Europe Daily News, 30 September 2021

COMPETITION

• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.10467 - Insight/Francisco Partners /NMI)
• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.10490 - Bain Capital/CTI/BBG Holding)
• Agenda for: Working Party on Competition of 06 October 2021
• Commission clears acquisition of joint control of Telia Towers and its subsidiaries by Brookfield and Telia Company (M.10419) - Midday Express

STATE AID

• EFTA Surveillance Authority - State aid - Decision to raise no objections - p.3,4,5,6 & 11
• Commission Statement on consulting Member States on proposal on the future of the State aid Temporary Framework - IP/21/4948
• Commission clears Italian public support for Laziomar ferry service; closes investigation concerning support to Saremar (SA.32014, SA.32015 and SA.32016) - IP/21/4963

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Agenda for: Working Party on Trade Questions of 05 October 2021
• Agenda for: Trade Policy Committee (Deputy Members) of 01 October 2021
• Draft EU-US Trade and Technology Council joint statement - Approval & FactSheet
• Notice of the impending expiry of certain anti-dumping measures (Melamine - The People’s Republic of China - Anti-dumping duty - Regulation (EU) 2017/1171 - 2.7.2022)
• Report of the 23rd Plenary Meeting of the Customs Laboratories European Network of 11-12 February 2021
• Draft - Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) …/... amending Annex IV to Regulation (EU) No 978/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council applying a scheme of generalised tariff preferences
• Draft - Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) …/... amending the Annex to Regulation (EU) 2019/452 of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a framework for the screening of foreign direct investments into the Union
• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/1728 of 29 September 2021 amending Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/442 and Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/521 related to the mechanism making certain products subject to the production of an export authorisation
• WTO - Climate, pandemic, e-commerce, inclusivity - Public Forum addresses priorities for reform

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

• Main results of the Competitiveness Council (Internal market & Industry) of 29 September 2021 - See Press remarks by VP Šefčovič
• Agenda for: Working Party on Technical Harmonisation of 05 October 2021
• Report of the Network of SME Envoys of 01 July 2021
• Commission applies the problem-solving procedure under the Regulation on Mutual Recognition of Goods - Midday Express

FINANCIAL SERVICES

• ESMA - Impact of requirements regarding algorithmic trading and high-frequency algorithmic trading, MiFIR review report on Algorithmic Trading
• ESMA has published an Opinion on how access to and use of credit ratings can be improved in the EU

TAXATION

• Judgment of the Court of 30 September 2021 in Case C-186/20; HYDINA SK s.r.o. Vs. Finančné riaditeľstvo Slovenskej republiky,
  Re: Reference for a preliminary ruling - Administrative cooperation and combating fraud in the field of VAT - Regulation (EU) No 904/2010 - Articles 10 to 12 - Exchange of information - Tax audit - Time-limits - Suspension of tax audit in the event of exchange of information - Exceeding of the time-limit for communicating information - Effect on the legality of the suspension of the tax audit
• Judgment of the Court of 30 September 2021 in Case C-299/20, Icade Promotion SAS, formerly Icade Promotion Logement SAS, Vs. Ministère de l'Action et des Comptes publics
  Re: Reference for a preliminary ruling - Taxation - Common system of VAT - Directive 2006/112/EC - Article 392 - Marginal taxation scheme - Scope - Supply of buildings and building land purchased with a view to resale - Taxable person not entitled to deduction on acquisition of the buildings - Resale subject to VAT - Concept of 'building land
• Opinion of Advocate General Hogan of 30 September 2021 in Case C‑139/20, European Commission Vs. Republic of Poland
  Re: Failure of a Member State to fulfil obligations - Article 258 TFEU - Directive 2003/96/EC - Framework for the taxation of energy products and electricity - Article 17 - Energy products used by energy-intensive undertakings covered by the EU Emission Trading System - Exemption from excise duty
• Position of the Council at First Reading with view to the adoption of Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 2013/34/EU as regards disclosure of income tax information by certain undertakings and branches - Statement of the Council's reasons - Adopted by the Council on 28 September 2021
  

AGRICULTURE & FISHERIES

• Preparation of the CAP Strategic Plans - Exchange of views
• Agricultural products - revision of EU marketing standards - Discussion paper for exchange of views

EMPLOYMENT & SOCIAL POLICY

• Domestic workers in Spain: according to Advocate General Szpunar, legislation which excludes them from unemployment benefits, where those workers are almost exclusively women, is contrary to EU law (See CPR No.168/2021 - Opinion of the Advocate General in the Case C-389/20 - TGSS (Chômage des employés de maison))

