Europe Daily News, 27 June 2025

COMPETITION

• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11986 - KKR / Stonepeak / Assura)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11978 - Central Group / Carschhaus)
• Summary of Commission Decision of 23 April 2025 relating to a decision pursuant to Articles 29(1), point (a), 30(1), point (a), and 31(1), point (h), of Regulation (EU) 2022/1925 (Case DMA.100055 – Meta – Article 5(2))
• Commission clears acquisition of XXL by Frasers Group (M.11874) - Midday Express
• Commission clears acquisition of SkyNRG by APG and MGETS (M.12019) - Midday Express
• Czech Republic - Regional Court in Brno upholds the Authority's decision regarding the construction of a new nuclear unit
• Finland - The Supreme Administrative Court imposed fines of €6.56 million on Isännöintiliitto and companies in the sector for restricting competition by raising prices
• Norway - The Competition Authority has closed its investigation on two moving companies suspected of of illegal cooperation
• The Netherlands - Maersk fined DKK 10 million in merger case
• Apple to open App Store to competitors in EU as it seeks to avoid fines - iPhone group will make it easier for developers to promote offerings - Financial Times

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Agenda for: Working Party on Customs Union - 30 June 2025
• Proposal for a Council Decision on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union in the EU-Armenia Partnership Council
• EU customs: Council agrees position on key features for a more modern, efficient and secure framework
• Answer given by Mr to a MEP written question - Medical devices: potential effects of their inclusion in countermeasures to US customs duties
• European importers show agility in face of global trade shocks, new report finds - see the EIB Statement
• WTO - Goods barometer rises as imports surge in first quarter ahead of expected tariff hikes
• Britain considers joining European customs pact - Joining the Pan-Euro-Mediterranean convention would give companies with international supply chains more flexibility - Politico.eu
• Merz ‘delusional’ over US sparing German cars in EU trade deal - Brussels has warned German chancellor not to expect UK-style carve-out for car sector in EU deal with Donald Trump - Financial Times

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

• Executive Vice-President Ribera to participate in roundtable with EIB Group on private investments for a resilient and decarbonised European industry - Midday Express

CHEMICAL

• Outcome of Proceedings - Endorsement of the "final compromise texts," Letter to the Chair of the EP ENVI Committee
  - Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a common data platform on chemicals, laying down rules to ensure that the data contained in it are findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable and establishing a monitoring and outlook framework for chemicals
  - Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 2011/65/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the re-attribution of scientific and technical tasks to the European Chemicals Agency
  - Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulations (EC) No 178/2002, (EC) No 401/2009, (EU) 2017/745 and (EU) 2019/1021 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the re-attribution of scientific and technical tasks and improving cooperation among Union agencies in the area of chemicals

FINANCE

• Commissioner Albuquerque visits Germany for high-level talks on the Savings and Investments Union, banking and financial market infrastructure - Midday Express
• Eurogroup President, Paschal Donohoe, welcomes agreement on a reformed EU crisis management framework
• EBA - The banking sector in the EU continues to show resilience in capital, liquidity and profitability, but geopolitical events could pose significant challenges for the industry

TAXATION

• Agenda for: Working Party on Tax Questions - 04 July 2025
• Recommendation for a Council Decision authorising the opening of negotiations on an agreement between the European Union and the Kingdom of Norway in the field of administrative cooperation in direct tax matters - see the Annex
• Investigation Water into Wine: EPPO targets international criminal organisation suspected of €66 million VAT fraud involving sales of diesel

ENERGY

• Answer given by Mr Jørgensen to a MEP written question - Cybersecurity of solar energy infrastructure

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• Agenda for: Working Party on the Environment - 30 June and 1 July 2025
• Co-legislators agree on upgrading river information services
• Council's position in view of the adoption of the proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on Soil Monitoring and Resilience (Soil Monitoring Law)) (2023/0232(COD)) - Early second reading agreement - Letter from the Chair of the EP ENVI Committee
• Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/718 of 14 April 2025 amending Regulation (EU) 2019/1021 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards perfluorooctane sulfonic acid and its derivatives
• Answer given by Ms Roswall to a MEP written question - Increased plastic pollution following the introduction of EU requirements on tethered bottle caps
• Answer given by Ms Roswall to a MEP written question - The application of extended producer responsibility to pharmaceuticals under Article 9 of the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive

HEALTH, FOOD & PRODUCT SAFETY

EFSA

• Outcome of the consultation with Member States, the applicant and EFSA on the pesticide risk assessment for bifenazate in light of confirmatory information on the endocrine disruption assessment
• Scientific opinion on the safety of a proposed amendment of the conditions of use of the food additive sorbitan monostearate (E 491) in enzyme preparations
• Scientific Opinion Safety assessment of the process KREYENBORG IR Clean+ (universal) used to recycle post‐consumer PET into food contact materials
• Scientific Opinion - Safety evaluation of the food enzyme endo‐1,4‐β‐xylanase from the non‐genetically modified Trichoderma citrinoviride strain X31
• Updated peer review of the pesticide risk assessment of the active substance pydiflumetofen
• Scientific Opinion - Pest categorisation of Eulecanium excrescens

DIGITAL & INFORMATION SOCIETY

• Agenda for: Working Party on Telecommunications & Information Society - 08 July 2025

TRANSPORT & MOBILITY

• Commission proposes to exempt zero-emission heavy-duty vehicles from road tolls until 2031 - see the Proposal

AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY & JUSTICE

• Consumer protection: Council and Parliament reach a deal to modernise alternative dispute resolution rules
• Commission welcomes agreement on simplified out-of-court dispute resolution for consumers - Midday Express
• Commissioner Lahbib in Budapest to discuss LGBTIQ rights and celebrate equality with representatives of civil society and EU counterparts - Midday Express
• Czechia: EPPO secures three convictions in €420 000 fraud investigation involving museum reconstruction project

EUROPEAN COUNCIL - 26 JUNE 2025

• European Council conclusions on European defence and security
• European Council conclusions on the Middle East
• European Council conclusions on Ukraine
• European Council conclusions
• Remarks by President António Costa at the press conference

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• The Council renewed the mandate of EUBAM Libya for two years until 30 June 2027 
• EU CSDP civilian missions: Council renews mandates of EUBAM Rafah and EUPOL COPPS
• Commissioner Kos meets with Western Balkans leaders to promote growth in the region - Midday Express
• Commission confirmed the transfer of an official (Mr Stefano Sannino) from the EEAS and his assignment as Director-General to its Directorate-General for the Middle East, North Africa and the Gulf* - Midday Express
• Some EU leaders can’t live with Trump — others can’t live without him - Maga’s ‘second American revolution’ has inspired European politicians on both left and right to rebrand themselves - Financial Times