Europe Daily News, 08 February 2022

EU CORONAVIRUS RESPONSES

HEALTH

• ECDC publishes updated considerations for use of face masks in the community - See the Report
• ECDC - Data on the daily number of new reported COVID-19 cases & deaths by EU/EEA country
• ECDC - Data on COVID-19 vaccination in the EU/EEA

COMPETITION

• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.10574 - Advent / Caldic)
• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.10570 - Advent  / Permira / MCafee)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.10432 - PTTGC / Allnex) 
• Commission clears acquisition of Dodge by STG and Clearlake (M.10599) - Midday Express
• Commission clears acquisition of GreenCollar by OTPP and KKR (M.10596) - Midday Express
• Commission clears joint venture between EDF, Nebras Power, Sojitz and Kyuden (M.10617) - Midday Express
• Commission clears acquisition of joint control of IntraFi Group by Blackstone and Warburg Pincus (M.10587) - Midday Express
• Taking Competition Policy into the Future - See the Videos (3 February 2022)
• Belgium - Notification CONC-CC-22/0006 : SA CAR Avenue Belgique / SA Sobelinvest
• Belgium - Decision 22-CC-01 : Havenbedrijf Antwerpen nv van publiekrecht / Maatschappij van de Brugse Zeehaven nv van publiekrecht
• Germany - Bundeskartellamt - List of 2nd phase proceedings
• Germany - NortonLifeLock can acquire cyber security software provider Avast
• Germany - Bundeskartellamt preliminarily objects to Lufthansa’s impediment of Condor in the long-haul business
• Ireland - CCPC publishes report on private motor insurance investigation - See the Report
• Italy - CV224 - After closure of the proceedings, TikTok undertakes to amend the clauses contained in the "Terms of Service" for users
• UK - NVIDIA has abandoned its proposed deal with Arm during the CMA’s in-depth investigation
• UK - CMA published its Decision of the acquisition by Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. of PPD, Inc

STATE AID

• Commission approves 2022-2027 regional aid map for Portugal (SA.100752) - IP/22/805
• Commission approves €43.63 million aid to compensate CFR Calatori for the damage suffered due to the coronavirus outbreak (SA.60996) - Midday Express
• Answer given by Mr Gentiloni to a MEP written question - Sustainable biofuels based on a high blend of crops in accordance with the revised Climate, Energy and Environmental Aid Guidelines

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Decision No 1/2021 of the EU-Republic of Moldova Customs Sub-Committee of 16 November 2021 amending the Association Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Moldova, of the other part, by replacing Protocol II thereto concerning the definition of the concept of ‘originating products’ and methods of administrative cooperation
• Information note - Regulation (EU) 2021/821 of the European Parliament and of the Council setting up a Union regime for the control of exports, brokering, technical assistance, transit and transfer of dual-use items: Information on measures adopted by Member States in conformity with Articles 4, 6, 7, 9, 11, 12, 22 and 23
• The importance of bilateral trade negotiations - Letter from Markus J. Beyrer (BusinessEurope) to Valdis Dombrovskis
• EU enters the chip subsidy game - The threat of semiconductor export restrictions are as important as headline spending figures - Financial Times
• US trade policy needs a radical redesign - Chinese strategy makes it unrealistic to return to the ‘one world, two systems’ vision of the 1990s -Financial Times

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

• Agenda for: Meeting of the Company Law Working Group of 9 February 2022
• Preparation of the Competitiveness Council (Internal Market, Industry, Research & Space) on 24 February 2022
  - Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on foreign subsidies distorting the internal market - Policy debate (FR)
  - The future of the industrial mobility ecosystem in the context of the green transition - Policy debate (FR)
• Draft opinion Foreign subsidies distorting the internal market - See the Amendments 40-328
• Commission Notice - The 2022 annual Union work programme for European standardisation
• First transition pathway co-created with industry and civil society for a resilient, green and digital tourism ecosystem - IP/22/850
• Speech by President von der Leyen at the annual kick-off event of Der Tagesspiegel, DIE ZEIT, Handelsblatt and WirtschaftsWoche: 'Europe 2022: Towards A Competitive Europe'

