EU COVID-19 RESPONSES

HEALTH

  • COVID-19: Commission calls on Member States to step up preparedness for the next pandemic phase - IP/22/2646, Speech by Commissioner Kyriakides
    - Communication on COVID-19 sustaining EU preparedness and response 
    - Factsheet: COVID-19 – Sustaining EU Preparedness and Response: Looking ahead 
    - Factsheet - EU FAB 
  • Switzerland - COVID-19: COVID certificates adapted to EU rules
  • ECDC - Assessment of point-of-care testing devices for infectious disease surveillance, prevention and control – a mapping exercise
  • ECDC - Transitioning beyond the acute phase of the COVID-19 pandemic: Approaches and tools used by a sample of EU countries in the transition and de-escalation phase – interim report

STATE AID

  • Commission approves €80 million Maltese scheme to support small and medium-sized enterprises in the context of the coronavirus pandemic (SA.101993) - Midday Express
  • Commission approves re-introduction of Swedish guarantee scheme for companies in the context of the coronavirus pandemic (SA.102496) - Midday Express
  • Commission approves €30 million Spanish scheme to support companies affected by the coronavirus pandemic (SA.102370) - Midday Express

COMPETITION

  • Commission clears creation of a joint venture by Gauselmann and Greentube (M.10218) - Midday Express
  • Austria - Merger of Salzburger Alpenmilch Genossenschaft eGen and Gmundner Molkerei eGen cleared subject to remedies in Phase I: Commitments with minimum guarantees for dairy farmers adopted
  • France - Takeover of Conforama by But group - The Autorité identifies competitive risks but clears the transaction without commitment, in application of the failing firm exception.
  • France - Medical pathology laboratories: the Autorité clears, subject to conditions, the takeover of the company Bio Pôle Antilles by the Inovie group
  • Romania - The Competition Council has approved the transaction whereby Geiger Group Romania SRL acquires Consal SRL
  • Spain - CNMC has ended an antitrust probe into Tenerife's association of procurators who take up the role of court agents in Spain after the group offered commitments
  • UK - VetPartners’ completed purchase of Goddard could now be referred for an in-depth investigation after the CMA found that the deal raises competition concerns - Summary of the CMA’s decision

STATE AID

  • Opinion of Advocate General Ćapeta of 28 April 2022 in Joined Cases C‑164/21 and C‑318/21, SIA Baltijas Starptautiskā Akadēmija Vs. Latvijas Zinātnes padome (C-164/21) and SIA Stockholm School of Economics in Riga Vs. Latvijas Zinātnes padome (C-318/21)
    Re: Reference for a preliminary ruling - Regulation (EU) No 651/2014 - Article 2(83) - Aid for research and development and innovation - Concept of a research organisation - Higher education institution exercising economic and non-economic activities - Determining the primary activity
  • Commission approves €169 million Spanish scheme to support milk producers in context of Russia's invasion of Ukraine (SA.102650) - IP/22/2670
  • Commission approves €700 million French scheme to support research, development and innovation projects across all sectors (SA.102230) - IP/22/2697
  • Commission approves €18 million Irish scheme to support the road haulage sector in the context of Russia's invasion of Ukraine (SA.102559) - IP/22/2669
  • Commission approves prolongation of €150 million existing German scheme to reduce cogenerated electricity surcharge for railway companies (SA.64549) - Midday Express
  • Commission approves €6.9 million Belgian scheme to encourage sustainable agricultural practices in Flanders (SA.63735) - Midday Express
  • Answer given by EVP Vestager to a MEP written question – Consequences for TAP of the conditions imposed by the Commission on the restructuring plan 

