Europe Daily News, 24 May 2022

COMPETITION

• Action brought on 23 March 2022 - Hyundai Heavy Industries Holdings Vs. Commission - (Case T-156/22)
  Re: annul the Commission Decision of 13 January 2022 in Case M.9343 - Hyundai Heavy Industries Holdings / Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering in its totality (the Decision)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.10524 - Mercedes-Benz / Totalenergies / Stellantis / ACC)
• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.10771 - PLD / NBIM / Unuipart Group Car Park)
• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.10686 - Lov Group / Betclic Everest Group)
• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.10731 - Apollo Management / Primafrio)
• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.10623 - Repsol / Telefonica / JV)
• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.10658 - Norsk Hydro / Alumetal)
• Commission clears acquisition of ekaterra by CVC (M.10578) - Midday Express
• Commission clears acquisition of Bank and Acquirers International Holding by Apollo (M.10695) - Midday Express
• Competition: Commission seeks feedback on revised antitrust informal guidance notice - Communication - Feedback period: 24 May 2022 - 21 June 2022  - Midday Express
• Ireland - CCPC requires commitments from BOI to acquire KBC Ireland assets
• Poland - The UOKiK has issued a decision against CGA Invest, a company which developed and sold units in the Czarna Perła condo hotel in Sienna
• Poland - The UOKiK has imposed a penalty of over PLN 2 million on Cefetra Polska – one of the largest companies in the Polish grain trading market
• Portugal - Bilateral meeting between the Portuguese and Norwegian Competition Authorities with the purpose of exchanging experiences on topics of common interest
• Romania - The Competition Council has launched an investigation into the market for medical equipment such as ultrasound scanners
• Romania - The Competition Council examines the operation to be brought about by the change of joint control of Leakbrook LTD. and IHC SARL over Energobit Holding LTD. and indirectly over Energobit S.A. to sole control by Leakbrook LTD.
• UK - CMA: Acquisition by Veolia Environnement S.A. of Suez S.A. - Provisional findings report & Appendices and glossary
• Private equity moves into the antitrust spotlight - Top US enforcer wants more scrutiny of ‘roll up’ acquisitions which build dominant market shares - Financial Times

STATE AID

• Commission approves €11.6 million Latvian aid measure to compensate airBaltic for the damage suffered due to the coronavirus pandemic (SA.101755) - Midday Express
• Commission approves €8 million Portuguese scheme to support companies in Azores in the context of the coronavirus pandemic (SA.102911) - Midday Express
• Commission approves €100 million Romanian scheme under the Recovery and Resilience Facility to support forest regeneration (SA.102070) - Midday Express
• Commission approves €33.4 million Latvian measure to recapitalise airBaltic in the context of the coronavirus pandemic (SA.63604) - Midday Express

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Minutes of the 231st meeting of the Tariff & Statistical Nomenclature Section (Textiles & Mechanical/Miscellaneous Sub-section) of the Customs Code Committee - 04 -06 April 2022
• An updated version of the guidance document on the Registered Exporter (the REX system) as of 23 May 2022
• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) /... amending Annex I to Council Regulation (EEC) No 2658/87 on the tariff and statistical nomenclature and on the Common Customs Tariff (See CN: 4421 20 00, 8485 80 00, 8485 90 10 & 8485 90 90)
• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/806 of 23 May 2022 amending Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/492 imposing definitive anti-dumping duties on imports of certain woven and/or stitched glass fibre fabrics originating in the P.R. of China and Egypt and Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/776 imposing definitive countervailing duties on imports of certain woven and/or stitched glass fibre fabrics originating in the P.R. of China and Egypt and imposing the definitive anti-dumping duties and the definitive countervailing duties on imports of certain woven and/or stitched glass fibre fabrics originating in the P.R. of China and Egypt brought to an artificial island, a fixed or floating installation or any other structure in the continental shelf of a Member State or the exclusive economic zone declared by a Member State pursuant to UNCLOS
• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/807 of 23 May 2022 correcting Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/191 imposing a definitive anti-dumping duty on imports of certain iron or steel fasteners originating in the People’s Republic of China
• Call for evidence - Effectively banning products produced, extracted or harvested with forced labour - Proposal for a regulation - Feedback period: 23 May 2022 - 20 June 2022
• WTO - Items proposed for consideration at the next meeting of Dispute Settlement Body - 31 May 2022
• WTO - Goods barometer remains flat as Ukraine conflict, COVID-19 weigh on trade

