Europe Daily News, 13 February 2023

COMPETITION

• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.10976 - CNP Group / Sienna Group / ECT Group)
• Commission clears creation of a joint venture by Deutsche Telekom, Orange, Telefónica and Vodafone (M.10815) - IP/23/721
• UK - NEC Software Solutions UK / Capita Secure Solutions and Services - The CMA has accepted final undertakings and the reference has now been fully determined

STATE AID

• Commission approves €2.08 billion French measure to support offshore wind energy generation (SA.100269) - IP/23/284
• Commission approves amendment to 2022-2027 regional aid map for Slovenia (SA.105436) - Midday Express
• Commission approves amendment to 2022-2027 regional aid map for the Netherlands (SA.105305) - Midday Express
• Commission authorises €150 million French scheme to compensate poultry businesses for avian influenza (SA.104941) - Midday Express
• Commission approves €116 million Belgian scheme to support companies in the context of Russia's war against Ukraine (SA.106234) - Midday Express

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Agenda for: Working Party on Trade Questions - 16 February 2023
• Notice concerning the date of entry into force of the Agreement between the European Union and New Zealand pursuant to Article XXVIII of the GATT 1994 relating to the modification of concessions on all the tariff rate quotas included in the EU Schedule CLXXV as a consequence of the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union
• Answer given by HR/VP Borrell i Fontelles to a MEP written question - Following up the West Papuan issue in the context of EU-Indonesia free trade agreement negotiations

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

• Agenda for: Working Party on Competitiveness & Growth (Industry) - 17 February 2023
• Agenda for: Working Party on Competitiveness & Growth (Internal Market) - 21 February 2023
• UN Regulation No 41 - Uniform provisions concerning the approval of motor cycles with regard to noise
• Answer given by Mr Breton to a MEP written question - Paper price spike and shortage of supply
• Answer given by Mr Breton to a MEP written question - Infringement proceedings against Hungary - Breaches of freedoms in the internal market

TAXATION

• Answer given by Mr Gentiloni to a MEP written question - Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)

ENERGY

• Action brought on 12 December 2022 - TJ and Others Vs. Council (Case T-775/22)
  Re: annulment of Chapter III of Council Regulation (EU) 2022/1854 of 6 October 2022 on an emergency intervention to address high energy prices (‘contested Regulation’); or in the alternative, annul Article 15 of the contested Regulation insofar as it allows the retroactive levy of a solidarity contribution over the year 2022; and
• Action brought on 20 December 2022 - TV and TW Vs. Council - (Case T-795/22)
  Re: annulment of Article 15 of Council Regulation (EU) 2022/1854 of 6 October 2022 on an emergency intervention to address high energy prices (‘contested Regulation’), insofar as it allows the retroactive levy of a solidarity contribution over the year 2022
• Action brought on 28 December 2022 - ExxonMobil Producing Netherlands and Mobil Erdgas-Erdöl Vs. Council - (Case T-802/22)
  Re: annulment of Articles 14, 15 and 16 of Council Regulation (EU) 2022/1854 of 6 October 2022 on an emergency intervention to address high energy prices (1), insofar as those provisions mandate a solidarity contribution on EMPN and MEEG, being Union companies and permanent establishments with activities in the crude petroleum, natural gas, coal and refinery sectors
• Commission sets out rules for renewable hydrogen - IP/23/594 & QaA
• Joint gas purchasing: Vice-President Šefčovič in the US to advance work with international partners - Midday Express
• Answer given by Ms Simson to a MEP written question - Transparency on uranium deliveries

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• Agenda for: Working Party on the Environment - 13, 14 and 16 February 2023
• Commission acts to improve protection of workers with new exposure limits for lead and diisocyanates - IP/23/770
  - Proposal for a Directive amending Council Directive 98/24/EC and Directive 2004/37/EC as regards the limit values for lead and its inorganic compounds and diisocyanates
  - Impact Assessment accompanying the proposal for a Directive
• Conference on the Future of Europe follow-up: citizens' panel puts forward 23 recommendations to speed up food waste reduction in the EU - Midday Express

HEALTH, FOOD & PRODUCT SAFETY

• Agenda for: PHEG sub-group on mental health - 14 February 2023
• Agenda for: HPP webinar: Towards a comprehensive approach to mental health - Strengthening the link between mental health and environment (22 February 2023)
• Update - MDCG 2020-16 Rev.2 - Guidance on Classification Rules for in vitro Diagnostic Medical Devices under Regulation (EU) 2017/746 - February 2023
• SCCS - Request for a scientific opinion on Hexyl Salicylate (hexyl 2-hydroxybenzoate; CAS/EC No. 6259-76-3/228-408-6) used in cosmetic products
• EMA - Meeting highlights from the Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee (PRAC) 6 - 9 February 2023
• EMA - PRAC starts safety review of pseudoephedrine-containing medicines

DIGITAL & INFORMATION SOCIETY

• Minutes of: 25th Meeting of the eCommerce Experts Group - 25 October 2022

DATA PRIVACY & CYBERSECURITY

• Agenda for: 75th EDPB meeting -14 February 2023
• EDPS Opinion on the Proposals for Regulations on the collection and transfer of advance passenger information (API)

TRANSPORT & MOBILITY

• Agenda for : Working Party on Transport - Intermodal Questions and Networks - 17 February 2023

ECB, EURO & ECONOMY

• Winter 2023 Economic Forecast: EU economy set to avoid recession, but headwinds persist - IP/23/707, Remarks by Commissioner Gentiloni
• Answer given by Mr Gentiloni to a MEP written question - Issuing common EU debt as a means of responding more effectively to the energy crisis and current economic and financial perils
• Letter from the ECB President to Mr Markus Ferber, MEP, on monetary policy
• Letter from the ECB President to Mr Nuno Melo, MEP, regarding a less significant credit institution
• Interview with Isabel Schnabel, Member of the Executive Board of the ECB, conducted and published on 10 February 2023

FUTURE OF EUROPE

• Agenda for: Meeting of the Coreper (Part.1 & Part.2) - 15 & 17 February 2023
• Intervention of President Charles Michel at the press conference of the extraordinary European Council meeting in February

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• Earthquake: EU mobilises more emergency assistance for Syria and Türkiye - Midday Express
• Read-out of the call between European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and President of Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdogan
• Answer given by HR/VP Borrell to a MEP written question - Call for increased sanctions against Tehran’s theocratic regime in response to the serious human rights violations suffered by the Iranian people

RUSSIAN INVASION OF UKRAINE

• Ukraine tells EU leaders to avoid ‘negative’ accession messaging - Kyiv is delivering ‘very fast’ on political reforms, says deputy prime minister - Financial Times
• These tools could help bring Ukraine into the EU - It is crucial to find paths where looming political challenges don’t prevent real progress today - Financial Times