Europe Daily News, 27 November 2025

COMPETITION 

• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11812 - Methanex / OCI Methanol Business)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.12183 - Blackstone / Amtrust / MGA Business)
• Summary notice concerning the initiation of an in-depth investigation in case FSP.103117 pursuant to Articles 10(3)(d) of Regulation (EU) 2022/2560
• France - The competition authority has published its Nov. 6 decision to impose a €4.7 million fine on medical tech service Doctolib
• Germany - The Bundeskartellamt has cleared plans by NOZ/mh:n Mediengruppe to take over Ostfriesischer Kurier GmbH and Soltau-Kurier-Vertrieb GmbH
• Germany - Monitoring Report 2025: competition remains anchor of stability for energy markets
• Latvia - CC: Barriers and market concentration in the scrap metal sector create Long-term risks to competition
• Latvia - In response to issues identified in the market, the Competition Council developed informative material to promote consistency in payment practices in accordance with the Prohibition of Unfair Trading Practices Law

STATE AID

• Opinion of Advocate General Rantos of 27 November 2025 in Case C‑337/24 P, Kingdom of Denmark Vs. European Commission
  Re: Appeal - State aid - Denmark - Public financing of the Fehmarn Belt fixed rail-road link - Measures granted by Denmark to the public undertaking Femern - Decision classifying those measures as ‘State aid’ - Article 107(1) TFEU - Concepts of ‘undertaking’ and ‘economic activity’ - Exercise of public powers - Activities involving the construction and operation of the Fixed Link in accordance with a business model - Existence of competing undertakings on the market for rail and road transport services across the Fehmarn Belt
• Authorisation for State aid pursuant to Articles 107 and 108 of the TFEU - Cases where the Commission raises no objections – SA.115362, SA.119788 & SA.120500
• Answer given by EVP Ribera to a MEP written question - Impact of the Court of Justice of the European Union ‘Paks II ruling’ on Polish nuclear State aid assessment
• Answer given by EVP Ribera to a MEP written question - Commission folly: damaging the steel industry’s competitiveness with regulations and then saving it with public aid

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Opinion of Advocate General Brkan of 26 November 2025 in Case T‑589/24, A-GmbH Vs. Hauptzollamt C
  Re: Reference for a preliminary ruling - Customs union - Customs code - Regulations (EEC) No 2913/92 and (EU) No 952/2013 - Outward processing procedure - Partial relief from import duties - Placement for export at a customs office not designated in the authorisation and located in a Member State other than that which granted the authorisation - Crude groundnut oil
• Minutes of the Expert Group on responsible sourcing of tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold - 13 November 2025
• Major seizures of hazardous toys by EU customs authorities under OLAF’s lead - Press release no. 31/2025
• Top EU official accuses US of ‘blackmail’ in trade talks - Renewed U.S. pressure for the EU to recalibrate its digital rules is unacceptable, says Teresa Ribera - Politico.eu

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

• Preparation of the Council (Competitiveness (Internal Market, Industry, Research and Space)) on 8-9 December 2025
  - Regulation on the safety, resilience and sustainability of space activities in the Union (EU Space Act) - Progress report & Policy debate
  - Horizon Europe Package: Framework Programme for Research and Innovation 2028-2034 - Policy debate

AUTOMOTIVE

• Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 2014/32/EU as regards electric vehicle supply equipment, compressed gas dispensers, and electricity, gas and thermal energy meters - Letter to the Chair of the IMCO Committee of the European Parliament
• Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Directive 96/53/EC laying down for certain road vehicles circulating within the Community the maximum authorised dimensions in national and international traffic and the maximum authorised weights in international traffic - General approach

