Europe Daily News, 08 December 2025

COMPETITION

• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11981 - AAM / Dowlais)
• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.12194 - KKR / SSCP / Infobric)
• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.12170 - CRRC / Grampet / JV)
• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.12030 - SEC / Dussur / 3D Systems / NAMI)
• Commission clears acquisition of Hillenbrand by Lone Star (M.12225) - Midday Express
• Commission clears acquisition of Invacare and DHG by Rhône Capital (M.12089) - Midday Express

STATE AID

• Action brought on 27 September 2025 - TNG Stadtnetz Vs. Commission (Case T-671/25)
  Re: Article 12, Article 15(1), Article 24(2) of Regulation (EU) 2015/1589; Article 41(1) of the EU Fundamental Rights Charter; Case SA 114187/Alleged aid to NetCOM BW.

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Action brought on 21 October 2025 - Aditya Birla Chemicals Vs. Commission (Case T-736/25)
  Re: annulment of Regulation (EU) 2025/1505; definitive anti-dumping duty, imports of epoxy resins; People’s Republic of China, Taiwan, and Thailand
• Request for a preliminary ruling from the Bundesfinanzhof of 24 September 2025 - A Vs. Hauptzollamt C (Case T-701/25)
  Re: minimum triglycerides; ‘fats and oils’, heading 1516 of the Combined Nomenclature
• Notice of the impending expiry of certain anti-dumping measures (Certain pre- and post-stressing wires and wire strands of non-alloy steel (PSC wires and strands) - Regulation (EU) 2021/1432 - 3.9.2026)
• Answer given  by Mr Hoekstra to a MEP written question - Introduction of E20 petrol and revision of the EN228 standard in the context of the EU-Mercosur Free Trade Agreement

CBAM

• Answer given by Mr Hoekstra to a MEP written question - Missing Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism benchmarks and economic risks for European companies
• EU expands carbon border tax to garden tools and washing machines - Financial Times

INTERNAL MARKET  & INDUSTRY

• Agenda for Working Party on Competitiveness & Growth (Better Regulation) -10 December 2025
• Strengthening Europe’s energy-intensive industries and securing our industrial future - Information from France, Italy, Poland, Slovakia and Spain
• Answer given by Executive Vice-President Séjourné to a MEP written question - Strengthening the free movement of services in the single market
  
• Ford CEO: Europe is risking the future of its auto industry - Setting unrealistic EV regulations only to adjust them when consumers do not show up is a recipe for turmoil - Financial Times
• The lone bread maker: Europe’s half-baked single market in services - EU countries remain reluctant to recognise qualifications from elsewhere in the bloc, causing one of many barriers to growth - Financial Times

DEFENCE INDUSTRY

• European Defence Industry Programme: Council gives final approval

PUBLIC PROCUREMENT

• EBC position paper on the revision of the EU Public Procurement Directive
• Brussels delays ‘made in Europe’ plan after backlash - Financial Times
• Backlash builds against EU Commission’s ‘Buy European’ push - Politico.eu

FINANCE

• The EBA consults on draft technical standards on prudentially material transactions under the Capital Requirements Directive
• Strong capital and profitability in EU/EEA banks in a context of increased geopolitical uncertainty and operational threats
• The EBA publishes a follow-up Peer Review on authorisation of payment institutions and electronic money institutions
• France shielding €18bn Russian asset pot from EU ‘reparations loan’ push - Financial Times

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• Consumer and environmental protection: Council approves the detergents and surfactants regulation
• Meeting of the Council (Environment) - 16 December 2025
  - 2025 Annual Progress Report on Simplification, Implementation, and Enforcement (Environment) - Information from the Commission
  - A strategic framework for a competitive and sustainable EU bioeconomy - Exchange of views - Presidency background paper with questions for Ministers
• Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats (Bern Convention): 45th meeting of the Standing Committee (Strasbourg, 8-12 December 2025)
• Answer given by Ms Roswall to a MEP written question - Nitrates derogation
• Answer given by Ms Roswall to a MEP written question - Secondary legislation under the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation EU/2025/40 

HEALTH, FOOD & PRODUCTS SAFETY

• Action brought on 4 October 2025 - Avicenn and Gillet Vs. Commission (Case T-685/25)
  Re: annulment of the ‘Commission Staff Working Document on the use of titanium dioxide in medicinal products’ SWD(2025) 244 final; authorisation of titanium dioxide (E171) in medicinal products
• EU grants access to funding for the Republic of Serbia under the EU4Health programme
• Commissioner Várhelyi holds Implementation Dialogue on high quality food safety and controls - Midday Express
• SCCS - Minutes of the Working Group meeting on Nanomaterials in Cosmetic Products of 18 November 2025
• ICCG - Minutes of the meeting of 21 November 2025
• Public consultation: Health hazards and risks of brain stimulators for non-medical purposes

DIGITAL & INFORMATION SOCIETY

• Meta commits to give EU users choice on personalised ads under DMA - Midday Express

DATA PRIVACY & CYBERSECURITY

• ENISA : What’s Driving Cybersecurity Investments and where lie the challenges?

AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY & JUSTICE

• Migration and asylum: Member states agree on solidarity pool
• Asylum policy: Council pushes ahead with EU laws on safe countries of origin and safe third countries

FUTURE OF EUROPE

• Agenda for: Meeting of the Coreper (Part.1 & Part.2) - 10, 11 & 12 December 2025
• Implementation of the Interinstitutional Agreement on Better Law-Making - State of play

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• First ever EU-Jordan summit to take place on 8 January 2026
• EU and Qatar launch Strategic Partnership negotiations - Midday Express
• The Council renewed restrictive measures in view of the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo for another year, until 12 December 2026
• Answer given by High Representative/Vice-President Kallas to a MEP written question - EU-Uzbekistan Partnership and Cooperation Agreement
• Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the EU on the alignment of certain countries concerning restrictive measures against ISIL (Da’esh) and Al-Qaeda and persons, groups, undertakings and entities associated with them
• Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the EU on the alignment of certain countries concerning restrictive measures in view of Türkiye’s unauthorised drilling activities in the Eastern Mediterranean
• Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the EU on the alignment of certain countries concerning restrictive measures in view of activities undermining the stability and political transition of Sudan
• Joint statement by High Representative Kallas and Commissioners Šuica and Lahbib on the first anniversary of the fall of the Assad regime

EU/RUSSIA/UKRAINE

• Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the EU on the alignment of certain countries concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Russia
• Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the EU on the alignment of certain countries concerning restrictive measures in view of Russia’s destabilising activities