Europe Daily News, 22 November 2019 | Perspectives & Events

COMPETITION

Commission clears the acquisition of control of Socotec by Cobepa (M.9599)
Commission clears the acquisition of Seguradoras Unidas and AdvanceCare by Generali (M.9531)
Speech by Margrethe Vestager on "privacy and competition in an age of data"
Poland - The UOKiK gave consent to Panathea taking over Dolnośląska Grupa Apteczna.
Poland - The UOKiK gave consent to Centrum Rozliczeń Elektronicznych Polskie ePłatności taking over BillBird
Portugal - Vinci Energies has notified the acquisition of exclusive control over Novabase Digital
CMA updates administrative timetable in funerals market investigation
CMA serves initial enforcement order in Hunter Douglas / 247 Home Furnishings merger inquiry
CMA consults on provisional decision to de-designate Ocado Group plc under Groceries (Supply Chain Practices) Market Investigation Order

STATE AID

TRADE & CUSTOMS

Agenda for: Project Group on the Proof of Union Status system of 22 January 2020
Agenda for: 16th meeting of the Customs Expert Group - Customs Controls and Risk Management Section of 05 December 2019
Agenda for: 31st Meeting of the Customs Expert Group - Tariff and Statistical Nomenclature, Heads of Tariff Section of 29 November 2019
Minutes of : IT Systems Development Group (ITSD) of 12 September 2019
Minutes of the 202nd Meeting of the Customs Code Committee - Tariff and Statistical Nomenclature (Sub-Section Textiles and Mechanical / Miscellaneous) of 07-09 October 2019
EU-Singapore trade agreement enters into force
EU launches WTO challenge against Indonesian restrictions on raw materials
The Commission publishes its proposal for an agreement on conformity assessment with the United States
Answer given by Ms Malmström to a MEP written question - EU-Mercosur agreement: urgent revision of the agreement to adequately protect meat production in Italy and Europe
EU trade policy must enable sustainable consumer choice - See Beuc Statement and Recommendation
Saving the WTO - The organisation could be repaired, but only if a bold reform agenda can be agreed - Financial Times

INTERNAL MARKET, INDUSTRY & GENERAL

Main Results of the Education, Youth, Culture and Sports Council of 21 November 2019
Competition in the European Defence Fund - Information from the Danish delegation
Fostering a sustainable space economy - Policy debate

FINANCIAL SERVICES

Agenda for: 1st meeting of the Commission Informal Expert Group High Level Forum on Capital Markets Union of 26 to 28 November 2019

TAXATION

Agenda for: High Level Working Party (Taxation) of 22 November 2019
Agenda for: Meeting of the Working Group 'Structures of the Taxation Systems' of 06 December 2019
The EU list of non-cooperative jurisdictions for tax purposes - Report by the Code of Conduct Group (Business Taxation) suggesting amendments to Annex II of the Council conclusions of 12 March 2019

ENERGY

Agenda for: Meeting of the Energy Performance of Buildings Committee Meeting of 11 December 2019
Minutes: Meeting for the Energy Performance of Buildings Committee of 10 October 2019

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

Agenda for: Working Party on the Environment of 25 & 29 November 2019
Minutes of the of Habitats Committee of 14 November 2019
Third meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention on Mercury (COP 3) (Geneva, 25-29 November 2019) - First EU coordination
Draft Ministerial Declaration to be adopted at the occasion of the 21st meeting of the Contracting Parties (COP 21) to the Barcelona Convention for the Protection of the Maritime Environment and the Coastal Region of the Mediterranean

HEALTH, FOOD & PRODUCT SAFETY

Rapid Alert System - Weekly Report - Report 47 (Published on: 22/11/2019)
Answer given by Mr Andriukaitis to a MEP written question - Ban on the use of titanium dioxide (E 171) in food
Answer given by Mr Andriukaitis to a MEP written question - Fighting child obesity in Europe

TRANSPORT & MOBILITY

Judgment of the Court of 21 November 2019 in Joined Cases C‑203/18 and C‑374/18, Deutsche Post AG, Klaus Leymann Vs. Land Nordrhein-Westfalen (C‑203/18), and UPS Deutschland Inc. & Co. OHG, DPD Dynamic Parcel Distribution GmbH & Co. KG, Bundesverband Paket & Expresslogistik eV Vs. Deutsche Post AG (C‑374/18)
Re: Reference for a preliminary ruling - Regulation (EC) No 561/2006 - Road transport - Social legislation - Vehicles used to deliver items as part of the universal postal service - Exceptions - Vehicles partly used for such delivery - Directive 97/67/EC - Article 3(1) - ‘Universal service’ - Concept
Judgment of the Court of 21 November 2019 in Case C‑379/18, Deutsche Lufthansa AG Vs. Land Berlin, interveners: Berliner Flughafen GmbH, Vertreter des Bundesinteresses beim Bundesverwaltungsgericht
Re: Reference for a preliminary ruling - Air transport - Directive 2009/12/EC - Articles 3 and 6 - Article 11(1) and (7) - Airport charges - Protection of airport users’ rights - Whether it is possible for the airport managing body to agree charges lower than those approved by the independent supervisory authority - Remedies available to an airport user - Collateral challenge before a civil court giving judgment on the basis of equitable criteria

DATA PRIVACY & CYBERSECURITY

Agenda for: Meeting of the Horizontal Working Party on cyber issues of 26 November 2019

AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY & JUSTICE

Combatting corruption in sport: the Council adopts conclusions
Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on representative actions for the protection of the collective interests of consumers, and repealing Directive 2009/22/EC - General approach

ECB, EURO & ECONOMY

Joint Council and Commission statement on “stablecoins” - Approval
ECB’s Lagarde talks of Europe’s ‘moment of opportunity’ - Central bank president seeks rebalance in eurozone from exports to domestic demand - Financial Times - (See Speech by Christine Lagarde)

FUTURE OF EUROPE BREXIT

Handover between outgoing President of the European Council Donald Tusk and incoming President Charles Michel
The new Parliament and the new Commission - seee the EP Statement

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

Afghanistan: EU reinforces humanitarian support with €40 million as crisis worsens
Central African Republic: Council agrees on a future CSDP mission to support security sector reform
HR/VP Federica Mogherini participates in the G20 ministerial meeting in Nagoya, Japan
Stop violence against women: Statement by the European Commission and the High Representative
Twenty-First Annual Report according to Article 8(2) of Council Common Position 2008/944/CFSP defining common rules governing the control of exports of military technology and equipment (See Annex 1,2,3,4,5 & 6)