EU CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE

HEALTH

  • EU Health Policy Platform webinar - Covid-19 health response package (29 October 2020, 15.00–16.30 CET)
  • Presentation of the opinion by the Expert Panel - Hearing on the organisation of resilient health and social care following the COVID-19 pandemic (20 October 2020)
  • Answer given by Ms Kyriakides to a MEP written question - Cost of remdesivir/Veklury contract with Gilead Sciences
  • Almost 170 000 additional deaths in the EU - A peak in late March - early April - see Eurostat Weekly deaths statistics - March to June 2020

STATE AID

  • Commission approves €2.3 million Czech scheme to support health SPA facilities affected by coronavirus outbreak in the Karlovy Vary Region of Czechia (SA.58198) - Midday Express

ECONOMY

  • Commission tries to secure Parliament’s support to tackle a difficult year ahead – see the EP Statement 

INDUSTRY

  • Interactive map: COVID-19 impact on EU automobile production, up until September 2020 - Acea Video

COMPETITION

  • Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.9592 - Freudenberg/L&B)  
  • Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.9966 - EQT/Colisée)  
  • Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.9483 - Engie/Powerlines)  
  • Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.9941 - Private Theory Luxco/ARC Group)  
  • Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.9965 - ECP ControlCo/First Sentier Investors/Terra-Gen Power Holdings II)  
  • Commission clears the acquisition of joint control over Lightpath by MSI and Altice (M.9946) - Midday Express
  • Answer given by Ms Vestager to a MEP written question - Concerns about the intended merger between CaixaBank and Bankia
  • Germany -Bundeskartellamt cleared plans by Allianz Strategic Investments. S.à.r.l., Luxembourg, (Allianz) to acquire ControlExpert Holding B.V. Amsterdam (ControlExpert)
  • UK - CMA adverse provisional findings in TVS Europe Distribution / 3G Truck & Trailer Parts merger
  • Slovak Republic - PMÚ SR initiated administrative proceedings in the matter of concentration of entrepreneurs AGEL, a.s., and the University Hospital with the polyclinic Skalica, a.s.
  • Slovak Republic - PMÚ SR initiated administrative proceedings in the matter of concentration of entrepreneur DBG Management GP (Guernsey) Ltd., Patel family and Pfaudler group
  • Slovak Republic - Initiation of an inter-ministerial comment procedure on the draft law on the protection of competition and on the amendment of certain laws

STATE AID

  • Judgment of the Court of 21 October 2020 in Case C‑556/19, Eco TLC Vs. Ministre d’État, ministre de la Transition écologique et solidaire, Ministre de l’Économie et des Finances, intervening party: Fédération des entreprises du recyclage
    Re: Reference for a preliminary ruling – State aid – Article 107(1) TFEU – Concept of ‘State resources’ – Increased responsibility of producers – Eco-body approved by the public authorities to collect financial contributions from those who place on the market certain products in order to be able to fulfil, on their behalf, their legal obligation to treat waste from those products – Financial support paid by that eco-body to contractually bound sorting operators
  • Answer given by Ms Vestager to a MEP written question - Commission guidelines on regional aid

TRADE & CUSTOMS

  • Draft - Council Decision on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union within 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 Georgia, of the other part, regarding the update of Annex XIII (Approximation of customs legislation) to the Agreement 
  • Draft - Decision No.1/2020 of the EU- Georgia Association Committee in Trade configuration updating Annex XIII (Approximation of customs legislation) to the Association Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community and their Member States, of the one part, and Georgia, of the other part 
  • Notice of initiation of an anti-dumping proceeding concerning imports of steel wind towers originating in the People’s Republic of China (CN codes ex 7308 20 00, ex 7308 90 98 and ex 8502 31 00)
  • Decision No.1/2020 of the EPA Committee established by the stepping stone Economic Partnership Agreement between Ghana, of the one part, and the European Community and its Member States, of the other, of 20 August 2020 on the adoption of Protocol No 1 concerning the definition of the concept of ‘originating products’ and methods of administrative cooperation  
  • Minutes of the EP INTA Committee meeting of 15 October 2020
  • Minutes of the 17th meeting of the Customs Debt and Guarantees Section of the Customs Expert Group of 29 September 2020
  • How can international trade contribute to sustainable forestry and the preservation of the world’s forests through the Green Deal? - In-Depth Analysis for the EP INTA Committee
  • WTO - New portal reveals progress in attaining trade-related Sustainable Development Goals 