ENERGY

• Opinion of Advocate General Hogan of 30 September 2021 in Case C‑139/20, European Commission Vs. Republic of Poland
  Re: Failure of a Member State to fulfil obligations – Article 258 TFEU – Directive 2003/96/EC – Framework for the taxation of energy products and electricity – Article 17 – Energy products used by energy-intensive undertakings covered by the EU Emission Trading System – Exemption from excise duty
• Netherlands: EIB backs Ørsted with €500 million loan agreement, boosts green energy
• The BRIDGE initiative – coordinating energy research and innovation projects across the EU

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• Agenda for: Working Party on International Environment Issues (Int. Chemicals) of 06 October 2021
• EU ETS hedging mechanism to address high energy prices - Information from the Greek delegation
• Europe’s nature under pressure — challenges and solutions - See EEA Statement

HEALTH, FOOD & PRODUCT SAFETY

• Agenda for: Working Party on Pharmaceuticals & Medical devices of 05 October 2021
• EFSA - Review of the existing MRLs for metobromuron according to Article 12 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005
• EU Vaccines Strategy: Commissioner Kyriakides visits Austria and meets with Minister of Health - Midday Express 

CONSUMER PROTECTION

• Consumer protection: Airlines commit to timely reimbursement after flight cancellations - IP/21/4944

DIGITAL  & INFORMATION SOCIETY

• Agenda for: Working Party on Telecommunications & Information Society of 05 October 2021
• Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2021/1730 of 28 September 2021 on the harmonised use of the paired frequency bands 874,4-880,0 MHz and 919,4-925,0 MHz and of the unpaired frequency band 1 900 -1 910 MHz for Railway Mobile Radio
• The European Cybersecurity Month is kicking off: ‘Think Before U Click' - Midday Express
• The Commission calls on 19 Member States to comply with EU rules on open data and the reuse of public sector information - Midday Express
• Brussels Declaration: Public broadcasters VRT, RTBF, CBC/Radio-Canada and international organisations call for press safety
• EEA EFTA States highlight how the Digital Services Act can contribute to a safer online environment
  

AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY & JUSTICE

• According to Advocate General Pikamäe, EU law precludes a Member State from declaring an application for international protection automatically inadmissible when the applicant already has refugee status granted in another Member State (See CPR No.167/2021 - Opinion of the Advocate General in the Case C-483/20 - Commissaire général aux réfugiés and aux apatrides)
• Judgment of the Court of 30 September 2021 in Case C-296/20, Commerzbank AG Vs. E.O.
  Re: Reference for a preliminary ruling - Judicial cooperation in civil matters - Jurisdiction, recognition and enforcement of judgments - Civil and commercial matters - Lugano II Convention - Article 15(1)(c) - Jurisdiction over consumer contracts - Transfer of the consumer's domicile to another State bound by the Convention
• Council Decision (EU) 2021/1729 of 24 September 2021 on the position to be taken on behalf of the EU in the Specialised Committee on Law Enforcement and Judicial Cooperation established by the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the EU and the European Atomic Energy Community, of the one part, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, of the other part, regarding the extension of the period referred to in Article 540(3) of that Agreement during which DNA profiles and fingerprints can be exchanged with the United Kingdom
• Methamphetamine from Afghanistan: ‘signals indicate that Europe should be better prepared’, says new EMCDDA Report
• Green light for two-year work programme on bilateral cooperation with Georgia - EMCDDA Statement

ECB, EURO & ECONOMY

• Introductory remarks by Fabio Panetta, Member of the Executive Board of the ECB, at the sixth meeting of the Euro Cyber Resilience Board for pan-European Financial Infrastructures
• Economic Sentiment stable in the EU and the euro area, Employment Expectations further up - Business and consumer survey results for September 2021 - Statistical annex 

FUTURE OF EUROPE

• Revised Agenda for: Meeting of the Coreper (Part.1) of 01 October 2021
• Conference on the Future of Europe: Third European Citizens' Panel to focus on climate change, environment and health - Midday Express

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• Humanitarian support to refugees in Turkey: approval for a 2021 EU budget amendment
• High Representative/Vice-President Borrell travels to Qatar, UAE and Saudi Arabian
• Bolivia: Statement by the Spokesperson on allegations against the EU
• Venezuela: EU deploys Election Observation Mission