Europe Daily News, 20 February 2024

STATE AID

• Answer given by EVP Vestager to a MEP written question - Follow-up question on unlawful state aid for the acquisition of land
• Answer given by EVP Vestager to a MEP written question - Request for the publication of data on the amount of State aid granted under the Temporary Crisis and Transition Framework

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Establishing the Union Customs Code and the European Union Customs Authority, and repealing Regulation (EU) No 952/2013 - see the Draft report / Draft recommendation; Amendments 133 - 434 & Compromise amendments at the Agenda of the Meeting of the EP IMCO Committee - 22 February 2024
  
• Proposal for a Council Decision on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union in the EU-CTC Joint Committee established by the Convention of 20 May 1987 on a common transit procedure as regards amendments to that Convention
• Commission notice concerning the application of the transitional rules of origin providing for diagonal cumulation between the applying Contracting Parties in the pan-Euro-Mediterranean (PEM) zone
• Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2024/634 of 14 December 2023 amending Delegated Regulation (EU) 2015/2446 as regards the proof of the customs status of Union goods and the customs formalities relating to electronic cargo sensor devices
• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/635 of 2 February 2024 amending Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/2447 as regards the means of proof of the customs status of Union goods and certain provisions relating to Union transit procedures
• Provisional list of National Competent Authorities (NCAs) for the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism as of 20 February 2024

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

• Agenda for: Working Party on Competitiveness & Growth (Internal Market) - 22 February 2024
  - The 2024 Annual Single Market and Competitiveness Report - Presidency note for discussion
• The Single Market Love Story: 10 digital actions to save the 30-year marriage - see the DigitalEurope Report
• Provisional agreement resulting from interinstitutional negotiations: Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the transparency and integrity of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) rating activities at the Agenda of the EP ECON Committee on 22 February 2024

CHEMICAL

• ECHA - Minutes of the 85th Meeting of the Member State Committee (MSC-85) - 13 February 2024
• Chemical pollution victims’ voices ignored for a European Industrial Deal - see the EEB Statement

TAXATION

• Member States update EU list of non-cooperative tax jurisdictions - Midday Express
• New rules came into force on 1 January to help Member States better tackle VAT fraud in the area of online sales
• Draft report / Draft recommendation by MEP Kira Marie Peter-Hansen on Proposal for a Council Directive on transfer pricing - see the Amendments 45 - 208

EMPLOYMENT & SOCIAL POLICY

• A fixed-term worker must be informed of the reasons for the termination of his or her employment contract with a notice period where the provision of such information is required for a permanent worker (See CPR No.29/2024 - Judgment of the Court in Case C-715/20 - X (Lack of reasons for termination))
• Summary of the "annual implementation reports" for the operational programmes co-financed by the Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived in 2021
• Commissioner Schmit to participate in European Year of Skills events to strengthen skills development and highlight vocational education and training champions - Midday Express

AGRICULTURE & FISHERIES

• European funding for Ukraine chicken magnate angers farmers - Development bank has poured nearly $1bn into large agribusinesses in war-torn country - Financial Times

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• Climate action: Council and Parliament agree to establish an EU carbon removals certification framework
• Commission welcomes political agreement on EU-wide certification scheme for carbon removals - IP/24/885
• Regulation (EU) 2024/573 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 February 2024 on fluorinated greenhouse gases, amending Directive (EU) 2019/1937 and repealing Regulation (EU) No 517/2014
• Regulation (EU) 2024/590 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 February 2024 on substances that deplete the ozone layer, and repealing Regulation (EC) No 1005/2009
• EESC urges to tackle the microplastic pollution from plastic pellets
• ExxonMobil warns EU that red tape might push it to invest elsewhere - US energy giant says Brussels needs to cut its climate-related regulatory burden to draw private funding - Financial Time

DIGITAL & INFORMATION SOCIETY

• Digital Europe Programme open to Moldova - Midday Express

AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY & JUSTICE

• Statement by Commissioner Reynders, on the second meeting of the 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
• Vice-President Dubravka Šuica in Poland to unblock remaining obstacles regarding the relocation of Ukrainian children and facilitate additional child protection measures - Midday Express

ECB, EURO & ECONOMY

• Report from experts on Cohesion Policy proposes ways to maximise the effectiveness and impact of Cohesion Policy in the future - IP/24/826
• Commission endorses positive preliminary assessment of Czechia's second payment request for €702 million under the Recovery and Resilience Facility - IP/24/891
  
• Is the EU’s Covid recovery fund failing? - After initial success, doubts over the rescue plan’s ability to deliver higher growth in the long term are starting to set in - Financial Times

FUTURE OF EUROPE

• European elections 2024: Rules of a pan-European democratic event - see the EP Briefing
• Von der Leyen kicks off campaign for second term at Brussels’ helm - European Commission president to pledge to boost defence spending, business competitiveness and green policies - Financial Times
• Faultlines divide parties on Europe’s nationalist right - Groups outside the conservative mainstream may prosper in the EU’s June elections, but they disagree on key policy issues - Financial Times

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• Main results - Foreign Affairs Council, 19 February 2024
• Council Decision (CFSP) 2024/645 of 19 February 2024 in support of strengthening biological safety and security in Latin America in line with the implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1540 (2004) on non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery
• Council Regulation (EU) 2024/669 of 19 February 2024 amending Regulation (EC) No 2580/2001 on specific restrictive measures directed against certain persons and entities with a view to combating terrorism
• Council Decision (CFSP) 2024/628 of 19 February 2024 amending Common Position 2001/931/CFSP on the application of specific measures to combat terrorism
• Security and freedom of navigation in the Red Sea: Council launches EUNAVFOR ASPIDES - see Council Decision (CFSP) 2024/632
• Commissioner Urpilainen attends the first session of the Africa, Caribbean and Pacific - EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly in Angola under the Samoa Agreement - Midday Express
• Russia: Statement by the HR/VP Borrell on behalf of the European Union on the death of Alexei Navalny
• EU provides €83 million in humanitarian aid to support people in Ukraine and in Moldova - IP/24/825
• Belarus: Council conclusions confirm EU’s unwavering support for democracy and human rights
• Humanitarian action: EU introduces further exception to sanctions

RUSSIAN INVASION OF UKRAINE

• Council Decision (CFSP) 2024/633 of 19 February 2024 amending Decision (CFSP) 2022/266 concerning restrictive measures in response to the illegal recognition, occupation or annexation by the Russian Federation of certain non-government controlled areas of Ukraine
• FAQs on sanctions against Russia and Belarus, with focus on the following provision: Article 3q of Council Regulation (EU) No 833/2014 - Tanker sales
• Guidance for EU operators: Implementing enhanced due diligence to shield against Russia sanctions circumvention
• Consolidated version of the FAQs on sanctions against Russia and Belarus