Europe Daily News, 20 May 2022

COMPETITION

• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.10710 - Selfinvest / LLG / Selected Car Group JV)
• Belgium - The Competition Authority approves the acquisition of the Pattyn garages operating companies by the Steveny Group - Press Release No.19/2022
• Microsoft woos Brussels as battle over the cloud intensifies - Prospect of digital domination by US computing giants is causing anxiety in Europe - Financial Times

STATE AID

• Authorisation for State aid pursuant to Articles 107 and 108 of the TFEU - Cases where the Commission raises no objections
• Commission Decision (EU) 2022/795 of 10 September 2021 on State aid in favour of Alitalia SA.48171 (2018/C) (ex 2018/NN, ex 2017/FC) implemented by Italy
• Commission approves €500 million Luxembourgish scheme to support companies in context of Russia's invasion of Ukraine (SA.102724) - IP/22/3084
• Commission approves €16 million Finnish scheme to support farmers in context of Russia's invasion of Ukraine (SA.102914) - IP/22/3149

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Agenda for: Trade Policy Committee (Services & Investment) - 25 May 2022
• Working document for the ETQG meeting of 19-20 May 2022 - quotas EP & - suspensions EP
• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) /... imposing a provisional anti-dumping duty on imports of electrolytic chromium coated steel products originating in the People’s Republic of China and Brazil
• Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on temporary trade liberalisation supplementing trade concessions applicable to Ukrainian products under the Association Agreement between the EU and the European Atomic Energy Community and their Member States, of the one part, and Ukraine, of the other part - Outcome of the EP's first reading (Brussels, 18 to 19 May 2022)
• Commission Decision (EU) 2022/796 of 12 May 2022 approving, on behalf of the EU, an amendment to Annex XVIII to the Association Agreement between the EU and its Member States, on the one hand, and Central America, on the other
• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/788 of 16 May 2022 concerning the classification of certain goods in the Combined Nomenclature (CN: 3922 10 00)
• Customs Union: Commission welcomes political agreement on the new “EU Single Window Environment for Customs” - a tool to streamline digital customs cooperation and facilitate trade - IP/22/3210
• EU and Union of Comoros sign deal on WTO accession
• CSD on effectively prohibiting the placing on the EU market of products made by forced labour - 09 June 2022
• CSD on the ex-post evaluation of the implementation of the trade pillar of the EU-Central America Association Agreement - draft final report - 25 May 2022
• Answer given by EVP Dombrovskis to a MEP written question - Blacklisting of Chinese technology
• Global insecurity is no reason to divest from the WTO - International co-operation remains vital for protecting against everything from climate change to recurring pandemics - Financial Times 

FINANCIAL SERVICES

• ESMA published its Final Report (FR) on highly liquid financial instruments for CCP investment policies under EMIR
• ESMA published four Consultation Papers on its proposed Guidelines for the EU central counterparty (CCP) resolution regime
• ESMA has published its final report on the relevance of extending the transitional period set out in Article 48 of the Crowdfunding Regulation (CR)

TAXATION

• Agenda for: Code of Conduct Group (Business Taxation) - 2 June 2022 

AGRICULTURE & FISHERIES

• Agenda for: Council of the European Union (Agriculture & Fisheries) - 24 May 2022
  - 2022 spring drought - Information from the Belgian delegation
  - Report from the meeting of G7 agriculture ministers (Stuttgart,13 - 14 May 2022) - Information from the German delegation
  - The difficult situation the beneficiaries of EAFRD-funded projects are facing as a result of the high price increase of material/costs - Information from the Romanian delegation
• Increased support for EU farmers through rural development funds (EAFRD) - IP/22/3170 & Proposal
• The European Commission steps up its monitoring of agricultural markets impacted by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine - See Regulation (EU) 2022/791
• Report on the EU Blue Economy: the ocean economy fuels Europe's ecological transition - Midday Express

ENERGY

• Renewable energy projects – permit-granting processes & power-purchase agreements - Proposal for a directive - Feedback period: 20 May 2022 - 15 July 2022
• ENEN - The European Nuclear Education Network - Education and Training Opportunities in Nuclear: Powerpoint presentation (Research(atomique questions) WP meeting 19.05.2022)
• PIANOFORTE: A European Partnership for Radiation Protection Research - Powerpoint presentation (Research (atomique questions) WP meeting 19.05.2022)
• Answer given by EVP Timmermans to a MEP written question - Suspension of green certificates and VAT on energy
• Brussels to help EU countries end reliance on Russian nuclear fuel - European Commission will assist in speeding up the process of licensing alternatives - Financial Times
• Wind power is booming but Europe’s turbine industry has been blown off course - Delays in approving new sites, rising costs and cheap Chinese imports have hit the sector - Financial Times

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• Answer given by EVP Timmermans to a MEP written question - Assumptions on CO2 pricing in the impact assessment report on the Emissions Trading System Directive