FINANCIAL SERVICES

• Capital Markets Union: Commission extends time-limited equivalence for UK central counterparties and launches consultation to expand central clearing activities in the EU - IP/22/665 & see the Draft Decision
• Draft - Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) /... amending the regulatory technical standards laid down in Delegated Regulation (EU) 2017/2417 as regards the transition to new  benchmarks referenced in certain OTC derivative contracts
• ESMA becomes supervisor of EU Data Reporting Service Providers
• ESMA - Summary of conclusions Board of Supervisors - 15 December 2021
• ESMA launches a Common Supervisory Action with NCAs on MiFID II costs and charges
• ESAs recommend actions to ensure the EU’s regulatory and supervisory framework remains fit-for-purpose in the digital age

TAXATION

• Fair Taxation: Take part in the OECD’s new public consultation on certain aspects of Pillar 1 of the international taxation agreement
• Agenda for: 51st Meeting of the WG on Administrative cooperation in the field of direct taxation of 03 March 2022

EMPLOYMENT & SOCIAL POLICY

• The Commission facilitates upskilling and reskilling of workers in the construction ecosystem - Midday Express

ENERGY

• The ninth U.S.-EU Energy Council - see the Opening remarks by HR/VP Josep Borrell and Commissioner Simson

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• Agenda for: International Environment Group (Biosafety) of 11 February 2022 (FR)
• Agenda for:  EP ENVI Committe of 10 February 2022
  - Vote on the Draft report of Rapporteur Simona Bonafè (S&D) on the proposal for a regulation on batteries and waste batteries on 10 February 2022
• Zero pollution: Commission seeks views on review of EU rules on use of mercury - Consultation period: 08 February 2022 - 03 May 2022
• Certification of carbon removals – EU rules - Feedback and consultation period: 07 February 2022 - 02 May 2022
• Europe's environmental taxes in decline, despite potentially crucial role - See the EEA Briefing

HEALTH, FOOD & PRODUCT SAFETY

• Joint Conference of Foreign Ministers and Health Ministers - 07 February 2022
• EFSA Scientific Opinions on maximum levels of cross-contamination for 24 antimicrobial active substances (EFSA-Q-2019-00221, M-2019-0080)

DIGITAL & INFORMATION SOCIETY

• Agenda for: Special Committee on Artificial Intelligence in a Digital Age of 10 February 2022
• Institutional trilogue negotiations on a new directive on measures for a high common level of cybersecurity across the Union (NIS2) - Joint industry letter
• Digital sovereignty: Commission proposes Chips Act to confront semiconductor shortages and strengthen Europe's technological leadership - IP/22/729, QaA & FactSheet
  - A European Chips Act Communication
  - Chips Act: Regulation establishing a framework of measures for strengthening Europe's semiconductor ecosystem & Annex
  - Commission Recommendation to Member States on a Common Union toolbox to address the semiconductor shortage crisis and an EU mechanism for monitoring the semiconductor ecosystem
• US officials lobby European powerbroker on Big Tech regulations - Financial Times

AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY & JUSTICE

• Eurobarometer: defending democracy is top priority for the European Parliament - See the Report
• Proposal for a Council Decision on the position to be taken, on behalf of the EU, in the 65th session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs on the addition to the list of substances in Table I of the UN Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances

ECB, EURO & ECONOMY

• Introductory statement by Christine Lagarde, President of the ECB, at the Hearing of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs of the European Parliament
• Letter from ECB President to Mr Eroglu, MEP, to Mr Kyuchyuk, MEP, to Mr Papadimoulis, MEP, and to Mr Gunnar Beck, MEP, on monetary policy
• Opening remarks by Paschal Donohoe at the Real Instituto Elcano event - Opportunities for the euro area in the context of the recovery
• Letter from the ECB President to Mr Marco Zanni, Mr Valentino Grant, and Mr Antonio Maria Rinaldi, MEPs, on monetary policy

FUTURE OF EUROPE

• Agenda for: Meeting of the Coreper (Part.1 & Part.2) of 9 & 11 February 2022
• Minutes for: Meeting of the Coreper (Part.1 & Part.2) of 19,20 & 21 January 2022

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• EU-US: Press remarks by High Representative Josep Borrell after the meeting with Secretary of State Antony Blinken
• Madagascar: EU provides assistance to people affected by devastating cyclone Batsirai - IP/22/848
• Venezuela: Meeting of Senior Officials of the International Contact Group
• Will EU inflict sanctions 'pain' on Putin - Financial Times