Europe Daily News, 15 February 2024

• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11452 - Dachser  / Frigoscandia)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11444 - ERG / Apex / Project Pinnacle I)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11449 - Telefonica Brasil / Auren Comercializadora / JV)
• Commission clears the acquisition of V Sports par Atairos, NNS UK et AVI (M.11438) - Midday Express
• France - The Autorité de la concurrence fines Chocolats De Neuville for hindering its franchisees’ commercial freedom
• UK - Referral of the proposed Network Support Grant by Transport Scotland
• Start-ups worry over EU’s Big Tech crackdown - Some entrepreneurs believe there will now be less deal activity, reducing exit routes from their business - Financial Times
• Brussels open to telecoms mergers to support investment - European Commission says industry fragmentation could prevent operators reaching ‘scale needed to invest in the networks of the future’ - 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.111129 & SA.110022 
• Commission approves up to €6.9 billion of State aid by seven Member States for the third Important Project of Common European Interest in the hydrogen value chain - IP/24/789 & Statement by EVP Vestager

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Agenda for: Council of the EU (Foreign Affairs / Trade) - 25 to 29 February 2024
• Agenda for: Trade Policy Committee (Services & Investment) - 21 February 2024
• Agenda for: 5th Meeting of the Committee on Trade in Goods under the Agreement between the European Union and Japan for an Economic Partnership - 15 February 2024
• Minutes of: 48th meeting of the Customs Expert Group - Origin - 06 December 2023
• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/567 of 14 February 2024 amending Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/761 with regard to the use of digital proof of origin for products originating from Brazil and the management of tariff quotas
• Answer given by Ms Urpilainen to a MEP written question - Enhanced coordination of development finance and export credits
• WTO - Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade - Notification - European Union - Mustard seeds
• WTO - Barbados, Dominica, Senegal, Uruguay formally accept Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies
• WTO - Speech by DG Okonjo-Iweala on MC13: “We are going to get it done”
• The Baltic border loophole in EU's Russia sanctions - Customs officials in EU frontline states know that truckers are shipping banned goods into Russia — but they can’t do much about it - Politico.eu

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

• Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on common rules promoting the repair of goods and amending Regulation (EU) 2017/2394, Directives (EU) 2019/771 and (EU) 2020/1828 [2023/0083 (COD)] - Letter to the Chair of the IMCO Committee of the European Parliament
• Digital transformation in enterprises: Council adopts position on upgrading digital company law tools
  - Mandate for negotiations with the European Parliament & 4-column table
• Landmark EU legislation hangs in the balance Premium content - Directive on corporate supply chains has been thrown into uncertainty - Financial Times

FINANCE

• Agenda for: Financial Services and Banking Union (Financial Services) (Retail Investment Package) - 07 & 08 March 2024

ENERGY

• Minutes of: Committee on Ecodesign and Energy Labelling of Energy–related Products - 01 & 07 February 2024
• The Commission provides financial assistance to Estonia to support the investigation of the disruption of the Balticconnector - Midday Express
• AggregateEU launches the first mid-term call for tenders to guarantee the stability and predictability of energy supply - Midday Express

 ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• Minutes of: 18th invasive alien species (IAS) Committee meeting - 26 January 2024
• Greenwashing: how EU firms can validate their green claims - See the EP Statement & Compromise Amendments
• Textiles and food waste reduction: New EU rules to support circular economy - See the EP Statement & Compromise Amendments
• Answer given by Mr Hoekstra to a MEP written question - Risk of carbon leakage threatening Mediterranean ports

HEALTH, FOOD & PRODUCT SAFETY

• Agenda for: Working Party on Pharmaceuticals & Medical Devices - 21 February 2024
• Agenda for: 5th Meeting of the Committee on Health Technology Assessment - 23 February 2024
• Agenda for: Meeting of the Standing Committee on Veterinary Medicinal Products - 22 February 2024
• Agenda for: Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed
  - Section: "Animal health & animal welfare" - 21 February 2024
  - Section: "Controls & import conditions" - 22 February 2024
• Minutes of: 4th Meeting of the Committee on Health Technology Assessment - 26 January 2024
• Answer given by Ms Kyriakides to a MEP written question - Finland’s proposed ban on the cross-border distance selling of tobacco products

DIGITAL & INFORMATION SOCITY

• Answer given by Mr Breton to a MEP written question - Very large online platforms and the use of AI systems aimed at children – Snapchat’s MyAI and the Digital Services Act (DSA)
• BEREC delegation learns about digital transformation in Brazil - 12 February 2024
• The EU’s online content rulebook isn’t ready for primetime - As the European election looms, internal rivalries and strained resources risk kneecapping the Digital Services Act - Politico.eu

TRANSPORT & MOBILITY

• InvestEU supports EIB investment to make Italian road infrastructure safer and more resilient to climate-related challenges - IP/24/841
• Transport Committee pushes for “greener” trucks and buses - See the EP Statement

DATA PRIVACY & CYBERSECURITY

• EDPB clarifies notion of main establishment and calls on EU legislators to make sure CSAM Regulation respects rights to privacy and data protection
  - Statement 1/2024 on legislative developments regarding the Proposal for a Regulation laying down rules to prevent and combat child sexual abuse
  - Opinion 04/2024 on the notion of main establishment of a controller in the Union under Art. 4.16(a) GDPR
• Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Decision 2009/917/JHA as regards its alignment with Union rules on the protection of personal data 

AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY & JUSTICE

• Proposal for a Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 2013/34/EU as regards the time limits for the adoption of sustainability reporting standards for certain sectors and for certain third-country undertakings - Letter to the Chair of the JURI Committee of the European Parliament
• Child sexual abuse: Council and European Parliament agree to prolong protection measure
• Commissioner Johansson in Moldova to strengthen cooperation on border security and child safety online - Midday Express

ECB, EURO & ECONOMY

• Winter 2024 Economic Forecast: A delayed rebound in growth amid faster easing of inflation - IP/24/730 & Statement by Commissioner Gentiloni
• Updated Ukraine Recovery and Reconstruction Needs Assessment Released - IP/24/801
• Answer given by McGuinness to a MEP written question - The digital euro
• Mortgage borrowing limits and house prices: evidence from a policy change in Ireland - ECB Working Paper Series No.2909
• Speech by Christine Lagarde: Hearing of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs of the European Parliament 

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• College members at the Munich Security Conference to boost EU's role in security and defence - Midday Express
• GOB and EU reinforce their partnership by signing a Green Growth, Trade, Border Management Programme
• EULINK/Rawabet Project: A milestone achieved in securing Libya's Coastal Road and fostering unity