Europe Daily News, 15 December 2025

COMPETITION

• Appeal brought on 29 August 2025 by Brasserie Nationale (formerly Brasseries Funck-Bricher and Bofferding) and Munhowen SA against the judgment of the General Courtof 2 July 2025 in Case T-289/24, Brasserie Nationale and Munhowen Vs. Commission (Case C-572/25 P)
  Re: annulment of the Commission decision by which the Commission had accepted the referral request made by the Competition Authority, Luxembourg; Article 22(1) of Regulation 139/ 2004
• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.12181 - Škoda Transportation / Tata Autocomp / JV)
• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.12211 - Axpo Italia / Canarbino / JV)
• Commission clears acquisition of Myrium by Atalante (M.12223) - Midday Express
• Commission clears creation of joint venture by Hangcha and Manitou (M.12178) - Midday Express
• Commission fines automotive starter battery manufacturers and association €72 million for participating in a cartel (AT.40545)
• Belgium - The Competition Authority approves the creation of the joint venture ADV Automotive Group by the Abeloos, Vanspringel, and De Groof groups in the motor vehicle distribution sector
• Germany - Bundeskartellamt: Rheinmetall and KNDS can carry out joint battle tank project
• Norway - The Competition Authority: Telenor’s acquisition of GlobalConnect needs further examination
• Spain - The CNMC investigates possible anti-competitive practices in the vehicle recycling and decontamination sector

STATE AID

• Commission approves €408 million Spanish State aid scheme to support decarbonisation of industry, in line with Clean Industrial Deal objectives (SA.119880)
• Commission approves Danish compensation of up to €77 million to Post Danmark for legacy costs of dismissal of former civil servants (SA.120372) - Midday Express

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Agenda for: Working Party on Customs Union - 16 December 2025
• Minutes of the meeting of the Customs Union Performance Expert Group - 04 & 05 November 2025
• Minutes of the 38th meeting of the Prohibitions & Restrictions Expert Group - 18 & 19 November 2025
• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/2494 of 9 December 2025 amending Implementing Regulation (EU) 2016/323 as regards the structure of messages relating to the movements of excise goods exchanged pursuant to Council Regulation (EU) No 389/2012
• Steel overcapacity: Council adopts mandate on new rules to protect EU steel industry from global overcapacity
• Customs: Council agrees to levy customs duty on small parcels as of 1 July 2026 - See Commission reactions
• WTO - ICC business survey sheds light on opportunities and challenges for AI use in trade
• EU plans crackdown on ‘very dangerous’ Chinese parcels - Bloc’s justice commissioner says action needed to protect consumers from products sold on platforms such as Shein - Financial Times
• France tries to delay EU-Mercosur trade deal - Paris says pact with four South American countries needs more work but unclear if it has enough support to block it - Financial Times

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

• Report, by the Danish Presidency, on National burden reduction initiatives
• Danish Standards: The future starts with standards - Presentation at the Working Party on Technical Harmonisation on 12 December 2025

EU AUTOMOTIVE

• Moving towards a more circular automative sector with agreement on end-of-life vehicles

EU DEFENCE INDUSTRY

• Answer given by Mr Kubilius to a MEP written question - EU defence projects – solidarity and funding
• Answer given by Mr Kubilius to a MEP written question - Requests for the transfer of ownership of results by non-EU parent entities under the European Defence Fund

FINANCE

• Joint EBA-ECB report on payment fraud: strong authentication remains effective but fraudsters are adapting
• EBA - Final Minutes of Joint Board of Supervisors and Banking Stakeholder Group  meeting - 15 October 2025

TAXATION

• Progress achieved by the Code of Conduct (Business Taxation) Group during the Danish Presidency - Council conclusions (12 December 2025)

AGRICULTURE & FISHERIES

• Fishing opportunities for 2026 in EU and non-EU waters: Council secures agreement

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• Meeting of the Council (Environment) on 16 December 2025
  - Strengthening market surveillance and product compliance in the European Union market - Information from Belgium, supported by Poland
  - Urgent need for action at European level concerning the environmental and economic effects of ultra-fast fashion - Information from Finland, France, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, supported by Belgium 
• Urgent procedure - Rule 170(6) - Deforestation regulation: certain obligations of operators and traders
• Recommendation of the ENVI committee for a decision to raise no objection to a delegated act (for announcement on Monday 15 December)

HEALTH, FOOD & PRODUCT SAFETY

• Commission invests €8.85 million in innovative diagnostics to combat antimicrobial - Midday Express
• New report confirms cardiovascular diseases remain the EU's biggest health challenge - Midday Express

EFSA

• Scientific Report - Avian Influenza annual report 2024
• Scientific Report - Specific effects on the reproductive function including fertility relevant for cumulative risk assessment of pesticide residues
• Scientific Opinion - Safety and efficacy of a feed additive consisting of guanidinoacetic acid and its preparation (GuanAMINO®) for chickens for fattening, chickens reared for laying, chickens reared for reproduction, turkeys for fattening, turkeys reared for reproduction (Evonik Operations GmbH)

DATA PRIVACY & CYBERSECURITY

• Request for a preliminary ruling from the Landgericht Lübeck (Germany) of 09 September 2025 - KL Vs. Vodafone GmbH (Case C-594/25, Vodafone)
  Re: Interpretation of Article 6(1)(f) of the GDPR; Article 82(1) and (2) of the GDPR
• EU data processing consent reform must account for market incentives - See Bruegel Analysis

TRANSPORT & MOBILITY

• Communication from the Commission – Commission Notice on interpretative guidelines concerning Articles 6 and 7 of Directive (EU) 2019/520 on the interoperability of electronic road toll systems and facilitating cross-border exchange of information on the failure to pay road fees in the Union

ECB, EURO & ECONOMY

• Main Results of the Economic & Financial Affairs Council - Remarks by Commissioner Dombrovskis - 12 December 2025
• MFF: Council adopts partial mandate on the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF III)

FUTURE OF EUROPE

• Agenda for: Meeting of the EP Plenary Session - 15 to 18 December
• Agenda for: Meeting of the Coreper (Part.1 & Part.2) - 19 December 2025
• Decisions of the LIBE and EMPL committee to enter into interinstitutional negotiations (for announcement on Monday 15 December 2025)

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• EU launches emergency air bridge to deliver aid into Darfur - Midday Express
• Foreign Affairs Council: Press remarks by High Representative Kaja Kallas upon arrival
• Joint Statement by High Representative/Vice President Kallas and Commissioner Kos on the 30th anniversary of the Dayton Peace Accords

EU/RUSSIA/UKRAINE

• Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine: Council sanctions 9 shadow fleet enablers - See Regulation (EU) 2025/2588 & Decision (CFSP) 2025/2594
• Russian hybrid threats: Council sanctions twelve individuals and two entities over information manipulation and cyber attacks - See Decision (CFSP) 2025/2572 & Regulation (EU) 2025/2568
• G7+: Statement of the Co-Chairs of the G7+ Ukraine Energy Coordination Group Ministerial Meeting
• Council decides to prohibit transfers of immobilised Central Bank of Russia assets back to Russia
• Brussels is finally flexing its muscle on Russian assets - The EU’s economic security depends on turning itself into more of a power player - Financial Times
• EU freezes Russian assets ahead of pivotal Ukraine talks - Kyiv and European allies seek to strengthen their hand as Washington-led peace talks reach critical phase - Financial Times
• Trump assault opens EU rift as leaders split on US strategy - European institutions and capitals divided over how far to push back against Washington without hurting Ukraine - Financial Times

OTHER EU SANCTIONS

• Venezuela: Council renews restrictive measures by one year, until 10 January 2027
• Belarus: Council broadens scope of sanctions regime to cover hybrid activities against EU member states
• Haiti: Council lists three individuals and one entity over gang violence and related human rights abuse - See Regulation (EU) 2025/2567 and Decision (CFSP) 2025/2561