TRADE & CUSTOMS

  • Judgment of the Court of 28 April 2022 in Case C‑666/19 P, Changmao Biochemical Engineering Co. Ltd, Vs. European Commission, Hyet Sweet SAS
    Re: Appeal - Dumping - Imports of aspartame originating in the People’s Republic of China - Regulations No 1225/2009 and 2016/1036 - Temporal scope - Article 2(7) - Market economy treatment - Denied - Article 2(10) - Adjustments - Burden of proof - Article 3 - Determination of injury - Duty of care of the European Commission
  • Judgment of the Court of 28 April 2022 in Case C‑79/20 P, Yieh United Steel Corp., Vs. European Commission, Eurofer, Association européenne de l’acier, ASBL
    Re: Appeal - Dumping - Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/1429 - Imports of stainless steel cold-rolled flat products originating in the People’s Republic of China and Taiwan - Definitive anti-dumping duty - Regulation (EC) No 1225/2009 - Article 2 - Calculation of the normal value - Calculation of the production cost - Production losses - Refusal to deduct the value of recycled scrap - Determination of the normal value on the basis of sales of the like product intended for domestic consumption - Exclusion from the basis of calculation used to determine the normal value of sales on the domestic market of the exporting country where those sales concern products intended for export
  • Judgment of the Court of 28 April 2022 in Joined Cases C-415/20, C-419/20 and C-427/20, Gräfendorfer Geflügel- und Tiefkühlfeinkost Produktions GmbH (C-415/20), F. Reyher Nchfg. GmbH & Co KG vertr. d. d. Komplementärin Verwaltungsgesellschaft F. Reyher Nchfg. mbH (C-419/20) Vs. Hauptzollamt Hamburg (C-415/20 and C-419/20), and Flexi Montagetechnik GmbH & Co KG v Hauptzollamt Kiel (C-427/20)
    Re: Preliminary reference - Customs union - Rights to repayment or payment of sums of money levied or refused by a Member State in breach of Union law - Anti-dumping duties, import duties, Notion of 'infringement of Union law' - Misinterpretation or misapplication of that law - Finding of an infringement of that law by a court of the Union or by a national court - Entitlement to payment of interest - Period covered by that payment of interest
  • Judgment of the Court of 28 April 2022 in Case C-72/21, "PRODEX" SIA Vs. Valsts ieņēmumu dienests
    Re: Preliminary reference - Customs Union - Common Customs Tariff - Combined Nomenclature - Tariff headings - Subheading 4418 20 - Scope - Doors and their frames, frames and thresholds - MDF panels and mouldings - General Rule 2(a), first part, for the interpretation of the Combined Nomenclature - Incomplete or unfinished article - Meaning
  • Draft Report by MEP Bernd Lange on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the protection of the Union and its Member States from economic coercion by third countries
  • EU takes steps to suspend all duties on imports from Ukraine - IP/22/2671 & Com 2022-195 
  • Answer given by EVP Dombrovskis to a MEP written question - Case AD684 – anti-dumping proceeding concerning imports of ceramic tiles originating from India and Turkey

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

  • Advocate General Richard de la Tour: the transformation of a German public limited company into a European company does not make it possible to dispense with the specific ballot for the election of trade union representatives to the Supervisory Board (See CPR No.72/2022 - Opinion of the Advocate General in the Case C-677/20, IG Metall and ver.di)
  • Answer given by Mr Breton to a MEP written question - Revision of Regulation (EU) No 168/2013 and raising approval to more powerful e-bikes
  • ECHA Weekly Newsletter - 27 April 2022

FINANCIAL SERVICES

  • Agenda for: 22nd Commission Expert Group on Banking, Payments, and Insurance of 05 May 2022
  • Minutes of 20th Commission Expert Group on Banking, Payments, and Insurance of 24 February 2022
  • Minutes of 20th meeting of the Member States Expert Group on Sustainable Finance of 10 January 2022
  • EBA calls on financial institutions and supervisors to provide access to the EU’s financial system
  • Answer given by Ms McGuinness to a MEP written question - Classification of natural gas as sustainable and the Commission’s position on fracking gas
  • Presentation of ECFR’s work on the creation of a European bank - presentation by The European Council on Foreign Relations

TAXATION

  • Judgment of the Court of 28 April 2022 in Case C-612/20, Happy Education SRL Vs. Direcţia Generală Regională a Finanţelor Publice Cluj-Napoca, Administraţia Judeţeană a Finanţelor Publice Cluj
    Re: Reference for a preliminary ruling - VAT - Directive 2006/112/EC - Article 132(1)(i) - Exemptions for certain activities in the general interest - Exemptions linked to the education of children or young people, school or university education - Provision of educational services complementary to the school curriculum - Private-law body providing those services for commercial purposes
  • Judgment of the Court of 28 April 2022 in Case C-637/20, Skatteverket Vs. DSAB Destination Stockholm AB
    Re: Reference for a preliminary ruling - Directive 2006/112/EC - Common system of VAT - Article 30a(1) - Concept of 'voucher' - Article 30a(3) - Concept of 'multiple-use voucher' - Sale of a card entitling the holder to several tourist services for a limited period of time
  • Opinion of Advocate General Mr Athanasios Rantos 28 April 2022 in Case C-295/21, Allianz Benelux SA Vs. Belgian State, FPS Finance
    Re: Reference for a preliminary ruling - Directive 90/435/EEC - Common system of taxation applicable to parent companies and subsidiaries of different Member States - Article 4 - Prohibition on taxation of profits received - Carryover of definitively taxed surplus income to subsequent tax years - Absorption of the company which received the profits by another company - National legislation limiting the transfer of those surpluses to the absorbing company
  • Opinion by MEP Izabela-Helena KLOC on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a carbon border adjustment mechanism

AGRICULTURE & FISHERIES

  • Agenda for: Committee for Spirit Drinks of 29 April 2022 
    - Commission Decision of XXX on the conclusion of an Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Union and the Republic of Chile concerning amendments to Appendix I to the Agreement on Trade in Spirit Drinks and Aromatised Drinks (Annex VI), annexed to the Association Agreement between the European Community and its Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Chile, of the other part
  • A certificate from the authorities of a third State on the conformity of a consignment of wine with the oenological practices of the European Union does not by itself constitute evidence of compliance with those practices for the purposes of the marketing of that wine within the EU (See CPR No.70/2022 - Judgment of the Court of Justice in Case C-86/20, Vinařství U Kapličky)
  • The Council amends the TACs and quotas Regulation and sets a Union quota for cod in Svalbard waters for 2022 - See IP/22/2722

