Europe Daily News, 30 April 2026

COMPETITION

• Competition: the no-poach of players agreement concluded by Portuguese football clubs during the Covid-19 pandemic can potentially be compatible with EU law (See No.67/2026 - Judgment of the Court in Case C-133/24, CD Tondela and Others)
• Judgment of the Court of 30 April 2026 in Case C-191/25, Wenzel Logistics GmbH Vs.Mercedes-Benz Group AG, MAN Truck & Bus SE, Vs. MAN Truck & Bus Deutschland GmbH
  Re: Reference for a preliminary ruling - Competition - Article 101 TFEU - Agreements, decisions and concerted practices - Directive 2014/104/EU - Article 3(2) - Right to full compensation for harm caused by a cartel - Payment of interest - Article 22(2) - Temporal application of national transposition provisions - Determination of the date from which interest is due - Time when the harm occurred in the case of the acquisition of goods at inflated prices
• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.12201 - Holcim / Xella)
• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.12342 - HSG / Temasek / Golden Goose)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.12348 - Softbank/ Digitalbridge)
• Commission clears acquisition of MAM by CVC (M.12365) - Midday Express
• Commission clears acquisition of Astemo by Honda (M.12286) - Midday Express
• Commission clears acquisition of AMCLN by ArcelorMittal (M.12299) - Midday Express
• Commission clears creation of joint venture by ITOCHU and Peninsula (M.12280) - Midday Express
• Commission opens consultation on draft of new Merger Guidelines (until 26 June 2026)
• Germany - Joint venture between KNDS and ELBIT Systems in the field of artillery rocket systems approved
• Switzerland - COMCO is investigating advertising via search engines

STATE AID

• Commission Decision (EU) 2026/962 of 22 December 2025 on the measure SA.64153 (2022/C) (ex 2021/N) implemented by the Czech Republic providing aid for terrestrial television parallel broadcasting in DVB-T2/HEVC

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Judgment of the Court of 30 April 2026 in Case C-115/25, Stappert Magyarország Kft. v. Nemzeti Adó- és Vámhivatal Fellebbviteli Igazgatósága.
  Re: Reference for a preliminary ruling - Common commercial policy - Antidumping duties - Imposition of definitive safeguard measures on imports of certain steel products - Importation of stainless steel products originating in Taiwan - Two valid order numbers - Exhaustion of one of the two tariff quotas - Cumulative imposition of anti-dumping duties and additional duties
• Opinion of Advocate General Andrea Biondi of 30 April 2026 in Case C‑157/25, Administratie Douane & Accijnzen – Regio Antwerpen, Openbaar Ministerie Criminal proceedings Vs. NV Jas Forwarding Worldwide (Belgium), Gerlach & Co. NV, BO BayWa r.e. Solar Systems SARL, BO bejulo, BO Memodo, BO Densys pv5, BO HelioActive Rendszerintegrator, BO Donauer Solar Systems
  Re: Preliminary ruling - Trade policy - Antidumping and countervailing duties - Implementing Regulations (EU) 2016/184, (EU) 2016/185, (EU) 2017/366, and (EU) 2017/367 - Importation of photovoltaic modules assembled in South Korea or Vietnam using photovoltaic cells produced in Malaysia or Taiwan - Concept of “shipped from Malaysia or Taiwan” - Customs declarations - Country of shipment - Indication of the commodity code - Proof of exemption
• Agenda for: Trade Policy Committee (Services & Investment) - 06 May 2026
• Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) …/... amending Delegated Regulation (EU) 2015/2446 as regards definitions, customs declarations and data elements related to the temporary EUR 3 customs duty on distance sales of imported goods in a consignment with an intrinsic value not exceeding EUR 150
• Notice of reopening the anti-dumping investigation concerning imports of lysine originating in the People’s Republic of China (CN codes ex 2309 90 31 , ex 2309 90 96 , and 2922 41 00)
• Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Uzbekistan, of the other part
• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/1003 of 27 April 2026 fixing the representative prices, import duties and additional import duties applicable to molasses in the sugar sector from 1 May 2026
• OECD - Critical raw materials face rising export restrictions, increasing risks to global supply chains
• OLAF plays a central role in uncovering a major VAT and customs fraud involving imports of undeclared goods

EU/MERCOSUR

• EU-Mercosur interim trade deal to enter into provisional application - Midday Express
• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/996 of 29 April 2026 amending Implementing Regulations (EU) 2020/761 and (EU) 2020/1988 regarding the creation, amendment and management of certain tariff quotas following the Interim Agreement on Trade between the European Union, of the one part, and the Common Market of the South, the Argentine Republic, the Federative Republic of Brazil, the Republic of Paraguay and the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, of the other part

