Europe Daily News, 19 February 2024

• Cyprus - Notification of concentration concerning the acquisition by Eni S.p.A. of the share capital of Tecnofilm S.p.A., via Versalis S.p.A.
• Portugal - AdC adopted a non-opposition decision in the EDPC / 17 MW merger.
• Portugal - AdC has adopted a non-opposition decision in the Draycott / Purever merger.
• Portugal - AdC adopted a non-opposition decision in the merger operation 2/2024 - Urbaser / Ecosourcing*Carmona.
• Portugal - Santogal notifies the acquisition of sole control over Mercedes-Benz Retail.
• EU to hit Apple with first ever fine in €500mn music streaming penalty - Move is culmination of long-running European Commission antitrust probe after a complaint by Spotify - Financial Times

STATE AID

• Action brought on 1 December 2023 - Huhtamaki Holding Vs. Commission (Case T-1145/23)
  
• Request for a preliminary ruling from the Consiglio di Stato (Italy) of 05 December 2023 - Duferco Italia Holding SpA, Duferco Sertubi SpA Vs. Ministero dello Sviluppo Economico and Others (Case C-747/23)
  Re: Articles 107 and 108 TFEU; Council Regulation (EU) [EC] No 659; Article 2(2)(b) of Ministerial Decree No 73/2004
• Commission approves €4 billion German State aid scheme partially funded under Recovery and Resilience Facility to help industries decarbonise production processes (SA.104880) - IP/24/845
• Answer given by EVP Vestager to a MEP written question - Possibility for the Federation of Aalborg Sports Associations (SIFA) to continue to run televised bingo (‘TV Bingo’)

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Agenda for: Meeting of the EP INTA Committee - 19 February 2024
• Agenda for: Trade Policy Committee (Experts - Services & Investment) - 21 February 2024
• Appeal brought on 26 December 2023 by European Commission against the judgment of the General Court of 18 October 2023 in Case T-402/20, Zippo Manufacturing and Others Vs. Commission (Case C-811/23 P)
  Re: Annulment of Regulation (EU) 2020/502; CN code 9613 80 00; Article 41(2)(a) of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union
• Decision No 1/2023 of the Joint Committee of the Regional Convention on pan-Euro-Mediterranean Preferential Rules of Origin of 7 December 2023 on the amendment of the Regional Convention on pan-Euro-Mediterranean preferential rules of origin
• EU and Rwanda sign a Memorandum of Understanding on Sustainable Raw Materials Value Chains - IP/24/822
• Overview of economic partnership agreements as updated on 16 February 2024
• Overview FTA negotiations as updated on 16 February 2024
• Report of the 2nd round of negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement between the European Union and Thailand - 22 to 26 January 2024
• Report of the 1st round of negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement between the European Union and Thailand - 18 to 22 September 2023
• EU-US relations after the Inflation Reduction Act, and the challenges ahead - see EPRS Study
• US says it will act if China dumps goods on global markets - Western governments fear Beijing may try to ease domestic overcapacity with cheap exports - Financial Times
• Don’t just blame the US; India is blocking WTO reform too - As Narendra Modi bids for a third term, the nation of 1.4 billion is taking multiple files hostage at the global trade body - Politico.eu

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

• Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on establishing a framework of measures for strengthening Europe’s net-zero technology products manufacturing ecosystem (Net Zero Industry Act) - Letter to the Chair of the ITRE Committee of the European Parliament
• Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on combating late payment in commercial transactions - Policy debate
• Commission opens first in-depth investigation under the Foreign Subsidies Regulation - IP/24/887
• Electronic invoicing in the EU is key to simplifying public and commercial processes within the EU and beyond, according to a new report - Midday Express
• The European Institute of Innovation and Technology Summit tomorrow will bring together Europe's largest innovation network - Midday Express
• Fortescue chair slams Germany for U-turn on EU supply chain rules - Berlin has withdrawn support for law that would punish companies for environmental abuses in distribution networks - Financial Times

