Europe Daily News, 05 April 2024

COMPETITION

• Agenda for Working Party on Competition - 15 April 2024
• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11462 - CBK / Evog / JV)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11283 - Lone Star Funds / Eriks)
• Withdrawal of notification of a concentration (Case M.11419 - Open Pass/ Fortenova Group)
• Czech Republic - Another feed distributor banned lower prices, will pay over CZK 8 million for restricting competition
• Lithuania - The Ministry of Transport and Communications complies with the Competition Council's obligation to amend rules applicable to rail freight carriers 
• Portugal - AdC sanctions national company for anti-competitive practices in the labor market
• EU antitrust regulators scrap probe into fashion designers - Reuters

STATE AID

• Authorisation for State aid pursuant to Articles 107 and 108 of the TFEU - Cases where the Commission raises no objections – SA.112832
• Commission finds investment support to certain large Czech agricultural companies to be incompatible State aid (SA.50787 & SA.50837) - IP/24/1804
• EFTA-ESA approves new amendment to Norwegian CO2 compensation scheme

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Agenda for: Meeting of the Trade Policy Committee (Deputy Members) - 11 April 2024
• Agenda for: 43rd meeting of the Customs Expert Group - Data Integration & Harmonization - 18 April 2023
• Agenda for: 61st meeting of the Customs Expert Group - Tariff & Statistical Nomenclature, Section HS/WCO Coordination Sector - 02 & 03 May 2024
• Minutes of: 14th meeting of Valuation Section of the Customs Expert Group - 14 November 2023
• Minutes of: 13th meeting of Valuation Section of the Customs Expert Group - 25 April 2023
• Minutes of: 60th meeting of the Customs Expert Group -Tariff & Statistical Nomenclature, Section HS/WCO Coordination Sector - 12 & 14 February 2024
• Minutes of: 42nd meeting of the Customs Expert Group - Data Integration & Harmonization - 01 February 2024
• Report of 4th meeting of Outbound Investment Expert Group - 08 March 2024
• EU and US continue strong trade and technology cooperation at a time of global challenges - IP/24/1827 & Joint Statement
  • Joint declaration Enhancing eInvoicing interoperability between the EU and the United States - Annex1
  • Joint EU-US Catalogue of Best Practices on Green Public Procurement - Annex 2 
• EU and international partners agree to expand cooperation on critical raw materials - IP/24/1807, QaA & FactSheet
• EU-SADC EPA - Joint Monitoring Report 2016-2021 & Executive Summary
• Study in support of an ex-post evaluation of CETA between the EU and its Member States and Canada - Main Report - Draft Inception Report & Annexes - 04 April 2024
• WTO - Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures - Notification - European Union - Novel foods : engineered nanomaterials
• Yellen says US will protect green tech from China competition - Trade barriers not ruled out by Treasury secretary ahead of talks with Beijing officials - Financial Times

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

• Agenda for: 6th meeting of the COM Expert Group on Machinery - 12 April 2024
• Agenda for: Working Party on Technical Harmonisation (Safety of Toys) - 15 April 2024
• European Commission examines complaint about Hungary's tax on foreign retailers - Reuters

FINANCE

• EU Listing Rules need to offer more effective support for SMEs, investment industry surveys find

ENERGY

• EU-Australia agree on importance of energy cooperation
• Engaging citizens and local communities in the solar revolution - An Update - April 2024 - see the CAN Report

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• Agenda for: Working Party on the Environment - 08,09,10,11& 12 April 2024
• Agenda for: Meeting of the Climate Change Committee - 17 April 2024

HEALTH, FOOD & PRODUCT SAFETY

• Proposal for a Council Decision on the positions to be taken on behalf of the European Union at the tenth session of the Conference of the Parties to the World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC)
• SCCS - Final Opinion on Benzophenone - 4
• SCCS - Preliminary Opinion open for comments on Triphenyl phosphate (CAS No. 204-112-2, EC No. 115-86-6) - deadline: 2 June 2024
• EFSA - Peer review of the pesticide risk assessment of the active substance clove oil
• EFSA - Scientific Opinion - Safety evaluation of an extension of use of the food enzyme 4‐α‐glucanotransferase from the non‐genetically modified Aeribacillus pallidus strain AE‐SAS
• EFSA - Scientific Opinion - Safety assessment of the substance ‘phosphorous acid, triphenyl ester, polymer with 1,4‐cyclohexanedimethanol and polypropylene glycol, C10–16 alkyl esters’, for use in food contact materials
• EFSA - Scientific Opinion - Pest categorisation of Eulecanium giganteum
• EFSA - Scientific Report - Drivers for a pandemic due to avian influenza and options for One Health mitigation

DIGITAL & INFORMATION SOCIETY

• Agenda for: 14th Meeting of the Web Accessibility Directive Expert Group - 17 April 2024
• Minutes of : 1st meeting of the Article 5(2) Subgroup of the High Level Group for the Digital Markets Act - 05 February 2024

TRANSPORT & MOBILITY

• The Belgian presidency outlines the future of European mobility in a Brussels Declaration
• Clean power for transport in the spotlight at European Network Event

AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY & JUSTICE

• Italy seizes assets worth €600mn in connection with alleged EU fraud - Multinational raids lead to 22 arrests co-ordinated by European Public Prosecutor’s Office - Financial Times & Politico.eu

ECB, EURO & ECONOMY

• ECB - Euro area bank interest rate statistics: February 2024 

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• Agenda for: Working Party on European Free Trade Association (EFTA) - 09 April 2024
• Joint Statement by Commission EVP Maroš Šefčovič and Foreign Minister of Spain José Manuel Albares
• European Peace Facility: Council adopts assistance measures in support of the Republic of Moldova and Ghana
• Commission statement on Israeli commitments related to the opening of further humanitarian aid access points - IP/24/1863
• Commission welcomes political agreement on the €6 billion Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans - IP/24/1688

EU SANCTIONS MEASURES

• Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/1033 of 4 April 2024 implementing Regulation (EU) No 359/2011 concerning restrictive measures directed against certain persons, entities and bodies in view of the situation in Iran
• Council Decision (CFSP) 2024/1019 of 4 April 2024 amending Decision 2011/235/CFSP concerning restrictive measures directed against certain persons and entities in view of the situation in Iran
• Council Regulation (EU) 2024/1034 of 4 April 2024 amending Regulation (EU) 2020/1998 concerning restrictive measures against serious human rights violations and abuses
• Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/1050 of 4 April 2024 implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1998 concerning restrictive measures against serious human rights violations and abuses
• Council Decision (CFSP) 2024/1025 of 4 April 2024 amending Decision (CFSP) 2020/1999 concerning restrictive measures against serious human rights violations and abuses