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

• Opinion of Advocate General Emiliou of 27 November 2025 in Case C‑412/24, Fauré Le Page Maroquinier SAS, Fauré Le Page Paris SAS Vs.Goyard ST-Honoré SAS
  Re: Reference for a preliminary ruling - Trade marks - Directive 2008/95/EC - Article 3 - Grounds for refusal or invalidity of a trade mark - Article 3(1)(g) - Misleading trade marks - Trade marks mentioning a year - Luxury leather goods such as handbags - Trade marks allegedly deceiving the public as to the year of establishment of their proprietor
• Judgment of the General Court of 26 November 2025 in Case T‑632/24, European Federation of Financial Analysts’ Societies (EFFAS), Vs. EU Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), CFA Institut
  Re: EU trade mark - Opposition proceedings - Application for EU figurative mark CEFA EFFAS Certified European Financial Analyst - Earlier EU word mark CFA - Relative ground for refusal - Likelihood of confusion - Article 8(1)(b) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1001 - Absence of peaceful coexistence
• 35th Session of the WIPO Committee on Development and Intellectual Property (CDIP), Geneva, 17–21 November 2025 – Final EU/Member States statements

FINANCE

• Payment services: Council and Parliament agree to step up the fight against fraud and increase transparency
• Payment services deal: More protection from online fraud and hidden fees - See the EP Resolution

TAXATION

• Opinion of Advocate General Szpunar of 27 November 2025 in Case C‑565/24, P-GmbH & Co. KG Vs. Finanzamt Q
  Re: Reference for a preliminary ruling - Taxation - Common system of VAT - Directive 77/388/EEC - Article 17 - Right to deduct input tax due or paid - Article 26 - Special scheme for travel agents - Scope - Excursions combined with sale of goods - Margin taxation - Negative margin - No right to deduct
• Judgment of the General Court of 26 November 2025 in Case T‑657/24, Versãofast, Unipessoal, Lda. Vs. Autoridade Tributária e Aduaneira
  Re: Reference for a preliminary ruling - Common system of VAT - Article 135(1)(b) of Directive 2006/112/EC - Exemptions for other activities - Negotiation of credit - Activities of a credit intermediary - Classification
• Judgment of the General Court of 26 November 2025 in Case T‑690/24, Inspecteur van de Douane Vs. FL,
  Re: Reference for a preliminary ruling - Taxation - Excise duties - Directive 2008/118/EC - Article 10(2) and (4) of Directive 2008/118 - Occurrence of an irregularity during a movement of excise goods - Movement of goods under a duty suspension arrangement - Detection of the irregularity during the movement - Quantity of missing goods detected when unloading the means of transport
• Investigation Nebula: EPPO uncovers multimillion VAT fraud in Croatia and Italy with links to Italian organised criminal group

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• Commission proposes targeted adjustments to the Market Stability Reserve Decision to support a smoother start for ETS2
• Commission presents new Bioeconomy Strategy to drive green growth, competitiveness and resilience across Europe - Q&A and Working Document
• MEPs voted to simplify the EU’s deforestation law, which was adopted in 2023 to ensure products sold in the EU are not sourced from deforested land
• Twenty-third session of the Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the Convention (CRIC 23) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) (Panama City, Panama, 1–5 December 2025) - First EU coordination -  30 November 2025

AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY & JUSTICE

• E-commerce scandals: MEPs want faster enforcement and dissuasive sanctions - See the EP Resolution
• MEPs are calling for ambitious EU action to protect minors online, including an EU-wide minimum age of 16 and bans on the most harmful addictive practices - See the EP Resolution 

ECB, EURO & ECONOMY

• MEPs adopt 2026 EU budget: focus on competitiveness, research and security - See the EP Resolution

INSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

• Figures concerning the population of the Union and the population of each Member State for implementing the provisions concerning qualified majority voting in the Council - See Council Decision (EU, Euratom) 2025/2427 of 17 November 2025 amending the Council’s Rules of Procedure
• MEPs adopt position on new rules to make third-country lobbying more transparent

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• Main results of the Conference of foreign affairs ministers, 26 November 2025
  - Press conference by High Representative Kaja Kallas
• EU-India: Joint Press Release on the 11th Foreign Policy and Security Consultations and the 6th Strategic Partnership Review Meeting in Brussels
• The Arctic region should remain governed by the principles of international law, say MEPs, who call on the EU to assume a robust, security-oriented strategy - See the EP Resolution
• Answer given by Ms Albuquerque to a MEP written question - Commission claims regarding the negative consequences of EU sanctions on the Iranian people
• Europe thinks the unthinkable: Retaliating against Russia - Countries are looking at joint offensive cyber operations and surprise military drills as Moscow steps up its campaign to destabilize NATO allies - Politico.eu