Europe Daily News, 24 September 2025

COMPETITION

• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11939 - Frieslandcampina / Milcobel)
• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11944 - MMG / Brazilian Nickel Business of Anglo-American)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.12051 - Tikehau Capital / CDC / CCIG / Alyse Guyane / Airport of Cayenne-Felix-Eboue)
• France - The General Rapporteur of the Autorité de la concurrence indicates that an unannounced inspection was carried out in the cancer treatments sector 

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Agenda for: Trade Policy Committee (Deputies) - 25 September 2025
• Commission Implementing Regulation concerning the classification of certain goods in the Combined Nomenclature
• Council Decision (EU) 2025/1947 of 18 September 2025 on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union within the Association Council established by the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an association between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Kingdom of Morocco, of the other part, with regard to a decision amending Protocol 4 to that Agreement concerning the definition of the concept of ‘originating products’ and methods of administrative cooperation
• Council Decision (EU) 2025/1948 of 18 September 2025 on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union within the EU-CTC Joint Committee established by the Convention on the simplification of formalities in trade in goods and within the EU-CTC Joint Committee established by the Convention on a Common transit procedure as regards the adoption of decisions inviting the Republic of Moldova and Montenegro to accede to those Conventions and as regards the adoption of decisions amending the Convention on a common transit procedure following the Republic of Moldova’s and Montenegro’s accession to that Convention
• Council Decision (EU) 2025/1957 of 18 September 2025 on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union in the Association Committee in Trade Configuration established by the Association Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, and their Member States of the one part, and the Republic of Moldova, of the other part, as regards the reduction and elimination of customs duties
• Decision No 1/2025 of the EU-Moldova Association Committee in Trade Configuration of 19 September 2025 on the reduction and elimination of customs duties pursuant to Article 147(4) of the Association Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Moldova, of the other part
• Poland restores China’s main overland trade route to Europe - Warsaw had kept border crossing with Belarus shut after Russian drones entered Polish airspace - Financial Times
• China opens way to WTO reform by ceding ‘developing country’ benefits - Move follows long-standing US objections to the practice - Financial Times

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

• Commission seeks views on future of European Standardisation - Midday Express
• InvestEU: Council and Parliament agree to make the programme easier and more efficient
• Commission welcomes political agreement to simplify and strengthen EU innovation and investment - Midday Express
• Minutes of the Committee on the Implementation of the Critical Raw Materials Act - 19 September 2025
• Answer given by Mr Hoekstra to a MEP written question - Continuing crisis in the automotive sector in Europe

CHEMICAL

• Simplification: Council approves ‘stop-the-clock’ mechanism on chemicals to provide legal certainty to businesses
• EU hired advisers on ‘forever chemicals’ who worked for manufacturers - Ramboll consultancy advised both the bloc’s regulator on PFAS and the chemical makers - Financial Times

AGRICULTURE & FISHERIES

• EU agri-food trade remains robust in June 2025- Midda  Express
• Winners of the 2025 EU Organic Awards announced - Midday Express

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• Agenda for: The Committee for the adaptation to scientific and technical progress and implementation of Directive 2008/98/EC on waste - 29 September 2025
• Minutes of the fifth meeting of the Expert Group on the Geological Storage of Carbon Dioxide - 18 June 2025
• Water pollution: Council and Parliament reach provisional deal to update priority substances in surface and ground waters
• Better protection of surface and groundwater to strengthen EU water resilience
• Proposal for a Council Decision on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union at the 20th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES CoP20) (Samarkand, Uzbekistan, 24 November - 5 December 2025)

HEALTH, FOOD & PRODUCT SAFETY

• Judgment of the General Court of 24 September 2025 in Case T‑278/23, Zentiva k.s., Zentiva Pharma GmbH, Vs. European Commission supported by Biogen Netherlands BV
  Re: Medicinal products for human use - Variation of the marketing authorisation for Tecfidera - Dimethyl fumarate, a medicinal product for human use - Directive 2001/83/EC - Article 14(11) of Regulation (EC) No 726/2004 - Article 266 TFEU
• Answer given by Mr Várhelyi to a MEP written question - Conclusions and recommendations of the French food agency ANSES on isoflavones in soy products
• Answer given by Mr Várhelyi to a MEP written question - Threat to health from PFAS in food – follow-on question

DATA PRIVACY & CYBERSECURITY

• Agenda for: Horizontal Working Party on Cyber Issues - 25 September 2025
• Response to CCIA Europe concerning EDPB guidelines on calculation of fines
• EDPS - Sharing of personal data with the United States must be accompanied by comprehensive and effective safeguards
• Answer given by Mr McGrath to a MEP written question - Ongoing monitoring regarding the State of Israel under Article 45(4) of Regulation 2016/679

AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY & JUSTICE

• EU and Ecuador sign international agreement to fight organised crime and terrorism - Midday Express
• Bulgaria: EPPO indicts individual over fraud in EU-funded employment project
• Criminal networks dismantled for drug trafficking and money laundering via trade in gold bars - Eurojust Statement
• Eurojust coordinates action to halt cryptocurrency fraud of over 100 million euros across Europe - Eurojust Statement
• Investigation Admiral 2.0: Three plead guilty to tax evasion and money laundering worth nearly €6.5 million - EPPO Statement
• EU fingerprint scanners will not cause delays, Eurotunnel boss says - New system will come into force in October across all European borders - Financial Times

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• Judgment of the General Court of 24 September 2025 in Case T‑413/24, Issam Shammout Vs. Council of the European Union
  Re: CFSP- Restrictive measures taken in view of the situation in Syria - Freezing of funds - Restriction on entry into the territory of the Member States- Lists of persons, entities and bodies subject to the freezing of funds and economic resources and subject to restrictions on entry into the territory of the Member States - Maintenance of the applicant’s name on the lists - Concept of ‘leading businessperson operating in Syria’ - Presumption of a link with the Syrian regime - Error of assessment
• Judgment of the General Court of 24 September 2025 in Case T‑415/24, Cham Wings Airlines LLC, Vs. Council of the European Union
  Re: CFSP Restrictive measures taken in view of the situation in Syria - Freezing of funds - Lists of persons, entities and bodies subject to the freezing of funds and economic resources - Maintenance of the applicant’s name on the lists – Concept of ‘association with the Syrian regime’ - Error of assessment - Obligation to state reasons - Proportionality
• Judgment of the General Court of 24 September 2025 in Case T‑238/24, Bogoljub Karić, Vs. Council of the European Union
  Re: CFSP - Restrictive measures taken in view of the situation in Belarus and the involvement of Belarus in the Russian aggression against Ukraine - Freezing of funds - Restrictions on admission to the territory of the Member States - List of persons, entities and bodies subject to the freezing of funds and economic resources or to restrictions on admission to the territory of the Member States - Maintenance of the applicant’s name on the list - Obligation to state reasons - Error of assessment
• Speech by President António Costa at the United Nations Security Council on Ukraine
• Statement by President von der Leyen following the meeting with US President Trump