Europe Daily News, 26 January 2024

STATE AID

• Authorisation for State aid pursuant to Articles 107 and 108 of the TFEU - Cases where the Commission raises no objections – SA.110037 & SA.103445
• Communication from the Commission - Update of data used to calculate financial sanctions proposed by the Commission to the Court of Justice of the European Union in infringement proceedings
• State aid: Practical guidance on how to assess the existence of aid for risk finance measures - Midday Express

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Minutes of the 251st meeting of the Customs Code Committee - Tariff & Statistical Nomenclature (Sub-Section Agriculture / Chemistry) - 11th & 12th December 2023
• Council Decision (EU) 2024/407 of 23 January 2024 establishing the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union in the World Trade Organization’s 13th Ministerial Conference on the accession of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste to the WTO
• Monthly information on imports from Moldova and from all third countries of agricultural products subject to Tariff Rate Quotas applicable to imports from Moldova under the EU-Moldova Association Agreement - December 2023
• Monthly information on imports from Ukraine and from all third countries of agricultural products subject to Tariff Rate Quotas applicable to imports from Ukraine under the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement - December 2023
• Joint Report of the 10th Meeting EU-Moldova Association Committee in Trade Configuration - 05 & 06 October 2023
• Answer given by Mr Gentiloni to a MEP written question - Security issues related to scanning equipment at the EU’s external borders
• A climate-denier Milei and a hypocritical EU-Mercosur pact - see Friends of Earth Position Paper
• The European Biodiesel Board (EBB) moves focus to Anti-dumping Case
• Indonesia seeks EU trade deal to compete against Vietnamese footwear
• EU delegates to visit India in February for FTA discussions
• Kenya blushes as EAC-EU trade agreements clash
• EU, Thailand eye ambitious trade deal 

FINANCE

• The EBA publishes its heatmap following scrutiny of the interest rate risk in the banking book 

ENERGY

• Judgment of the Court of 25 January 2024 in Case C‑277/22, Global NRG Kereskedelmi és Tanácsadó Zrt. Vs. Magyar Energetikai és Közmű-szabályozási Hivatal, intervening party: FGSZ Földgázszállító Zrt.,
  Re: Reference for a preliminary ruling - Internal market in natural gas - Directive 2009/73/EC - Article 41(17) - Natural gas transmission system - National regulatory authority - Fixing of system usage charges and connection fees - Fixing of remuneration for any services provided by the system operator - Concept of ‘a party affected by a decision of a regulatory authority’ - Appeal against that decision - Right to an effective remedy - Article 47 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union
• Europe accelerates power exports from fast-growing solar, wind markets - Reuters

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• Agenda for: Working Party on the Environment - 29 and 30 January 2024
• Answer given by Mr Sinkevičius to a MEP written question -  Preservation of the Spanish greenish black-tip butterfly
• Answer given by Mr Sinkevičius to a MEP written question - The right to safe drinking water and supply problems in the north of Córdoba
• Answer given by Mr Sinkevičius to a MEP written question - The serious consequences of installing a Floating Storage Regasification Unit in Pagasitikos Gulf

HEALTH, FOOD & PRODUCT SAFETY

• Agenda for: Att. Working Party on Pharmaceuticals & Medical Devices - 30 January 2024
• WHO - 154th Session of the Executive Board
  - Item 6 – Universal Health Coverage - EU Statement
  - Item 7 – Follow-up to the political declaration of the third high-level meeting of the General Assembly on the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases - EU Statement
• Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) …/... of 23.1.2024 supplementing Directive (EU) No 2020/2184 of the European Parliament and of the Council by establishing harmonised specifications for the marking of products that come into contact with water intended for human consumption - see the Annex
• Commission authorises and renews GMOs for food and animal feed - Midday Express
• EMA has published an overview of its key recommendations of 2023 regarding the authorisation and safety monitoring of veterinary medicines
• EMA has released a major revision of its user guide for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the pharmaceutical sector
• ECDC - Interim COVID-19 vaccination coverage in the EU/EEA during the 2023–24 season campaigns - see the Statement
• EFSA - Scientific Report - Scientific and technical assistance to the evaluation of the safety of calcidiol monohydrate as a novel food
• EFSA - Scientific Opinion - Commodity risk assessment of Petunia spp. and Calibrachoa spp. unrooted cuttings from Guatemala
• EFSA - Pest survey card on Dryocosmus kuriphilus

TRANSPORT & MOBILITY

• New report comparing air traffic management performance in Europe and the United States published
• Answer given by Ms Valean to a MEP written question - Smart tachograph shortage making it impossible to comply with the rules of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/1228
• Answer given by Ms Valean to a MEP written question - The high death toll on EU roads

DIGITAL & INFORMATION SOCIETY

• EU digital rules will worsen iPhone user experience, claims Apple App Store boss - Schiller’s criticism comes as company announces moves to open up mobile software and cut fees for app developers - Financial Times
  

DATA PRIVACY & CYBERSECURITY

• Joint Statement by Vice-President Jourová and Commissioner Reynders ahead of Data Protection Day
• EDPS assesses privacy impact of Regulation to combat migrant smuggling and human trafficking - See Opinion 4/2024

AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY & JUSTICE

• Commission proposes to hold a structured dialogue on the implementation by Spain of the recommendation of the rule of law report related to the Spanish National Council for the Judiciary
• “« Never again » is now”, President von der Leyen says ahead of International Day of Holocaust Remembrance 

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• EP In-Depth Study - Multilateral financial assistance to Ukraine - January 2024
• Rebuilding a safer future: the EU and Lithuania provide EUR 15.5 million for school shelters in Ukraine
• EU and World Bank support Ukraine’s small farmers via a stronger Partial Credit Guarantee Fund in Agriculture (PCGF)
• OSCE Forum for Security Co-operation N°1067 Vienna, 24 January 2024 - EU Statement on Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine