Europe Daily News, 19 March 2026

COMPETITION

• The Court of Justice confirms, as the General Court did previously, the Commission’s approval of the acquisition of the distribution and retail energy business as well as certain generation assets of Innogy by E.ON (See CPR No.41/26 - Judgments of the Court in Joined Cases C-171/24 P to C-177/24 P, EVH and Others Vs. Commission and in Joined Cases C-178/24 P and C-179/24 P, Mainova and Others Vs. Commission)
• Summary of Commission Decision of 23 June 2025 declaring a concentration compatible with the internal market and the functioning of the EEA Agreement (Case M.11539 - Liberty Media / Dorna Sports) - See the Opinion of the Advisory Committee on Mergers & Final Report of the Hearing Officer
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.12254 - AAK / KLK / JV)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.12261 - CD&R / Sealed Air)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.12276 - CVC / Smiths Detection)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.12336 - NDG / ADCG / Ascend Commerce)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.12352 - Digitalbridge / TCGL / County Broadband / Freedom Fibre / Truespeed)
• Commission clears acquisition of SOLIT Group by MKS PAMP (M.12351) - Midday Express
• Commission clears acquisition of Segula by Eiffel and Eurazeo (M.12309) - Midday Express
• Commission clears acquisition of Danzas and CTT Expresso by CTT and Deutsche Post (M.11942) - Midday Express
• Commission clears acquisition of Aunde AS, Isringhausen Oto and Aunde C&S by Aunde (M.12153) - Midday Express
• University of Bergen Triumphs at 2025-26 EEA Law Moot Court Competition
• Czech Republic - PMÚ approved a merger in the metal distribution sector
• Czech Republic - PMÚ began reviewing a merger in the collection and recycling of sorted materials
• Germany - The Bundeskartellamt has cleared the LifeFit Group’s acquisition of 21 fitness clubs in the Rhineland region operated under the “Just Fit” brand
• Romania - The Competition Council assesses the transaction through which Pavăl Holding SRL, controlled by the Pavăl brothers, intends to take over the Carrefour Group in Romania
• UK - CMA investigates Adobe over concerns about cancellation fees

STATE AID

• Judgment of the Court of 19 March 2026 in Case C‑870/24, Valsts ieņēmumu dienests Vs. Sia Outletico
  Re: Reference for a preliminary ruling - State aid - Regulation (EU) No 651/2014 - Categories of aid that may be considered compatible with the internal market - Exemption for aid to SMEs - Article 1 of Annex I - Concept of “undertaking” - Article 3(3) of Annex I - Concept of ‘linked undertakings’ - Natural person holding a majority of the voting rights attached to the shares of an undertaking – Pursuit of an economic activity - Effective exercise of control through direct or indirect involvement in the management of the undertaking
  
• Authorisation for State aid pursuant to Articles 107 and 108 of the TFEU - Cases where the Commission raises no objections – SA.119330, SA.120185 & SA.121215
• State aid - Denmark - State aid SA.37433 - Alleged State aid through discounts on waste water charges - Invitation to submit comments pursuant to Article 108(2) of the TFEU

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Notice of the European Commission in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2018/196 of the European Parliament and the Council
• Regulation (EU) 2026/687 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 2026 implementing the bilateral safeguard clauses of the EU-Mercosur Partnership Agreement and the EU-Mercosur Interim Trade Agreement for agricultural products
• Minutes of the Trade Contact Group (e-commerce; AEO) - 21 January 2026
• Minutes of the Customs Business Group (CBG) on the authorisation process for Centralised Clearance for Import - 20 February 2026
• Answer given by Mr Hansen to a MEP written question - EU-India trade agreement
• Answer given by Mr Šefčovič to a MEP written question - Wine crisis: next steps for the wine package, plus the customs aspect
• Answer given by Mr Šefčovič to a MEP written question - Unacceptable approaches of the Commission and Council to implementing the EU-Mercosur agreement, which is dangerous for the people and farmers
• Government backs UK steel industry with major new trade measure and strategy
• WTO - Market Access Committee adopts decision on recording the resolution of trade concerns

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

• Advocate General Emiliou: A sports betting operator which offers services on a national market without possessing the required licence may be obliged to refund the stakes collected from players (See CPR No.43/26 - Advocate General’s Opinion in Case C-530/24 - Tipico)
• Commission Notice – The 2026 annual Union work programme for European standardisation
• ESA issues a reasoned opinion to Iceland over single entry-point website shortcomings
• European manufacturing misery? Some sectors have never had it so good - War, huh, yeah, whom is it good for? - Financial Times

CHEMICALS

• Answer given by EVP Séjourné to a MEP written question - Urgent call for concrete short-term action to address the crisis in the European chemical sector

FINANCE

• Loans denominated in foreign currency: the Court of Justice clarifies the limitation rules for an action for restitution of sums paid on the basis of an unfair term (See CPR No.40/26 - Judgment of the Court in Case C-679/24 - UniCredit Bank and Momentum Credit)
• Judgment of the Court of 19 March 2026 in Case C‑363/24, Finansinspektionen Vs. Carnegie Investment Bank AB
  Re: Reference for a preliminary ruling - Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 - Market abuse - Article 7(1) - Concept of “inside information” - Article 7(2) - Information of a “precise nature” - Email containing information regarding the inclusion of a person on an insider list - No mention of the reasons leading to that inclusion - Correct assessment of the circumstances - Correct information - Necessity

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

• Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/137 of 15 January 2026 supplementing Council Regulation (EC) No 6/2002 on European Union designs with rules specifying the details of certain proceedings concerning registered designs, and repealing Commission Regulation (EC) No 2245/2002
• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/138 of 15 January 2026 laying down detailed rules for implementing certain provisions of Council Regulation (EC) No 6/2002 on European Union designs

EMPLOYMENT & SOCIAL POLICY

• Main messages from the Tripartite Social Summit of 18 March 2026
• Statement by President António Costa at the press conference following the Tripartite Social Summit
• Tripartite Social Summit: Low investment main barrier to competitiveness - See ETUC Statement

AGRICULTURE & FOOD

• Statement by the Commission on production standards applied to imported agri-food products and SPS controls
• Commission Notice - Guidance document for the evaluation of homogeneity of feed and the cross-contamination
• Vision for agriculture and food: one year of implementation - Information from the Commission - Exchange of views

ENERGY

• Agenda for: 7th meeting of the Expert Group on CEF cross-border RES projects - 16 April 2026
• Notification of Iceland's Withdrawal from the Energy Charter Treaty
• EU to invest €330 million to accelerate fusion energy and support nuclear technologies and skills
• Commission and International Energy Agency take stock of oil markets and measures to restore long-term stability and lower prices
• EIB backs Kronospan’s green energy push with €146 million loan
• Italy: EIB, Natixis CIB and Sunprime sign €507 million programme to deploy one of Italy’s largest solar and storage portfolios

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• Agenda for: Working Party on the Environment - 23 & 27 March 2026
• Agenda for: Working Party on International Environment Issues (Basel Convention) - 24 March 2026
• ESA urges Iceland and Norway to meet waste collection and recycling targets
• Climate-resilient agriculture may benefit farmers’ incomes - EEA Statement
• European Green City Accord: progress and achievements 2020-2025
• EEA and Eionet welcome Moldova as a cooperating country

DIGITAL, DATA PRIVACY & CYBERSECURITY

• A request for access to one’s own personal data may be considered abusive and refused if it is made for the sole purpose of subsequently claiming compensation for an alleged infringement of the GDPR (See CPR No.38/26 - Judgment of the Court in Case C-526/24, Brillen Rottler)
• Advocate General Ćapeta: Member States may exclude hardware and software from 2G-4G and 5G telecommunications infrastructure on the basis that the Manufacturer of that equipment poses a risk to national security (See CPR No.42/26 - Advocate General’s Opinion in Case C-354/24 - Elisa Eesti)
• CEF 2026: EDPB launches coordinated enforcement action on transparency and information obligations under the GDPR
• EDPB and EDPS support strengthening EU’s cybersecurity and easing compliance while protecting individuals’ personal data
• Answer given by EVP Virkkunen to a MEP written question - The Commission must intervene to combat non-consensual production of sexual and deepfake AI content on social media

AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY & JUSTICE

• Joint statement on the occasion of the 69th Session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (Vienna, 9-13 March 2026) - Delivered under agenda item 3: General debate : Joint Statement on the abolition of the death penalty for drug-related offenses and a human rights based approach to drug policy
• A police authority may, in a criminal investigation, collect biometric data solely on the ground that that collection is strictly necessary (See CPR No.39/26 - Judgment of the Court in Case C-371/24 - [Comdribus])

FUTURE OF EUROPE

• Agenda for: Meeting of the European Council - 19 & 20 March 2026
  - Remarks by President António Costa at the doorstep ahead of the European Council meeting
• Liberal Netherlands is back at heart of EU, says new PM Rob Jetten - Head of latest Dutch coalition tells European leaders to ‘stop complaining’ and ‘maybe just do a better job’ - Financial Times

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the EU on the alignment of certain countries concerning restrictive measures directed against certain persons, entities and bodies in view of the situation in Ukraine
• Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the EU on the alignment of certain countries concerning restrictive measures in response to the illegal recognition, occupation or annexation by the Russian Federation of certain non-government controlled areas of Ukraine
• Answer given by the Council to a MEP written question - Designation of Rosatom under restrictive measures for actions undermining Ukraine's territorial integrity
• Has Trump finally united Europe? - This week’s rejection of the US president’s Hormuz request is remarkable. But the EU is still at the mercy of events - Financial Times