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

• Preparation of the Competitiveness Council of 9-10 June 2022
  - Strengthening the resilience of Europe's strategic industrial ecosystems - Policy debate
  - Regulation establishing a framework of measures to strengthen the European semiconductor ecosystem (semiconductor regulation) - Policy debate - Presidency note
• European Research Council supports scientists to explore the commercial potential of their discoveries

FINANCIAL SERVICES

• EU aims to unify capital markets with live trading databases - Financial Times

TAXATION

• New EU VAT rules for e-commerce: Updated revenue figures point to a successful implementation
• Answer given by Mr Gentiloni to a MEP written question - Zero rate VAT on basic foodstuffs 

AGRICULTURE & FISHERIES

• Agenda for: 2nd ad hoc meeting of the Expert Group on the European Food Security Crisis preparedness and response Mechanism (EFSCM) - 4 May 2022
• Answer given by Mr Wojciechowski to a MEP written question - Agricultural prices, ban on cereal exports by Hungary and the risk to European food security 
• Answer given by Mr Wojciechowski to a MEP written question - Russian aggression against Ukraine and impact on food security

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• Agenda for: Meeting on local space heaters, air conditioners and comfort fans of 24 June 2022
• Minutes of the Meeting on Set top boxes, EPS, SPI, ED/EL work plan, EPREL, vacuum cleaners and Industrial fans of 31 March 2022
• ClientEarth: request for internal review under Title IV of the Aarhus Regulation of Council Regulation (EU) 2022/515 of 31 March 2022 amending Council Regulation (EU) 2022/109 fixing for 2022 the fishing opportunities for certain fish stocks and groups of fish stocks applicable in certain non-Union waters
• Reducing product and food waste: Commission seeks views on revision of the Waste Framework Directive - Feedback period: 24 May 2022 - 16 August 2022
• Call for evidence - Nutrients – action plan for better management - Communication - Feedback period: 23 May 2022 - 20 June 2022
• Answer given by Mr Sinkevicius to a MEP written question - Soya production and deforestation
• Answer given by Mr Sinkevicius to a MEP written question - Sustainability of groundwater resources
• Answer given by Mr Sinkevicius to a MEP written question - Geolocation in the proposal for a regulation on commodities and products associated with deforestation and forest degradation
• Answer given by EVP Timmermans to a MEP written question - Carbon capture and storage – national plans

ENERGY

• Minutes of the Gas Coordination Group of 13 May 2022
• Minutes of the Electricity Coordination Group of 08 April 2022
• Joint Statement between the European Commission and the United States on European Energy Security
• Call for evidence - Energy labelling requirements for local space heaters (review) - Delegated regulation - Feedback period: 23 May 2022 - 15 August 2022
• Call for evidence - Renewable energy – method for assessing greenhouse gas emission savings for certain fuels - Delegated regulation - Feedback period: 20 May 2022 - 17 June 2022
• Secretariat expresses concern about regulatory uncertainty in Kosovo - See Energy Community Statement
• REPowerEU: How the self-use of biomass residues can support energy independence
• EU hydrogen plan risks doing more harm than good - See T&E Statement
• No end in sight to Hungary stand-off - Oil embargo, rule of law and EU funds are in a Gordian knot - Financial Times
• Europe must put more pressure on Russian oil exports - EU countries are better placed than others to absorb the effects of a price shock - Financial Times 

