Europe Daily News, 25 July 2024

COMPETITION

• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11636 - CVC / Waldakt / Resurs)
• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11607 - Goldman Sachs / Groupe Crystal)
• Commission clears acquisition of Alps Logistics by Logisteed and Alps Alpine (M.11588) - Midday Express
• Commission closes antitrust investigation into EPEX Spot SE's conduct in the electricity intraday trading market (AT.40700) - Midday Express
• IAG takeover of Air Europa in peril as EU officials signal concern - 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.114343 & SA.57756
• Commission approves €1.5 billion French State aid scheme to support sustainable biomethane production to foster the transition to a net-zero economy (SA.108792)
• Commission approves amendment to 2022-2027 regional State aid map for Bulgaria (SA.114536) - Midday Express

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Agenda for: Working Party on Customs Union (Directors General of Customs) - 05 September 2024
• Notice of initiation of an anti-dumping proceeding concerning imports of glyoxylic acid originating in the People’s Republic of China (CN code ex 2918 30 00) 
• EU and Singapore conclude negotiations for landmark Digital Trade Agreement - see the Joint Statement
• Latest EU agri-food trade balance remains higher than last year - Midday Express
• WTO - Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade - Notification - European Union - Pesticides - Metribuzin
• WCO Secretary General addresses G7 Industry Stakeholders
• Western companies are still fuelling Putin’s war machine - Governments can and should make export controls on Russia far more effective - Financial Times

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

• Commission takes action to ensure complete and timely transposition of EU directives
• Commission enforcement of EU law in 2023 brings benefits to people and businesses - see the Annual Report
• Commission decides to refer Belgium to the Court of Justice of the EU for not complying with the Services Directive

FINANCE

• Answer given by Ms McGuinness to a MEP written question - Türkiye uses puppet bank to engage in expansionism, discrimination and dumping
• ESMA sets out its long-term vision on the functioning of the Sustainable Finance Framework

TAXATION

• Minutes of the 21st meeting Expert Group on the implementation of the legislative package to exchange and transmit payment data to combat VAT fraud (CESOP Expert Group) - 11 April 2024
• Commission decides to refer Belgium to the Court of Justice of the EU for failing to eliminate discriminatory conditions for tax exemption of remuneration received from savings deposits

EMPLOYMENT & SOCIAL POLICY

• The Commission decides to refer Italy to the Court of Justice of the EU as regards the rights of mobile EU workers to receive family benefits
• The Commission decides to refer Germany to the Court of Justice of the EU as regards the rights of mobile EU workers to receive family benefits
• The European Commission decides to refer Bulgaria to the Court of Justice of the EU for restrictions of the temporary provision of social services
• The European Commission decides to refer Greece to the Court of Justice of the EU for non-compliance with the EU legislation on the recognition of professional qualifications

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• Commission decides to refer Greece to the Court of Justice of the EU for failing to adequately collect and treat urban waste water
• Commission decides to refer Belgium to the Court of Justice of the EU for failing to take sufficient action on nitrate pollution
• Commission decides to refer France to the Court of Justice of the EU for failing to comply with the Drinking Water Directive
• Commission decides to refer France to the Court of Justice of the EU for failing to adopt noise action plans

HEALTH, FOOD & PRODUCT SAFETY

• Agenda for: Working Party on Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices - 06 September 2024
• Agenda for: Working Party on Public Health - 05 September 2024

DIGITAL & INFORMATION SOCIETY

• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/2000 of 24 July 2024 amending Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1070 to rationalise reporting on its application and to enable the usage of active antenna systems
• Commission decides to refer Bulgaria to the Court of Justice of the European Union for failing to incorporate the European Accessibility Act into national law

DATA PRIVACY & CYBERSECURITY

• The latest Commission report showed that the General Data Protection Regulation continues to deliver, though enforcement in key areas should be improved - Midday Express

AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY & JUSTICE

• Commission decides to refer Hungary to the Court for failing to correctly transpose rules on the right of access to a lawyer and to communicate upon arrest
• Commission decides to refer Czechia to the Court for failing to correctly transpose rules on the right of access to a lawyer and to communicate upon arrest
• Commission decides to refer Bulgaria to the Court for failing to correctly transpose rules on the right to information in criminal proceedings
• Brussels warns Meloni over press freedom in Italy - Financial Times

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

 ISRAEL/PALESTINE

• Answer given by Mr Várhelyi to a MEP written question - Evidence of antisemitic, violence- and hatred-inciting conduct by UNRWA teachers
  Answer given by HR/VP Borrell to a MEP written question -Developments concerning Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories
• Answer given by HR/VP Borrell to a MEP written question -Palestinian communities forcibly transferred in the West Bank

RUSSIAN INVASION OF UKRAINE

• Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the EU on the alignment of certain countries with Council Decision (CFSP) 2024/1779 concerning restrictive measures against cyberattacks threatening the Union or its Member States
• EU ‘ready’ to negotiate as Hungary-Ukraine oil row boils over - The European Commission also said it doesn’t see any ‘immediate’ oil supply risks after Ukraine partially banned Russian oil exports to Europe - Politico.eu
• Rampant sanctions busting is overwhelming EU frontline states, Latvia says - “There’s a serious problem” with enforcement of wartime bans, Foreign Minister Baiba Braže tells POLITICO. - Politico.eu