FINANCE

• Commission and Belgian FSMA organise event on financial literacy - Midday Express

ENERGY

• Agenda for: Working Party on Energy (Energy Charter Treaty) - 20 February 2024
• Answer given by Ms Simson  to a MEP written question - Developing white hydrogen use for mobility and industry
• Answer given by Mr Gentiloni to a MEP written question - Energy Tax Directive’s application to electricity from renewable sources
• Acer - REMIT breach: French energy regulator (CRE) fines Engie €500,000
• Gazprom grapples with collapse in sales to Europe - Business model in tatters after biggest customer slashes Russian gas imports in wake of Ukraine war - Financial Times

DIGITAL & INFORMATION SOCIETY

• Commission opens formal proceedings against TikTok under the Digital Services Act - IP/24/926
• Answer given by EVP Vestager to a MEP written question - Funding for Huawei and threat to EU security
• Answer given by Mr Breton to a MEP  written question - Updates on the Radio Spectrum Policy Programme (RSPP)

DATA PRIVACY & CYBERSECURITY

• Agenda for: Working Party on Data Protection - 27 and 28 February 2024
• Answer given by Mr Breton to a MEP written question - Cyber attack on ETSI
• Answer given by Mr Breton to a MEP written question - Non-harmonised application of the EUCS
• Answer given by Mr Breton to a MEP written question - Revelations about the trade in sensitive personal data of European decision-makers and (military) officials through real-time bidding online advertising systems
• Answer given by Mr Reynders to a MEP written question - Revelations about the trade in sensitive personal data of European decision-makers and (military) officials through real-time bidding online advertising systems

ECB, EURO & ECONOMY

• ECB Survey of Monetary Analysts (SMA), March 2024
• Piero Cipollone: Digital euro: Debunking banks’ fears about losing deposits - ECB Blog
• Climate transition risk in the banking sector: what can prudential regulation do? - ECB Working Paper Series No.2910

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• Statement by President von der Leyen on the death of Alexei Navalny
• Joint statement by President von der Leyen and HR/VP Borrell on the death of Alexei Navalny
• Readout of the call between President Ursula von der Leyen and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak
• Common Military List of the European Union as approved by the Foreign Affairs Council on 19 February 2024
• EU and US strategies towards sub-Saharan Africa: EU-US Explainer - see EPRS Briefing
• Europe must ask: what if Biden wins in November? - Traditional allies of the US are pondering a response to Trump 2.0 but they need a plan for a Democratic election victory as well - Financial Times

RUSSIAN INVASION OF UKRAINE

• Appeal brought on 22 November 2023 by Viktor Filippovich Rashnikov against the judgment of the General Court of 13 September 2023 in Case T-305/22, Rashnikov Vs. Council (Case C-711/23 P)
  Re: Annulment of Council Decision (CFSP) 2022/429; Regulation (EU) 2022/427; Decision (CFSP) 2022/1530; Regulation (EU) 2022/1529; Decision (CFSP) 2023/572 and Regulation (EU) 2023/571
• Appeal brought on 16 November 2023 by Dmitry Alexandrovich Pumpyanskiy against the judgment of the General Court of 06 September 2023 in Case T-270/22, Pumpyanskiy Vs. Council (Case C-696/23 P)
  Re: Annulment of Decision (CFSP) 2022/397; Regulation (EU) 2022/396
• Appeal brought on 16 November 2023 by Galina Evgenyevna Pumpyanskaya against the judgment of the General Court of 06 September 2023 in Case T-272/22, Pumpyanskaya Vs. Council (Case C-695/23 P)
  Re: Annulment of Decision (CFSP) 2022/39; Regulation (EU) 2022/396
• Seize frozen Russian assets before US election, says Estonian PM - Kaja Kallas highlights European concern at how a Trump presidency could affect west’s Moscow and Ukraine policy - Financial Times
• Polymetal secures $3.7bn deal to exit from Russian business - Anglo-Russian miner rushes to leave country to avoid nationalisation - Financial Times