Europe Daily News, 15 June 2022

COMPETITION

• Abuse of dominance on the LTE chipsets market: the General Court annuls the Commission decision imposing on Qualcomm a fine of approximately €1 billion (See CPR No.99/22 - Judgment of the General Court in Case T-235/18, Qualcomm Vs. Commission (Qualcomm - Exclusivity Payments)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.10623 - Repsol / Telefonica / JV) 
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.10705 - Blackstone / Carlyle / Goldman Sachs / Prima)
• Answer given by EVP Vestager to a MEP written question - Maritime transport and the impact of Regulation (EC) No 906/2009
• Belgium - Notification - MEDE-CC-22/0021: SAX Sanitair NV / Bedrijfstak van ID Group SA

STATE AID

• Answer given by EVP Vestager to a MEP written question - Extension of exemptions under the Temporary Framework 

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Agenda for: Meeting of the EP INTA Committee - 15 & 16 June 2022
• Notice of initiation of an expiry review of the anti-dumping measures applicable to imports of rebars originating in the Republic of Belarus (CN codes ex 7214 10 00, ex 7214 20 00, ex 7214 30 00, ex 7214 91 10, ex 7214 91 90, ex 7214 99 10 and ex 7214 99 95)
• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) /... imposing a definitive countervailing duty on imports of tubes and pipes of ductile cast iron (also known as spheroidal graphite cast iron) originating in India following an expiry review pursuant to Article 18 of Regulation (EU) 2016/1037 of the European Parliament and of the Council
• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) /... imposing a definitive anti-dumping duty on imports of tubes and pipes of ductile cast iron (also known as spheroidal graphite cast iron) originating in India following an expiry review pursuant to Article 11(2) of Regulation (EU) 2016/1036 of the European Parliament and of the Council
• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) …/... of 13.6.2022 concerning the classification of certain goods in the Combined Nomenclature (CN: 6110 30 99; 3924 90 00)
• Council Decision on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union within the World Customs Organization Council in relation to the approval of draft amendments to the Rules of Procedure of the Harmonized System Committee
• WTO - DG Okonjo-Iweala: Time is running out to reach credible outcomes at MC12
• Parliamentarians show strong support for WTO and role of multilateral trading system
• WTO Fisheries Funding Mechanism readied to provide support for ending harmful subsidies

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

• New exascale era for European supercomputing: five newhosting sites announced
• Farm to Fork: Ongoing reduction of chemical pesticides' use in the EU but pace needs to pick up

EMPLOYMENT & SOCIAL POLICY

• European Network of Public Employment Services PES support to recovery - Thematic paper
• Study on the pathways to enhance the use of programme-specific indicators in the ESF and ESF+ - Final Report
• Cultural Affairs Committee Stocktaking exercise on the 2020 Presidency conclusions on gender equality in the field of culture (13097/20) - Presidency note

FINANCIAL SERVICES

• Single Resolution Board - Sberbank collapse in Europe: EU’s SRB publishes further details on its actions
• Taxonomy: MEPs object to Commission’s plan to include gas and nuclear activities - Financial Times
• EBA publishes Guidelines on role and responsibilities of the AML/CFT compliance officer 

AGRICULTURE & FISHERIES

• Draft opinion by MEP Michèle Rivasi: "A New EU Forest Strategy for 2030 – Sustainable Forest Management in Europe"
• Answer given by Mr Wojciechowski to a MEP written question - Proposal for Commission actions to decrease the price of fertilisers used in food production
• Answer given by Mr Wojciechowski to a MEP written question - European agriculture in the new reality of the war in Ukraine
• Answer given by Mr Wojciechowski to a MEP written question - EU food security and the Green Deal

ENERGY

• EU and Egypt step up cooperation on climate, energy and the green transition - IP/22/3662 & Joint Statement
• Commission kick starts work with EU national authorities to speed up permit-granting procedures for renewable energy projects
• Answer given by Ms Simson to a MEP written question - Nord Stream 2 – Meetings 
• Answer given by Ms Simson to a MEP written question - Water efficiency as a key driver for energy savings
• Answer given by Ms Simson to a MEP written question - EU support for energy infrastructure and networks indispensable for making Europe independent from Russian gas
• EU looks to Israel as it battles Russian energy ‘blackmail’ - Commission president Von der Leyen discusses co-operation over offshore gas infrastructure - Financial Times
• Double blow to Europe’s gas supplies sparks price surge - Disruption from damage to US export terminal and missing key part on the Nord Stream 1 pipeline - Financial Times

ENVIRONMENT & LIMATE CHANGE

• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) …/... of 14.6.2022 on rules to verify sustainability and greenhouse gas emissions saving criteria and low indirect land-use change-risk criteria
• Opinion by MEP Rasmus Andresen on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council The use of renewable and low-carbon fuels in maritime transport and amending Directive 2009/16/EC
• Answer given by Mr Sinkevičius to a MEP written question – Banning the monkey trade and the keeping of monkeys as pets
• New EU standard must reduce vehicle pollution to lowest level feasible, say cities and civil society - Euro 7 is the last chance to slash toxic air pollution from engines, cities and NGOs have told the EU Commission in a letter

