decision (CFSP) 2024/2456; Council Regulation (EU) 2024/2455
• Commissioner Kos and Prime Minister Shmyhal launched new business partnership and called on EU companies to invest in Ukraine’s reconstruction at EU-Ukraine Business Summit
• Answer given by Ms Albuquerque a MEP written question - Removal from the Polish sanctions list of a company linked to Russia