Europe Daily News, 22 March 2022

EU CORONAVIRUS RESPONSES

HEALTH

• Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/460 of 4 March 2022 amending Implementing Decision (EU) 2021/788 laying down rules for the monitoring and reporting of infections with SARS-CoV-2 in certain animal species
• Answer given by Ms Kyriakides to a MEP written question - WHO warns that omicron variant could overwhelm Europe’s healthcare systems
• Answer given by Ms Kyriakides to a MEP written question - Regulatory gaps in the Medical Devices Regulation are leading to single market issues

TRANSPORT

• Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/461 of 15 March 2022 amending Implementing Decision (EU) 2019/570 as regards rescEU transport and logistics capacities

STATE AID

• Commission approves €12.78 million Bulgarian scheme to support tour operators in the context of the coronavirus pandemic (SA.102193) - Midday Express

COMPETITION

• Duplication of proceedings and penalties of a criminal nature in competition law: the Court specifies the protection against double jeopardy provided by EU law (See CPR Nº 49/2022 - Judgments of the Court of Justice in Cases C-117/20,C-151/20, bpost, Nordzucker e.)
• Judgment of the Court of 22 March 2022 in Case C-151/20, Bundeswettbewerbsbehörde Vs. Nordzucker AG, Südzucker AG, Agrana Zucker GmbH
  Re: Reference for a preliminary ruling - Competition - Article 101 TFEU - Cartel pursued by two national competition authorities - Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union - Article 50 - Ne bis in idem principle - Existence of the same infringement - Article 52(1) - Limitations to the ne bis in idem principle - Conditions - Pursuit of an objective in the general interest - Proportionality
  
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.10459 - CVC / Stock Spirits Group)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.10360 - Assicurazioni Generali / Società Cattolica Di Assicurazione)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.10512 - Lear Corporation / Interior Comfort Systems Business of Kongsberg Automotive Group)
• Commission clears creation of a joint venture by Porsche Austria, Denzel and Saubermacher (M.10613) - Midday Express
• Commission clears creation of a joint venture by ADM Singapore and Clyde Investments (M.10610) - Midday Express
• Austria - AFCA conducting market inquiry into Austrian fuel market
• Croatia - CCA fines fruit buyer Moslavina voće HRK 75,000 for imposing unfair trading practices on plum suppliers
• Cyprus - Notification of a concentration concerning the acquisition of the share capital of International Financial Group Ltd by Cinven Capital Management (SFF) General Partner Ltd, via a fund managed by it
• France - Green light to the takeover of Stokomani group by the Zouari family
• Greece - Unannounced inspections in companies active in catering services provision

STATE AID

• Commission Decision (EU) 2022/459 of 10 September 2021 on the State aid SA.49668 (2019/C) (ex 2017/FC) and SA.53403 (2019/C) (ex 2017/FC) implemented by Denmark and Sweden for PostNord AB and Post Danmark A/S
• Commission approves 2022-2027 regional aid map for Ireland - IP/22/1864
• Commission approves €209 million Hungarian aid for construction of SK On Hungary's electric vehicle battery plant (SA.63328) - IP/22/1962

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Agenda for: 633rd Meeting of the Export Credit Group of 31 March 2022
• Agenda for: Meeting of the SG Data Analytics/Indicators Definition/Guidance Notes of 24 March 2022
• Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and the Council on the making available on the Union market as well as export from the Union of certain commodities and products associated with deforestation and forest degradation and repealing Regulation (EU) No 995/2010 [14151/21 - COM (2021) 706 final]
  - Opinion  of the Senate of the Parliament of the Czech Republic on the application of the Principles of Subsidiarity and Proportionality
  - Draft Opinion by MEP Karin Karlsbro for the EP INTA Committee
  
• Answer given by Ms Urpilainen to a MEP written question - Agreement between the EU and the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States
• Insurance Europe - Response to EC Better Regulation consultation on an anti-coercion instrument
• WTO offers unique forum for dialogue on global supply chain issues - Speech by DG Okonjo-Iweala 

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

• Draft - Commission Implementing Decision (EU) / amending Implementing Decision (EU) 2020/167 as regards harmonised standards for avalanche beacons, satellite earth stations and systems, land mobile earth stations, maritime mobile earth stations, IMT cellular networks equipment, fixed radio systems, digital terrestrial TV transmitters, mobile communication on board aircraft systems, multi Gbps radio equipment, broadcast sound receivers, audio frequency induction loop drivers, primary surveillance radars and TETRA radio equipment
• Artificial Intelligence can increase European productivity by 11 to 37% by 2035 - See EPP Group Statement

FINANCIAL SERVICES

• Personal pensions: The pan-European personal pension product (“PEPP”) applies as of today - IP/22/1941
• Answer given by Ms McGuinness to a MEP written question - Taxonomy assessment of the Platform on Sustainable Finance
• EBF Response: ESMA Call for Evidence on Market Characteristics for ESG Rating Providers in the EU
• Effective sanctions against oligarchs and the role of a European Asset Registry - see EUTAX Observatory Paper - March 2022

EMPLOYMENT & SOCIAL POLICY

• Decision (EU) 2022/457 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 March 2022 on the mobilisation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund for Displaced Workers (EGF/2022/000 TA 2022 – Technical assistance at the initiative of the Commission)
• Decision (EU) 2022/458 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 March 2022 on the mobilisation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund for Displaced Workers following an application from Spain – EGF/2021/006 ES/Cataluña automotive

