Europe Daily News, 23 February 2024

• France - The Autorité starts inquiries ex officio into the product rating systems sector
• Spain - CNMC examines Smurfit Bulgaria/Artemis BiB merger in second phase
• Booking faces almost €500mn fine in Spain over competition practices - Financial Times

STATE AID

• Commission opens in-depth State aid investigation into French compensation to maritime transport companies (SA.101557) - IP/24/1007

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Agenda for: Law Enforcement Working Party (Customs) - 01 March 2024
• Agenda for: Trade Policy Committee (Full Members) - 25, 26, 27, 28 and 29 February 2024
• Commission Delegated Regulation amending Regulation (EU) 2018/196 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 February 2018 on additional customs duties on imports of certain products originating in the United States of America
• Council Decision (EU) 2024/744 of 19 February 2024 on the conclusion, on behalf of the Union and its Member States, of the Accession Protocol to the Framework Agreement on Comprehensive Partnership and Cooperation between the European Community and its Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Indonesia, of the other part, to take account of the accession of the Republic of Croatia to the European Union
• First vote on the biggest EU customs reform since 1968 - See Text of the compromise amendments
• Executive Vice-President Dombrovskis leads EU delegation at 13th Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization in Abu Dhabi - Midday Express
• A second dose of Trump on trade would differ from the first - Expect more emphasis on global trade deficits, more dramatic intervention and bigger problems for Europe - Financial Times
• Reform the WTO to make it fit for the 21st century - Developed and developing countries alike face an array of challenges on trade - Financial Times

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

• Agenda for: Council of the European Union (Competitiveness (Internal Market, Industry, Research & Space)) - 07 March 2024
• The companies benefiting from Europe’s defence revival - Weapons makers are boosting production after decades of under-investment - Financial times

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

• Opinion of Advocate General Szpunar of 22 February 2024 in Case C‑135/23, Gesellschaft für musikalische Aufführungs- und mechanische Vervielfältigungsrechte eV (GEMA) Vs. GL
  Re: Reference for a preliminary ruling - Intellectual property - Copyright and related rights - Directive 2001/29/EC - Article 3(1) - Right of communication to the public - Concept of ‘act of communication’ - Provision in apartments of televisions with an indoor antenna able to receive broadcasts
• EU competitiveness and licensing of essential technologies - Politico.eu

FINANCE

• Frankfurt to host the EU’s new anti-money laundering authority (AMLA) - see the EP Statement & Remarks by Ms McGuinness
• EP ECON Committee has adopted its opinion on transfer pricing

TAXATION

• Judgment of the Court of 22 February 2024 in Case C‑674/22, Gemeente Dinkelland Vs. Ontvanger van de Belastingdienst/Grote ondernemingen, kantoor Zwolle,
  Re: Reference for a preliminary ruling - Taxes levied in breach of EU law - Obligation to refund VAT and to pay interest on that amount - Refund resulting from errors made in the taxable person’s accounts - Refund resulting from the retroactive amendment of the detailed rules for calculating the deductible VAT relating to the taxable person’s general costs
• Judgment of the Court of 22 February 2024 in Case C‑694/22, European Commission, Vs. Republic of Malta
  Re: Failure of a Member State to fulfil obligations - Article 110 TFEU - Annual circulation tax - Higher taxation of imported second-hand vehicles than of similar vehicles already on the domestic market

ENERGY

• European Citizens' Panel to discuss Energy Efficiency - IP/24/1025
• Statement by EVP Šefčovič on the results of the first mid-term tender under the EU Energy Platform
• The fifth Clean Transition Dialogue will focus on the key role of energy infrastructure in the green transition - Midday Express
• Commission calls on Belgium, Ireland and Latvia to improve their National Energy and Climate Plans to ensure collective achievement of the EU's 2030 targets
• Commissioner Sinkevičius to represent the EU at the UN Environment Assembly to achieve agreements on circular economy, water resilience and ocean protection - Midday Express
• EU quartet warns German gas transit costs will fuel need for Russian imports - Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia say Berlin levy could increase ‘geopolitical dependency’ on Moscow - Financial Times

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• Council Decision on the conclusion of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire on forest law enforcement, governance and trade in timber and timber products to the European Union (FLEGT)
• Work in Progress - Referred Dossiers - Committee (ENVI) as of 19 February 2024

HEALTH, FOOD & PRODUCT SAFETY

• EFSA - Safety evaluation of the food enzyme bacillolysin from the non‐genetically modified Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain NZYM‐NB
• EFSA - Fourth joint inter-agency report on integrated analysis of antimicrobial consumption and occurrence of antimicrobial resistance in bacteria from humans and food-producing animals in the European Union (JIACRA IV – 2019–2021) - See ECDC Statement
• EFSA - Roadmap for the integration of gastro‐intestinal (GI) tract microbiomes (human and domestic animal) in risk assessments under EFSA's remit
• EFSA - Roadmap for the integration of environmental microbiomes in risk assessments under EFSA's remit
• EFSA - Antimicrobial consumption and resistance in bacteria from humans and food-producing animals
• EMA - Meeting highlights from the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) 19-22 February 2024
• ECDC - Multi-agency report highlights importance of reducing antibiotic use

AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY & JUSTICE

• Commission welcomes the signature of the working arrangement between Frontex and the United Kingdom - IP/24/975
• UK and EU agree to co-operate more closely on migration - Britain and border agency Frontex to share intelligence and swap liaison staff in latest evidence of thawing relations - Financial Times

ECB, EURO & ECONOMY

• ECB Consumer Expectations Survey results – January 2024
• Speech by Isabel Schnabel: Has the fight against inflation been won?
• Work in Progress - Referred Dossiers - Committee (ECON)

FUTURE OF EUROPE

• Press statement by President von der Leyen with Belgian Prime Minister De Croo and Polish Prime Minister Tusk

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• Russia: two years after the full-scale invasion and war of aggression against Ukraine, EU adopts 13th package of individual and economic sanctions - IP/24/963 - see Council Decision (CFSP) 2024/746, Council Regulation (EU) 2024/745, Regulation (EU) 2024/753 & Decision (CFSP) 2024/747
• Joint Statement by the President of the European Council, the President of the European Commission, the President of the European Parliament, and the HR of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
• Republic of Moldova: six individuals and one entity listed for undermining the rule of law, stability and security in the country - Financial Time
• FAQs on sanctions against Russia and Belarus, with focus on the following provision: Article 12g of Council Regulation (EU) No 833/2014 - “No re-export to Russia” clause
• List of common high priority items - A list of prohibited dual-use goods and advanced technology items used in Russian military systems found on the battlefield in Ukraine or critical to the development, production or use of those systems
• Consolidated version of the FAQs on sanctions against Russia and Belarus