Europe Daily News, 23 January 2025

COMPETITION

• Judgment of the Court of 23 January 2025 in Case C-577/23; European Commission Vs. Republic of Estonia
  Re: Failure of a Member State to fulfil obligations - Article 258 TFEU - Guarantees of independence and resources of national competition authorities for the purposes of the implementation of Articles 101 and 102 TFEU - Directive (EU) 2019/1 - Failure to transpose and communicate transposition measures - Article 260(3) TFEU - Financial penalties - Application for an order for payment of a lump sum and a daily penalty payment
• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11877 - PGGM / Invesis)
• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11865 - Nissan / MitsubishiI / JV)
• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11592 - Roquette / IFF Pharma Solutions Business)
• Belgium - The Competition Authority opens ex-ante proceedings into the possible anti-competitive effects of Dossche Mills’ proposed takeover of Ceres’ artisan flour business
• UK - CMA to investigate Apple and Google's mobile ecosystems
• UK - Guidance - How the UK’s digital markets competition regime works
• UK - The CMA has cleared the anticipated acquisition by Altrad of Stork UK - See the Full text decision

STATE AID

• Judgment of the Court of 23 January 2025 in Case C‑490/23 P, Neos SpA, Vs. Ryanair DAC, European Commission, Blue panorama airlines SpA, Air Dolomiti SpA – Linee aeree regionali Europee
  Re: Appeal - State aid- Aid scheme - Measures intended to support airlines holding a national operating licence in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic - Decision by the European Commission not to raise any objections - Obligation to state reasons
• Commission finds that Polish public support for chemical company PCC is in line with State aid rules - SA.38330
  
• Authorisation for State aid pursuant to Articles 107 and 108 of the TFEU - Cases where the Commission raises no objections – SA.116082 & SA.115121

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Opinion of Advocate General Campo Sanchez-Bordona of 23 January 2025 in Case C‑782/23, ‘Tauritus’ UAB Vs. Muitinės departamentas prie Lietuvos Respublikos finansų ministerijos, intervening party: Kauno teritorinė muitinė
  Re: Preliminary ruling proceedings - Customs union - Regulation (EU) No 952/2013 - Union Customs Code - Common Customs Tariff - Customs value - Transaction value - Determination - Goods imported on the basis of a contract stating the provisional purchase price - Definitive price unknown on the date of acceptance of the customs declaration
• Agenda for: Working Party on Trade Questions - 28 January 2025
• Notice of the impending expiry of certain anti-dumping measures (Certain hot rolled stainless steel sheets and coils - Indonesia; The P.R. of China; Taiwan - Regulation (EU) 2020 /1408 - 8.10.2025)
• WTO - EU initiates dispute complaint regarding Chinese patent licensing measures
• WTO - Israel formally accepts Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies
• WTO - Proposed agenda - Dispute Settlement Body - 27 January 2025
• WTO -Viet Nam and United States notify mutually agreed solution in fish duties dispute
• UK ‘not seeking’ to join Europe trade pact, minister insists - UK cools talk of joining Pan-Euro-Mediterranean Convention after comments by EU point-man - while leaving some wiggle room - Politico.eu
• EU trade chief to Trump: Let’s deal “Our message is very clear: We are ready to engage,” Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovic tells POLITICO
• How to stop Donald Trump exporting trade wars - Distortions from US tariffs need not be disastrous - Financial Times

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

• Draft Report on services in the Internal Market - European Economic and Social Committee (EESC)

AUTOMOTIVE

• Agenda for: Technical Committee - Motor Vehicles - 28 January 2025
• Status of regulatory activities on driving automation and next steps - 03 October 2024
• State of play for in-service verification of CO2 emissions of heavy-duty vehicles - 03 October 2024
• Presentation: Heavy Duty Vehicles - OBFCM Regulation implementing Regulation (EC) 595/2009 (Euro VI) - state of play - 03 October 2024
• EU plans subsidy for electric vehicle sales to counter China - Teresa Ribera says European Commission weighing up measure demanded by Germany - Financial Times

