EU CORONAVIRUS RESPONSES

HEALTH

TRAVEL

  • COVID-19: Council adopts a revised recommendation on measures affecting free movement, based on the individual situation of persons and no longer on the region of origin
    • COVID-19 coordination - Council Recommendation amending Council Recommendation (EU) 2020/1632 as regards a coordinated approach to facilitate safe travel during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Schengen area - Adoption - Statement by the Austrian delegation
    • COVID-19 coordination - Council Recommendation on a coordinated approach to facilitate safe free movement during the COVID-19 pandemic and replacing Recommendation (EU) 2020/1475 - Adoption & Statement by the Croatian & Austrian delegation
  • Statement by Commissioners Kyriakides and Reynders on the Council agreement to strengthen coordination of safe travel in the EU

COMPETITION

  • Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.10526 - Chevron / Neste Base Oil)
  • Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.10596 - OTPP / KKR / Greencollar)
  • Commission re-adopts decision and fines Telefónica and Pharol (formerly Portugal Telecom) €79,040,000 for entering into a non-compete agreement - Midday Express
  • Commission clears acquisition of Hella by Faurecia (M.10488) - Midday Express
  • Commission clears acquisition of Strukton Services by SPIE (M.10581) - Midday Express
  • Commission clears acquisition of P2X by Mabanaft and H&R (M.10448) - Midday Express
  • Commission clears acquisition of joint control of PNIT by PSA and TIL (M.10545) - Midday Express
  • Commission clears acquisition of Hansa-Heemann by the Refresco Group (M.10435) - Midday Express
  • Germany - Surcharges without improved sustainability in the milk sector: Bundeskartellamt points out limits of competition law
  • UK - CMA has started its Merger Investigation: anticipated acquisition by Deutsche Post DHL Group of J.F. Hillebrand Group AG
  • Microsoft heads for second big EU showdown - this time over gaming - Clash over Activision deal expected to differ from earlier epic antitrust battle, as technology landscape has changed dramatically and so has Microsoft’s approach - Politico.eu

STATE AID

  • The General Court erred in law in finding that the Commission lacked competence to examine, in the light of the law on State aid, the compensation paid to Swedish investors by Romania in implementation of an arbitral award (See CPR Nº 15/2022 - Judgment of the Court of Justice in Case C-638/19 P, Commission Vs. European Food and Others)
  • Commission approves prolongation of orderly liquidation scheme for small Italian bank (SA.100262) - Midday Express
  • Answer given by Ms Vestager to a MEP written question - ‘Retomar’ loan restructuring programme and automotive components industry 

TRADE & CUSTOMS

  • Minutes - EP INTA Committee of 29 & 30 November 2021
  • Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/95 of 24 January 2022 imposing a definitive anti-dumping duty on imports of certain tube and pipe fittings, of iron or steel, originating in the People’s Republic of China, as extended to imports of certain tube and pipe fittings, of iron or steel consigned from Taiwan, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and the Philippines, whether declared as originating in these countries or not, following an expiry review pursuant to Article 11(2) of Regulation (EU) 2016/1036 of the European Parliament and of the Council
  • Answer given by HR/VP Borrell to a MEP written question - Court ruling on agreements between the Council of the EU and Morocco
  • Answer given by Mr Gentiloni to a MEP written question - Lack of transparency in the implementation process for the World Customs Organization Harmonized System (HS) nomenclature 2022
  • EU initiates WTO dispute complaint regarding Russian measures restricting wood exports - ( See WT/DS608/1)
  • WTO - The third review of the trade policies and practices of Panama takes place on 24 and 26 January 2022
  • Coercion with Chinese characteristics: How Europe should respond to interference in its internal trade - See ECFR Commentary

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

  • REACH - List of Amendments to Annex XIV - Authorisations - Last update: 24 January 2022
  • Speech by Commissioner Thierry Breton at the 14th EU Space Conference
  • Investment Plan for Europe supports investment into research and development facility in Estonia - IP/22/563

FINANCIAL SERVICES

  • EBA publishes binding standards on Pillar 3 disclosures on ESG risks
  • EBA consults on updates to its Guidelines on data collection exercises regarding high earners
  • EBA consults on draft Guidelines on remuneration and gender pay gap benchmarking exercise for banks and investment firms
  • Letter to IASB’s Request for Information on the Post Implementation Review of IFRS 9 - Classification and Measurement

ENERGY

  • Agenda for: Working Party on Energy of 27 January 2022
  • Energy Charter Treaty: Progress continues in modernisation negotiations
  • Remarks by Commissioner Simson following the Informal Energy Council meeting
  • Answer given by Ms Simson to a MEP written question - Support for nuclear energy
  • Answer given by Ms Simson to a MEP written question - Need for a stable source of energy: nuclear power 

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

  • The Court of Justice rules that Directive 2012/19 on waste electrical and electronic equipment is partially invalid, in so far as it obliges producers of photovoltaic panels to finance the costs relating to the management of waste from those panels where they were placed on the market on a date prior to the date on which that directive entered into force (See CPR Nº 14/2022 - Judgment of the Court of Justice in Case C-181/20, VYSOČINA WIND )
  • Fit for 55 - A one size fits all solution won't work in rural areas and especially for farming transport - see Copa-Cogeca Statement

HEALTH, FOOD & PRODUCT SAFETY

  • European Health Union: a stronger role for the European Medicines Agency - IP/22/543
  • Answer given by Ms Kyriakides to a MEP written question - Mandatory indication of origin on products and packaging  
  • EMA - Regulatory harmonisation of clinical trials in the EU: Clinical Trials Regulation to enter into application and new Clinical Trials Information System to be launched

DIGITAL & INFORMATION SOCIETY

  • DigitalEurope - Response to public consultation on draft RSPG Work Programme for 2022 and beyond

AREA OF FREEDDOM, SECURITY & JUSTICE

  • Cross-border service of legal documents in civil/commercial matters – new IT system for transmission - Implementing regulation - Feedback period: 25 January 2022 - 22 February 2022
  • Cross-border taking of evidence in civil/commercial matters – new IT system for exchanging data - Implementing regulation - Feedback period: 25 January 2022 - 22 February 2022

ECB, EURO & ECONOMY

  • Statement by President von der Leyen on EU financial support for Ukraine
  • Interview with Philip R. Lane, Member of the Executive Board of the ECB, conducted by Emilis Linge and Dalius Simenas

FUTURE OF EUROPE

  • Conference on the Future of Europe: citizens’ recommendations debated in Plenary - IP/22/445 & See the EP Statement
  • Future of Europe: people’s ideas for democracy and the planet - See the EP Statement

BREXIT

  • Remarks by Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič following his meeting with UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss
  • Joint Statement by Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič and UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss after their second meeting in Brussels on 24 January
  • UK and EU to keep talking after ‘constructive’ Northern Ireland Brexit meeting - Negotiations are aimed at resolving long-standing disagreements over Northern Ireland trade rules - Politico.eu

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

  • Main results of the Foreign Affairs Council of 24 January 2022 
    - UN-EU strategic partnership on peace operations and crisis management: Council conclusions on priorities for 2022-2024 
    - Human rights: EU adopts conclusions on EU priorities in United Nations human rights fora in 2022
  • Statement from the Commission following the VTC called by US President Joe Biden on the situation relating to Ukraine
  • EU treads carefully on Ukraine invasion threat - Bloc does not follow London and Washington in pulling diplomatic staff from Kyiv - Financial Times

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