HEALTH, FOOD & PRODUCT SAFETY

• Council approves conclusions on a strategic approach for the development of vaccination as a complementary tool for the prevention and control of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI)
• WHO - 75th World Health Assembly - EU Statement
  - Item 12: Programme budget 2022-2023 General Programme of Work results framework
  - Item 14.1: Follow-up to the political declaration of the third high-level meeting of the General Assembly on the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases
  - Item 14.1h: Follow-up to the political declaration of the third high-level meeting of the General Assembly on the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases
  - Item 13: Sustainable financing: report of the Working Group
• Phytosanitary controls on imports into the EU: need to implement effective protection systems Information from the Spanish delegation
• Call for Evidence: Evaluation of the legislative framework for tobacco control - Feedback period: 20 May 2022 - 17 June 2022
• EFSA - Novel foods as red meat replacers – an insight using Risk Benefit Assessment methods (the NovRBA project) 

DATA PRIVACY & CYBERSECURITY

• Cyber posture: Council approves conclusions

TRANSPORT & MOBILITY

• Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 2010/40/EU on the framework for the deployment of intelligent intelligent transport systems in the field of road transport and interfaces with other transport modes with other transport modes - General approach

AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY & JUSTICE

• Public access to Council documents: 2021 report
• State of Schengen: Commission sets new priorities and new governance model - IP/22/3213, QaA & State of Schengen Report 2022
• Commissioner Johansson visits Frontex to address the Agency's staff and discuss upcoming priorities - Midday Express
• Non-transposition of EU legislation: Commission takes action for complete and timely transposition of EU directives for the benefit of citizens and businesses against Cyprus, Czechia, Finland, Portugal and Slovakia - Midday Express
• Europol: Council adopts legislation entrusting new tasks to the agency
• Moldovan 'Thief in Law' and his associates arrested in European crackdown - A total of 14 members of this powerful, poly-criminal gang have been arrested in Romania, France and Moldova
• New investigations on core international crimes increase by 44% since 2016 - See Eurojust Statement

ECB, EURO & ECONOMY

• Main Results of the Eurogroup - 23 May 2022, see Remarks by Paschal Donohoe
  - Eurogroup statement on the updated draft budgetary plans of Germany and Portugal
• EU cohesion policy: Commission adopts €21.4 billion Partnership Agreement with Czechia for 2021-2027 - IP/22/3209
• ECB - Survey of Monetary Analysts (SMA), June 2022
• ECB - Euro area investment fund statistics: first quarter of 2022
• ECB - Euro area financial vehicle corporation statistics: first quarter of 2022
• ECB - Speech by Christine Lagarde: Monetary policy normalisation in the euro area
• ECB - Climate-related risks to financial stability - Financial Stability Review, Issue 1, 2022

FUTURE OF EUROPE

• Agenda for: Meeting of the Coreper (Part.1) of 25 May 2022
• Main Results of the General Affairs Council - 23 May 2022
• Possible items for College agendas:1 June - 27 July 2022

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• Main results of the 54th EEA Council meeting: Green transition and reducing strategic dependencies among topics

RUSSIAN INVASION OF UKRAINE

• Answer given by EVP Timmermans to a MEP written question - The Ukraine conflict and the automotive industry
• FAQs on deposits acceptance concerning sanctions following Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine - 23 May 2022
• FAQs on the prohibition to access EU ports concerning sanctions adopted following Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine and Belarus' involvement in it - 23 May 2022
• FAQs on public procurement sanctions against Russia - 23 May 2022
• Council Decision (CFSP) 2022/809 of 23 May 2022 amending Decision (CFSP) 2022/338 on an assistance measure under the European Peace Facility for the supply to the Ukrainian Armed Forces of military equipment, and platforms, designed to deliver lethal force
• Council Decision (CFSP) 2022/810 of 23 May 2022 amending Decision (CFSP) 2022/339 on an assistance measure under the European Peace Facility to support the Ukrainian Armed Forces