EMPLOYMENT & SOCIAL POLICY

  • Corporate insolvency and employees’ rights: in the event of a transfer of assets in the context of a pre-pack procedure, the transferee is entitled to derogate from the obligation to safeguard employees’ rights if that procedure is governed by statutory or regulatory provisions (See CPR No.69/2022 - Judgment of the Court of Justice in Case C-237/20 - Federatie Nederlandse Vakbeweging – SOPO) 
  • New Pact for Skills partnership set up to promote skills in cultural and creative industries - IP/22/2708
  • Equality: Commission marks the beginning of the 2022 European Diversity Month - Midday Express

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

HEALTH, FOOD & PRODUCT SAFETY

  • Sustainable EU food system –new initiative - Proposal for a regulation: Consultation period: 28 April 2022 - 21 July 2022
  • Answer given by Mr Wojciechowski to a MEP written question - Supply and emergency labelling issues caused by the war in Ukraine
  • Answer given by Ms Kyriakides to a MEP written question - Temporary contingency exemption measures and flexibility on EU food labellingb
  • ECDC - A scoping review of point-of-care testing devices for infectious disease surveillance, prevention and control

DIGITAL SINGLE MARKET

DATA PRIVACY

  • Consumer protection associations may bring representative actions against infringements of personal data protection (See CPR No.68/2022 - Judgment of the Court of Justice in Case C-319/20, Meta Platforms Ireland)
  • Opinion of Advocate General Collins of 28 April 2022 in Case C‑129/21, Proximus NV (Public electronic directories) Vs. Gegevensbeschermingsautoriteit
    Re: Reference for a preliminary ruling - Processing of personal data and protection of privacy in the electronic communications sector - Directive 2002/58/EC - Article 12 - Directories and directory enquiry services - Data subject’s consent - Regulation (EU) 2016/679 - Definition of consent - Article 17 – Right to erasure (‘right to be forgotten’) - Article 5(2), Article 17(2), Article 19 and Article 24 - Information obligations and responsibility of the controller
  • Commission contributes to an open-source social media pilot of the European Data Protection Supervisor to prioritise data protection and privacy - Midday Express

AREA OF FREDDOM, SECURITY & JUSTICE

  • The concept of "force majeure" rendering impossible the execution of a European arrest warrant does not extend to legal obstacles which arise from legal actions brought by the requested person (See CPR No.71/2022 - Judgment of the Court of Justice in Case C-804/21 PPU, C and CD {Obstacles juridiques à l’exécution d’une décision de remise})
  • EU Court of Justice: nine judges of the General Court appointed
  • Commission tackles abusive lawsuits against journalists and human rights defenders ‘SLAPPs' - IP/22/2652, FactSheet & Speech by VP Jourová
    - The Commission proposal for a Directive
    - The Commission Recommendation
  • Answer given by Vice-President Jourová to a MEP written question - Strategic lawsuits (SLAPPs) brought by WRE HELLAS against public participation by journalists, the media and individual citizens

ECB, EURO & ECONOMY

  • Opinion on a proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 2013/36/EU as regards supervisory powers, sanctions, third-country branches, environmental, social and governance risks (CON/2022/16)
  • Speech by Luis de Guindos: Presentation of the ECB Annual Report 2021 to the EP Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs
  • Euro area economic and financial developments by institutional sector: fourth quarter of 2021 - ECB statistical release
  • Feedback on the input provided by the European Parliament as part of its resolution on the ECB Annual Report 2020
  • Speech by Christine Lagarde: Leadership in times of crisis

FUTURE OF EUROPE

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

  • Food security in Horn of Africa: EU steps up support to drought-affected countries - IP/22/2508
  • EU and Bosnia and Herzegovina strengthen cooperation for disaster preparedness - Midday Express

RUSSIAN INVASION OF UKRAINE

  • Ukraine: €3.5 billion for Member States to help them welcome refugees from Ukraine
  • Commissioner Johansson travels to Poland to discuss support for people fleeing Russia's invasion of Ukraine - Midday Express
  • FAQs on the prohibition to access EU ports concerning sanctions adopted following Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine and Belarus' involvement in it
  • FAQs on credit rating related matters concerning sanctions adopted following Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine
  • Draft Motion for a Resolution by MEP Robert Biedroń - The impact of the war against Ukraine on women 
  • Statement by President von der Leyen on local and regional cooperation between Ukraine and the EU for Ukraine's reconstruction
  • President Michel's message to the Ukrainian Congress of local and regional authorities
  • Switzerland - Ukraine: Further EU sanctions against Russia implemented

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