HEALTH, FOOD & PRODUCT SAFETY

• Main results - Council of the European Union (Health) - 14 June 2022
  
• SCHEER - Draft agenda of the 2nd plenary meeting, Luxembourg, 15-16 June 2022
• SCCS - Draft Agenda of the 2nd plenary meeting, Luxembourg, 21-22 June 2022
• SCCS - Minutes of the Working Group meeting on Cosmetic Ingredients of 31 May - 1 June 2022 
• Report from the Commission on the establishment of a substantial change of circumstances for heated tobacco products in line with Directive 2014/40/EU
• ECDC and WHO publish joint technical report on navigating monkeypox during the summer season
• Implications of the emergence and spread of the SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern BA.4 and BA.5 for the EU/EEA
• Interim advice for public health authorities on summer events during the monkeypox outbreak in Europe, 2022 - see ECDC Guidance
• The EMA and the Head of Medicines Agencies (HMA) have adopted a Veterinary Big Data strategy to 2027
• EFSA - Scientific Opinion - Pest categorisation of Capsicum chlorosis virus
• EFSA - Safety evaluation of the food enzyme endo‐1,4‐β‐xylanase from the genetically modified Trichoderma reesei strain NZYM‐ER
• EFSA - Scientific Opinion Safety evaluation of the food enzyme pullulanase from the genetically modified Bacillus licheniformis strain NZYM‐LU

TRANSPORT & MOBILITY

• Agenda for: Meeting of the European ITS Committee - (EIC) - 24 June 2022
• European Mobility Week recognises Green City Accord signatories for outstanding efforts

DATA PRIVACY & CYBERSECURITY

• Celebrating the 50th EDPS-DPO meeting & looking forward to the future!

AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY & JUSTICE

• Draft opinion by MEP Cristian Terheş:  Amending Regulation (EU) No 910/2014 as regards establishing a framework for a European Digital Identity
• Drug supply and use bounce back after COVID-19 disruption - see Emcdda Report 

ECB, EURO & ECONOMY

• ECB - International use of the euro remained stable in 2021
• ECB - Consolidated financial statement of the Eurosystem as at 10 June 2022 - Annexes 
• Speech by Isabel Schnabel: United in diversity - Challenges for monetary policy in a currency union
• Europe's growing league of small corporate bond issuers: new players, different game dynamics - ECB Research Bulletin No.96

BREXIT

• Commission launches infringement proceedings against the UK for breaking international law and provides further details on possible solutions to facilitate the movement of goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland - IP/22/3676, QaA & Remarks by VP Maroš Šefčovič
• Serious breach of international law: MEPs call on UK not to adopt new bill
• Brexit trade friction caused 15% fall in UK-EU exports in first half of 2021 Standards for food and chemical products and technical specifications for machinery have led to problems, study shows - See the CER Study - Financial Times 

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• EU Ambassador and NTB Governor (Indonesia) discuss Trade and Investment
• EU Statement - UNICEF Executive Board: Evaluation of the UNICEF role as cluster lead
• EU, Australia and the UN support peaceful transition and transformation of 6 MILF camps
• Remarks by President Charles Michel after his meeting in Podgorica with President of Montenegro Milo Đukanović
• Report from the Commission on the implementation of the financial assistance provided to the Overseas Countries and Territories under the Decision on the Overseas Association, including Greenland and under the 11th European Development Fund in 2021
• Recommendation by MEP Tonino Picula to the Council, the Commission and the VP/HR of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy on the New EU Strategy for Enlargement
  
  RUSSIAN INVASION OF UKRAINE

• Ukraine: Commission presents guidance to help people fleeing war access jobs, training and adult learning - IP/22/3620
• FAQs on imports and purchase of goods concerning sanctions adopted following Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine
• FAQs on the sale of securities denominated in the currency of a Member State following sanctions adopted in view of Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine
• Answer given by Mr Lenarčič to a MEP written question - Protection of refugees from Ukraine
• Answer given by Mr Breton to a MEP written question - Supply chain disruption due to war in Ukraine
• Answer given by Mr Várhelyi to a MEP written question - Cost of the solidarity fund for the reconstruction of Ukraine
• Answer given by the Council to a MEP written question - On the mysterious non inclusion of a Russian oligarch in the EU sanctions list
• Answer given by Ms Gabriel to a MEP written question - Support for education institutions and Ukrainian students going through the academic recognition process
• Answer given by HR/VP Borrell to a MEP written question - Importance of analysing errors made in EU policy towards Russia, retaining all corresponding documents and imposing consequences on officials
• Sanctions-hit Russian businessmen seek tips from Iran - Tehran’s expertise at accessing the world’s black markets is in demand as war in Ukraine offers unexpected benefits - Financial Times