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRTY

• Commission aims to tackle ‘Terrible Ten' Single Market barriers by publishing guidance for Member States on proportionality

CHEMICALS

• Chemicals: MEPs want targeted simplification and a stronger EU chemicals agency
• Opinion of Advocate General Maciej Szpunar of 30 April 2026 in Case C‑121/25 P, Evonik Operations GmbH Vs. European Commission
  Re: Appeal - Environment and protection of human health - Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 - Classification, labeling, and packaging of substances and mixtures - Hazard class “Specific target organ toxicity - repeated exposure” - Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/692 - Harmonized classification and labeling of the substance silanamine, 1,1,1-trimethyl-N-(trimethylsilyl)-, hydrolysis products with silica; synthetic pyrogenic amorphous silicon dioxide, nano, surface-treated - Procedure for harmonizing the classification and labeling of this substance”

FINANCE

• Commission Notice on the interpretation and implementation of certain legal provisions of the Disclosures Delegated Act under Article 8 of the EU Taxonomy Regulation, as amended by the Omnibus Delegated Act, on the reporting of Taxonomy-eligible and Taxonomy-aligned economic activities and assets (fourth notice)
• ESMA consults on guidelines on endorsement under the ESG Ratings Regulation
• ESMA launches a call for evidence on the structure of European equity markets
• ESMA launches its sixth stress test exercise for Central Counterparties
• The EBA publishes its final Guidelines on supervisory independence
• The EBA streamlines its Guidelines on connected clients to align with new EU legislation

ENERGY

• Agenda for: Working Party on Energy - 08 May 2026
• Commission issues recommendations to protect vulnerable consumers from high energy prices
  - Recommendation on protecting vulnerable customers against disconnections and during natural gas phase-out:
  - Recommendation on helping consumers to find the best deal
  - Recommendation on protecting consumers from the risk of supplier bankruptcies
  - Recommendation on empowering energy communities and self-consumption
  - Energy communities action plan
  - Staff Working Document
  - Report on market-based retail prices and promoting the remuneration of flexibility in electricity contracts.
• Commission makes available €600 million for cross-border energy infrastructure projects 
• Commissioner Jørgensen in Paris for talks on the global clean energy transition and housing affordability - Midday Express

EMPLOYMENT & SOCIAL AFFAIRS

• Commission welcomes important step to modernise EU social security coordination rules and strengthen fair labour mobility* - See the EP resolution
• Commission proposes €2 million to help over 800 workers dismissed in Belgium - See the Proposal
• Parliament backed €2 million in EU aid for 507 workers laid off after the bankruptcy of Liberty Steel Belgium

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• Opinion 13/2026: concerning the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the Temporary Decarbonisation Fund – COM (2025) 990 final
• Council Decision (EU) 2026/878 of 30 March 2026 on the submission, on behalf of the European Union, of a proposal for the listing of TBPH in Annex A to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants
• Commission and Eurocontrol launch platform to improve monitoring of the non-CO₂ climate impacts of aviation
• Commission evaluation shows slow progress in fishing sustainability and ongoing challenges for EU fishers - Executive summary of the evaluation

DIGITAL & INFORMATION SOCIETY

• The retransmission of television and radio broadcasts received by a satellite dish to the rooms of a retirement home, via a cable system, does not constitute a communication to the public within the meaning of EU law (See CPR No.66/2026 - Judgment of the Court in Case C-127/24; VHC 2 Seniorenresidenz)
• Digital Markets Act: MEPs want stronger enforcement amid external pushback
• Parliament wants stronger action against cyberbullying in the EU

AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY & JUSTICE

• Proxy voting rights approved for MEPs during pregnancy and after giving birth
• Parliament sounds the alarm over the state of fundamental rights in the EU
• Rule of law: Parliament demands stronger action as threats persist

ECB, EURO & ECONOMY

• Commission report praises smooth and efficient introduction of the euro in Bulgaria - Midday Express
• Discharge: MEPs sign off on the management of the EU’s budget in 2024

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• Political and Security Committee Decision (CFSP) 2026/920 of 22 April 2026 extending the mandate of the Head of Mission of the European Union Capacity Building Mission in Somalia (EUCAP Somalia) (EUCAP Somalia/1/2026)
• Parliament demands justice and accountability for civilian victims in Ukraine
• Human rights violations in Haiti, China and Venezuela