Europe Daily News, 08 January 2024

STATE AID

• Commission approves €902 million German State aid measure to support Northvolt in the construction of an electric vehicle battery production plant to foster the transition to a net-zero economy  (SA.107936) - IP/23/6823
• Commission has approved a €2.9 billion French State aid scheme for supporting investment in green industries to foster the transition towards a net-zero economy (SA.109334) - IP/23/6751
• Commission approves re-introduction of Danish State aid scheme, including €3.87 billion budget increase, to support employees and self-employed with reduced working capacity (SA.103445) - Midday Express
• Statement by Executive Vice-President Vestager on the approval of two State aid measures

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Answer given by EVP Dombrovskis  to a MEP written question - Chinese overproduction of batteries as a result of state aid is jeopardising European firms and strategic autonomy
• WTO - Madagascar launches safeguard investigation on polypropylene woven sheaths and bags
• Ship shortage holds up Chinese EV sales in Europe - Auto industry ‘battling’ for car carriers faces record freight rates after dozens of vessels were scrapped in 2020 - Financial Times

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

• Answer given by Mr Breton  to a MEP written question - Reliance on Chinese supplies for the production of next generation batteries

DIGITAL & INFORMATION SOCIETY

• Case T-1078/23: Action brought on 15 November 2023 - Meta Platforms Vs. Commission
  Re: annulment of Article 2 of the European Commission’s decision C(2023) 6105 final; Article 3(9) DMA
• Case T-1079/23: Action brought on 16 November 2023 - Apple Vs. Commission
  Re: annulment of the European Commission decision of 5 September 2023, notified to Apple on 6 September 2023, reference DMA.100022; Regulation (EU) 2022/1925 and Directive (EU) 2018/1972
• Case T-1080/23: Action brought on 16 November 2023 - Apple Vs. Commission
  Re: annulment of wholly or in part Article 2(b) of the European Commission decision of 5 September 2023 and notified to Apple on 6 September 2023, reference DMA.100013, DMA.100025 and DMA.100027
• New rules to boost cybersecurity of the EU institutions enter into force - IP/23/6782
• EU urges Big Tech to promote opposition media in Belarus - Journalists claim groups including Google and Meta are ‘tools’ of Minsk’s totalitarian regime - Financial Times

AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY & JUSTICE

• Commissioner Johansson visits Greece and Cyprus to discuss migration management - Midday Express

ECB, EURO & ECONOMY

• ECB - Central bank money settlement of wholesale transactions in the face of technological innovation
• ECB publishes new statistics on the distribution of household wealth
• ECB Survey of Monetary Analysts (SMA), January 2024

FUTURE OF EUROPE

• Speech by President von der Leyen in memoriam of Jacques Delors
• Statement by President von der Leyen at the joint press conference with Prime Minister De Croo on the occasion of the College visit to the Belgian Presidency
• Charles Michel to step down early as European Council president - Plan by former Belgian PM to run for EU parliament may offer Viktor Orbán new chance to influence events in Brussels - Financial Times

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• Joint Statement by HR/VP Josep Borrell and Commissioner Elisa Ferreira on the appointment by the UN Secretary General of new Personal Envoy on Cyprus
• Answer given by Mr Várhelyi to a MEP written question - List of actions that should be imposed as a minimum on Türkiye

RUSSIAN INVASION OF UKRAINE

• Case C-681/23 P: Appeal brought on 15 November 2023 by Mikail Safarbekovich Gutseriev against the judgment of the General Court of 6 September 2023 in Case T-526/21, Gutseriev Vs. Council
  Re: annulment Council Decision 2012/642/CFSP;
• Case C-704/23 P: Appeal brought on 16 September 2023 by Tigran Khudaverdyan against the judgment of 6 September 2023 in Case T-335/22
  Re: Annulment of Council Decision (CFSP) 2022/429; Council Decision (CFSP) 2022/1530; Council Decision (CFSP) 2023/572