HEALTH, FOOD & PRODUCT SAFETY

• ECDC - Monkeypox cases reported in UK and Portugal
• ECDC - Epidemiological update issued 19 May 2022: hepatitis of unknown aetiology in children
• Measures related to the containment of the plant pest Ceratocystis platani - Implementing regulation - Feedback period: 17 May 2022 - 14 June 2022
• Food safety – cutting of swine carcases pending outcome of Trichinella testing (updated rules) - Implementing regulation - Feedback period: 16 May 2022 - 13 June 2022
• Measures related to the containment of the plant pest Grapevine flavescence dorée phytoplasma - Implementing regulation - Feedback period: 18 May 2022 - 15 June 2022 

DATA PRIVACY & CYBERSECURITY

• Opinion of Advocate General Manuel Campos Sànchez - Bordona of 19 May 2022 in Case C-180/21, VS vs. Inspektor Vs. Inspektorata kam Visshia sadeben savet, Other party: Teritorialno otdelenie - Petrich kam Rayonna prokuratura - Blagoevgrad
  Re: Preliminary question - Protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data - Regulation (EU) 2016/679 - Articles 4 and 6 - Directive (EU) 2016/680 - Articles 1, 2 to 4 and 9 - Legitimisation of the processing of personal data in the context of criminal proceedings - Processing of data relating to the victim of a criminal offence for the purposes of his subsequent prosecution and the defence of the prosecution in civil proceedings - Concept of "purposes other than those for which they were collected
  
• Opinion of the European Data Protection Supervisor on the Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council for a high common level of cybersecurity at the institutions, bodies, offices and agencies of the Union
• Opinion of the European Data Protection Supervisor on the Recommendation for a Council Decision authorising the negotiations for a comprehensive international convention on countering the use of information and communications technologies for criminal purposes

TRANSPORT & MOBILITY

• Answer given by Ms Valean to a MEP to a written question - Market entry barriers encountered by Renfe and lack of competition on the French rail market
• Answer given by Ms Valean to a MEP to a written question - Transition to electric vehicles disrupting the European electricity network
• Answer given by Ms Valean to a MEP to a written question - Increasing use of temporary contracts in the aviation sector
• Answer given by Ms Valean to a MEP to a written question - The Trans-European Transport Network

AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY & JUSTICE

• Annual factsheets for OAPs and JADs for 2021 and 2018-2021
• Trafficking in cultural goods – EU action plan - Communication - Consultation period: 20 May 2022 - 15 July 2022
• Regulation on REPowerEU chapters - Proposal for a regulation - Feedback period: 20 May 2022 - 15 July 2022

ECB, EURO & ECONOMY

• Agenda for: Meeting of the Eurogroup - 23 May 2022
• Account of the monetary policy meeting of the Governing Council of the European Central Bank - 13-14 April 2022

BREXIT – UK/EU RELATIONS

• Fixing the Northern Ireland protocol needs UK-EU trust - Demands to override or scrap the border agreement are counterproductive - Financial Times
• Ukraine war gathers boosts support for Balkans’ EU membership bids - Berlin throws its weight behind unblocking stalled enlargement process - Financial Times
• EU blocks UK scientists from €95bn Horizon research programme - Brussels ambassador to London warns row over post-Brexit trade in Northern Ireland is affecting other areas - Financial Times
• Washington warns London: No trade deal if you mess with Brexit protocol - House Speaker Nancy Pelosi takes aim at UK over stance on Northern Ireland protocol - Politico.eu

FUTURE OF EUROPE

• Agenda for: Meeting of the General Affairs - 23 May 2022

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• Agenda for: 54th session of the European Economic Area (EEA) Council - 23 May 2022
• Council Decision (EU) 2022/793 of 16 May 2022 on the position to be taken on behalf of the EU within the Association Council established by the Association Agreement between the EU and the European Atomic Energy Community and their Member States, of the one part, and Georgia, of the other part, as regards the adoption of the EU-Georgia Association Agenda 2021-2027
• Remarks by President Charles Michel after his meeting in Belgrade with President Aleksandar Vučić of Serbia
  
• Macao: EU report highlights increasing challenges to political rights and fundamental freedoms - IP/22/3206
• Humanitarian aid: EU releases additional €22 million in Bangladesh and Myanmar - IP/22/3208
• Hong Kong: EU report sees a continued deterioration of fundamental freedoms - IP/22/3205

RUSSIAN INVASION OF UKRAINE

• FAQs on circumvention and due diligence concerning sanctions adopted following Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine and Belarus' involvement in it
• FAQs on assets freezes following sanctions adopted in view of Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine and Belarus' involvement in it
• Answer given by Vice-President Jourová to a MEP written question - Sanctioning the funding of political parties by the Russian Federation
• Answer given by Mr Gentiloni to a MEP written question - Economic impact of sanctions against Russia
• EU disburses €600 million in Macro-Financial Assistance to Ukraine - IP/22/3183