R&D&I

• The EU is awarding €20 million in grants to 134 projects bringing scientific breakthroughs with real applications* - Midday Express
• Commissioner Zaharieva visits Bulgaria for high-level meetings on research and innovation  - Midday Express

AGRICULTURE & FISHERIES

• Agenda for: Ad Hoc Working Party on Forest Monitoring - 31 January 2025
• Agenda for: Expert Group for Agricultural Markets - Animal Products - 23 January 2025
• Minutes & Working Documents of the Meeting of the Standing Forestry Committee - 17 December 2024
• Minutes of the Meeting of the Committee for the Common Organisation of the Agricultural Markets - Horizontal Questions - 09 January 2025

ENERGY

• President von der Leyen launches Global Energy Transition Forum in Davos - Midday Express
• Targeted stakeholder survey for EU grid operators and regulators on the Pact for Engagement
• Information and maps showing weekly updates on prices of petroleum products in all EU countries as of 23 January 2025 - DG Energy
• Answer given by Mr Jørgensen to a MEP written question - Protection mechanisms and competitiveness in the wind energy sector

HEALTH, FOOD & PRODUCT SAFETY

• Opinion of Advocate General Szpunar of 23 January 2025 in Case C‑717/23, Bundesminister für Soziales, Gesundheit, Pflege und Konsumentenschutz intervening parties: Bezirkshauptmannschaft Grieskirchen, MM
  Re: Reference for a preliminary ruling - Directive 2014/40/EU - Placing on the market of tobacco products in packaging which includes unlawful elements - Concept of ‘placing on the market’ - Supply of tobacco products by a wholesaler to a retail outlet - Fine imposed on the wholesaler

  EFSA

• Avian influenza annual report 2023
• Administrative guidance for the preparation of applications on new nutrient sources
• Methodology for assessing candidate priority pests under EU Regulation 2016/2031
• Safety and efficacy of a feed additive consisting of chromium propionate (KemTRACE™ chromium) for all growing poultry species (KEMIN EUROPA N.V)
• Safety of oil from Schizochytrium limacinum (strain ATCC‐20889) for use in infant and follow‐on formula as a novel food pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2015/2283
• Nutritional safety and suitability of a specific protein hydrolysate manufactured by Fonterra Co‐operative Group Ltd derived from a whey protein concentrate and used in infant formula and follow‐on formula

TRANSPORT & MOBILITY

• Agenda for: Working Party on Land Transport - 28 January 2025
• CEF Transport: €9.5 billion requested for infrastructure projects on the trans-European transport network
• Answer given by Mr Tzitzikostas to a MEP written question - Social dumping in cross-Channel transport services
• Answer given by Mr Tzitzikostas to a MEP written question - The need to speed up development of safe and secure truck parking areas across the EU road network
• Latest figures on Ukrainian exports and imports via the EU-Ukraine Solidarity Lanes: new transport routes established in the face of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine

DIGITAL, DATA PRIVACY & CYBERSECURITY

• Agenda for: 1st Meeting of the Expert Group on Cybersecurity of Products with Digital Elements - 12 February 2025
• Proposed ENISA role to safeguard cybersecurity of health sector
• Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/105 of 22 January 2025 amending Decision 2006/771/EC updating harmonised technical conditions in the area of radio spectrum use for short-range devices and repealing Implementing Decision 2014/641/EU on harmonised technical conditions of radio spectrum use by wireless audio programme making and special events equipment in the Union

FUTURE OF EUROPE

• MEPs debate the Polish Presidency’s priorities with Prime Minister Donald Tusk
• Polish Presidency of the Council of the EU Work Programme - Working Party on Humanitarian Aid and Food Aid (COHAFA) - 01 January to 30 June 2025

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• Defence: Speech by HR/VP Kaja Kallas at the Annual Conference of the European Defence Agency
• EEAS: High Representative Kaja Kallas announces senior nominations
• Human rights breaches in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Iran and Algeria - see the EP Statement
• MEPs debate the Polish Presidency’s priorities with Prime Minister Donald Tusk
• MEPs condemn Russia’s use of disinformation to justify its war in Ukraine
• MEPs denounce the upcoming sham presidential election in Belarus