Europe Daily News, 07 September 2021

EU COVID 19 RESPONSES

HEALTH

• EMA evaluating data on booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine Comirnaty

ECONOMY

• Recovery fund: EU ministers welcome assessment of Czechia and Ireland’s plans 

COMPETITION

• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.10403 - SHV/ACTA)
• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.10334 - BMW/Daimler/BP/Digital Charging Solutions)
• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.10417 - D’Ieteren/Wehold/TVH Parts)
• Communication from the Commission - Approval of the content of a draft for a Commission Regulation on the application of Article 101(3) of the TFEU to categories of vertical agreements and concerted practices
• Communication from the Commission - Approval of the content of a draft for a Communication from the Commission – Commission Notice: Guidelines on vertical restraints
• Commission clears acquisition of H2UB by RAG Stiftung and Open Grid Europe (M.10377) - Midday Express
• Commission clears acquisition of HSF Logistics Group by DFDS (M.10216) - Midday Express
• UK CMA: Full text - Merger decision between TravelSupermarket Limited and Icelolly Marketing Limited.
• Nvidia faces opposition from EU over $54bn Arm deal - Concessions made by US chipmaker do not go far enough to mitigate damage to rivals, officials say - Financial Times

STATE AID

• Action brought on 23 July 2021 - Ryanair Vs. Commission (Case T-444/21)
  Re: annulment of the defendant’s decision of 12 March 2021 on State Aid SA.60113 - Finnair - COVID-19 - hybrid loan 107.2.b
• Commission approves €1.75 billion German scheme to support the acquisition of alternatively fuelled buses for passenger transport (SA.61890) - Midday Express 

TAXATION

• Agenda for: Working Party on Tax Questions (Indirect Taxation / VAT) of 15 September 2021

FINANCIAL SERVICES

• Commission adopts improved disclosure rules for retail investment products - Midday Express
• EBA’s study shows that EU banks’ funding plans are poised to gradually return to a pre-pandemic funding composition by 2023
  

ENERGY

• Agenda for: Working Party on Energy of 09 September 2021

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• Answer given by Mr Sinkevičius to a MEP written question - PFAS pollution
• Answer given by Mr Sinkevičius to a MEP written question - European biodiversity law
• Answer given by Mr Sinkevičius to a MEP written question - Destruction of unsold goods in the European Union – the example of Amazon’s logistics centres
• Draft Union submission to the 10th meeting of the International Maritime Organization's Intersessional Working Group on Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships commenting on MEPC 76/7/15 by Denmark et al and proposing a Low GHG Fuel Standard for international shipping

HEALTH, FOOD & PRODUCT SAFETY

• Agenda for: Meeting of the PAFF Committee, section Plant Health of 13-14 September 2021
• Agenda for: Meeting of the PAFF Committee, section GMFF of 20 September 2021
• Minutes - 7th Drafting Group on European solidarity in public health emergencies (5 July 2021)
• Minutes - Joint meeting EU Directors for Pharmaceutical Policy & Pharmaceutical Committee (8 and 9 July 2021)

DIGITAL & INFORMATION SOCIETY

• Executive Vice-President Vestager, Vice-President Schinas and Commissioner Breton at the International Cybersecurity Forum in Lille
• BEREC assesses the impact of the recent Court of Justice of the EU judgements on the Open Internet Regulation

AREA OF FREEDOM,SECURITY & JUSTICE

• Independence of Polish judges: Commission asks European Court of Justice for financial penalties against Poland on the activity of the Disciplinary Chamber - IP/21/4587
• Brussels escalates rule of law dispute with Warsaw - European Commission is considering financial sanctions over minority rights and the independence of judges - Financial Times
• Minutes of the 5th meeting of the Commission Expert Group on Artificial Intelligence in the domain of Home Affairs of 7 May 2021
• Commissioner Johansson attends the G7 Interior and Security Ministerial meeting in London  - Midday Express

ECB, EURO & ECONOMY

• NextGenerationEU: European Commission gearing up for issuing €250 billion of NextGenerationEU green bonds - IP/21/4565, QaA & Remarks by EU-Commissioner Johannes Hahn
• ECB still needs to put theory into practice - Slowing asset purchases to support the economy would send the wrong signal - Financial Times

BREXIT

• Statement by the European Commission following the UK announcement regarding the operation of the Protocol on Ireland / Northern Ireland

FUTURE OF EUROPE 

• Agenda for: Meeting of the Coreper (Part.1 & Part.2) of 08 September 2021

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• Draft Council Conclusions on the Global approach to Research and Innovation ‒ Europe’s strategy for international cooperation in a changing world
• Iraq: Press remarks by HR/VP Josep Borrell after the meeting with Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein
• Belarus: Statement by the Spokesperson on sentencing Marya Kaliesnikava and Maksim Znak
• 11th EU-Kyrgyz Republic Human Rights Dialogue