INTERNAL & MARKET INDUSTRY

  • EU market surveillance conference - Berlin, 4 and 5 November 2020 - Presentation
  • Regulation (EU) 2016/426 on appliances burning gaseous fuels (GAR) - Guidance document in relation to point 3.7 of Annex I - Materials and parts of appliances/fittings in contact with food and water intended for human consumption
  • Summary of the commitments and deliverables of the Circular Plastics Alliance
  • REACH - List of Amendments to Annex XVII - Restrictions as of 14 October 2020
  • EU invests a further €144.5 million in world-class supercomputers for researchers and businesses - Midday Express

FINANCIAL SERVICES

  • EBA issues Opinion to address possible infection risk stemming from legacy instruments 

TAXATION

  • The European Fiscal Board (EFB) published its fourth annual report

AGRICULTURE & FISHERIES

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

  • Draft - Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) …/... of 19.10.2020 amending Annexes IC, III, IIIA, IV, V, VII and VIII to Regulation (EC) No 1013/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council on shipments of waste 
  • Commission launches Knowledge Centre to reverse biodiversity loss and protect Europe's ecosystems - See the JRC Statement

HEALTH, FOOD & PRODUCT SAFETY

  • Agenda - 90th meeting of the Pharmaceutical Committee of 21 October 2020
  • Answer given by Ms Kyriakides to a MEP written question - Track and trace system for tobacco products

DIGITAL SINGLE MARKET & INFORMATION SOCIETY

DATA PRIVACY & CYBERSECURITY

  • Agenda for: Horizontal Working Party on cyber issues of 23 October 2020 

AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY & JUSTICE

  • Judgment of the Court of 21 October 2020 in Case C‑529/19, Möbel Kraft GmbH & Co. KG Vs.- ML
    Re: Reference for a preliminary ruling – Consumer protection – Directive 2011/83/UE – Article 16(c) – Right of withdrawal – Exceptions – Goods made to the consumer’s specifications or clearly personalised – Goods which the trader has begun to produce
  • Eradicating human trafficking: Persistent risks call for strategic approach - IP/20/1928, see the Report, Staff working document & Study on Data collection

ECB, EURO & ECONOMY

  • Money markets, central bank balance sheet and regulation - ECB Working Paper Serie No.2483
  • The EU’s fiscal progress needs a political anchor - Common borrowing and spending muscle means reform of budget rules cannot wait – Financial Times 

FUTURE OF EUROPE

  • Speech by Vice-President Šefčovič on behalf of President von der Leyen at the European Parliament Plenary on the Conclusions of the European Council meeting of 15 and 16 October 2020

BREXIT

  • Guidance - Making phone calls and sending texts to EU and EEA countries after the UK leaves the EU
  • Speech by Michel Barnier at the EP Plenary Session
  • EU carmakers call on Brussels to ‘reconsider’ Brexit stance - Auto manufacturers seek less onerous restrictions on qualifying for trade deal benefits – Financial Times 
  • British sausage makers face EU freeze after Brexit - European rules requiring prepared meat imports to be frozen set to devastate UK trade, industry warns – Financial Times 
  • Brexit failure a graver threat to UK carmakers than Covid, Moody’s warns - Credit rating agency says a no-deal will have longer negative impact on auto groups than coronavirus – Financial Times 

EXTERNAL RELATIONS & FOREIGN AFFAIRS

  • Indonesia and the European Union hold their 5th Security Policy Dialogue: Joint Press Release
  • Belarus: Remarks by the HR/VP Josep Borrell at the EP plenary on relations with Belarus
  • Non-Proliferation Treaty: Remarks by the HR/VP Josep Borrell at the EP on the preparation of the 2020 NPT review process, arms control and nuclear disarmament options
  • Permanent Structured Cooperation: Remarks by the HR/VP Josep Borrell at the EP plenary on the recommendation concerning the implementation and governance of PESCO

Related Capabilities

Key Issues –

Latest Perspectives

View More