ENERGY

• Answer given by Ms McGuinness to a MEP written question - Greenwashing of nuclear energy
• Answer given by Ms McGuinness to a MEP written question - Nuclear energy seen by the Commission as a sustainable form of energy
• IFIEC Europe’s Position on Guarantees of Origin for Electricity
• SEEGAS addresses vulnerabilities to gas disruptions in South-East Europe
• RePowerEU: Biofuels play a strategic role in boosting Europe’s energy independence
• EU energy proposals to focus on gas storage - Price caps or decoupling gas from electricity markets remain a no-go - Financial Times
• Spanish PM urges EU to cut energy costs or be Putin’s ‘hostage’ - Sánchez tells the FT that bloc faces emergency and must increase independence from Russia - Financial Times

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• 3rd High-Level Meeting of Education Ministers In the framework of 9th Environment for Europe Ministerial Conference, Nicosia, Cyprus, 5-7 October 2022 - Information from the Cyprus delegation
• Speech by President von der Leyen at the opening ceremony of the 9th World Water Forum
• Heal Letter: Civil society call to save lives, protect nature from air pollution with science-based revised EU air quality standards

AGRICULTURE & FISHERIES

• Main results of Agriculture & Fisheries Council of 21 March 2022
• Increase European food production now - see EPP Group Statement
• A joint call for an EU strategy on plant protein - See COPA & COGECA, EUROSEEDS and FEFAC Statement
• ESA audit finds official controls in Norway on animal welfare at slaughter are established but require further strengthening - see EFTA Report
• Food safety: Iceland must improve controls on plant protection products, pesticide residues and the sustainable use of pesticides - see EFTA Report

TRANSPORT & MOBILITY

• Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/455 of 14 March 2022 amending Regulation (EC) No 748/2009 as regards the update of the list of aircraft operators which performed an aviation activity listed in Annex I to Directive 2003/87/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on or after 1 January 2006 specifying the administering Member State for each aircraft operator

DIGITAL & INFORMATION SOCIETY

• Exploring 5G spectrum options for vertical/local use cases - See DigitalEurope Policy Paper

DATA PRIVACY & CYBERSECURITY

• New rules to boost cybersecurity and information security in EU institutions, bodies, offices and agencies - IP/22/1866 & the Proposal
• Insurance Europe has published its response to a consultation conducted by the EDPB on its draft guidelines on the right of access 
• Balancing rights and obligations for an effective GDPR access right - See DigitalEurope Policy Paper 

AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY & JUSTICE

• The Court declares inadmissible the request for a preliminary ruling from a Polish court, asking whether EU law confers on it the power, which it does not have under Polish law, to find that a judge's service relationship does not exist due to irregularities vitiating the instrument of his appointment (See CPR Nº 48/2022 - Judgment of the Court of Justice in Case C-508/19, Prokurator Generalny (Chambre disciplinaire de la Cour suprême - Nomination))
• Opinion by MEP Kira Marie Peter-Hansen on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 2013/34/EU, Directive 2004/109/EC, Directive 2006/43/EC and Regulation (EU) No 537/2014, as regards corporate sustainability reporting
• Report from the Commission assessing the implementation and achievements of the 2014 – 2020 rights, equality and citizenship programme

FUTURE OF EUROPE

• Agenda for: Meeting of the Coreper (Part.1 & Part.2) of 22, 23 & 25 March 2022

ECB, EURO & ECONOMY

• Which sub-components are driving owner-occupied housing costs? - ECB Economic Bulletin Issue 2, 2022
• Euro area monthly balance of payments: January 2022
• President Donohoe's report to the President of the Euro Summit

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• Main results of Foreign Affairs Council & Foreign Affairs Council (Defence) of 21 March 2022 - See Remarks by HR Josep Borrell
  - A Strategic Compass for a stronger EU security and defence in the next decade
  - Council approves conclusions on Cameroon
• Council Conclusions on the 9th Review Conference of the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention
• Bosnia & Herzegovina: Statement by the Spokesperson on constitutional and electoral reforms
• Yemen: Statement by the Spokesperson on the attack by Ansar Allah against Saudi Arabia
• Timor-Leste: Statement by the Spokesperson on the Presidential elections
• International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, 21 March 2022: Declaration by the HR on behalf of the EU
• The First Culture Ministerial Meeting of the EU-Southern Partnership - (Naples, June 16-17, 2022) - Information from the Italian delegation
• Commissioner Várhelyi travels to the Middle East for meetings with Israeli and Palestinian Authority representatives on 23 and 24 March - Midday Express
• Answer given by HR/VP Borrell to a MEP written question - First anniversary of the signing of the joint declaration between Morocco, Israel and the United States
• Answer given by Mr Várhelyi to a MEP written question - Meeting between the President of the Republic of North Macedonia and representatives of separatist organisations

RUSSIA - UKRAINE WAR

• Commission launches one-stop-shop (Euraxess) to support researchers of Ukraine - IP/22/1942
• Answer given by HR/VP Borrell to a MEP written question - Russia’s efforts to become more resilient to sanctions
• The EU-Ukraine Association Agreement after Ukraine’s EU membership application: Still fit for purpose - see EPC Discussion Paper
• Russia’s war on Ukraine: There is worse to come (for the West as well) - see CER Insight
• A negotiated peace with Russia is fraught with danger - See Chatham House Paper