Europe Daily News, 16 June 2022

COMPETITION

• Cartel on the market for optical disk drives: the Court partially annuls the decision of the Commission but upholds the amounts of the fines imposed (See CPR No.101/2022, Judgments of the Court of Justice in Cases C-697/19 P, Sony Corporation and Sony Electronics/Commission C-698/19 P & Sony Optiarc and Sony Optiarc America Vs. Commission, C-699/19 P & Quanta Storage Vs. Commission and C-700/19 P & Toshiba Samsung Storage Technology and Toshiba Samsung Storage Technology Korea Vs. Commission - Competition)
• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.10748 - Macquarie / BCI / NationalGrid / National Grid Gas)
• Commission clears acquisition of joint control of Highways Trust by KKR and OTPP (M.10765) - Midday Express
• Commission lifts remaining commitments given by Gaz de France to obtain clearance for its acquisition of Suez in 2006 (M.4180) - Midday Express
• Belgium - Notification - MEDE-CC-22/0027: AG Insurance NV / Anima NV
• France - Meta commits to the Autorité de la concurrence to put an end to practices that may raise competition concerns in the French market for non-search related online advertising
• The Netherlands - ACM imposes fine on PZEM Energy for violating rules for the wholesale energy market

STATE AID

• EFTA Surveillance Authority Decision No 292/21/COL of 15 December 2021 amending the procedural and substantive rules in the field of State aid by introducing new Guidelines on State aid to promote risk finance investments [2022/929]
• Commission approves award of slots at Lisbon airport to easyJet following TAP Group's restructuring (SA.60165) - IP/22/3783
• Commission approves €5 million Italian scheme to support tourism bus operators in the context of the coronavirus pandemic (SA.103064) - Midday Express

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Explanatory Notes to the Combined Nomenclature of the European Union
  - 9405 31 00 and 9405 39 00; Lighting strings of a kind used for Christmas trees
• Explanatory Notes to the Combined Nomenclature of the European Union
  - 9113; Watch straps, watch bands and watch bracelets, and parts thereof
  - 8517 79 00; Other
• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/926 of 15 June 2022 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) 2022/927 of 15 June 2022 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
• India takes WTO hostage as key talks drag into overtime - First major WTO meeting in five years is at risk of failure, diplomats fear - Politico.eu

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

• Opinion of Advocate General Giovanni Pitruzzella of 16 June 2022 Case C-175/21, Harman International Industries, Inc. contre AB SA
  Re: Reference for a preliminary ruling - Articles 34 and 36 TFEU - Free movement of the goods - EU trade mark - Regulation (EU) 2017/1001 - Article 15 - Exhaustion of the right conferred by the EU trade mark - Burden of proof - Effective judicial protection 
  
• Judgment of the Court of 16 June 2022 in Joined Cases C‑65/21 P and C‑73/21 P to C‑75/21 P, SGL Carbon SE, (C‑65/21 P), Química del Nalón SA, (C‑73/21 P), Deza a.s., (C‑74/21 P), Bilbaína de Alquitranes SA, (C‑75/21 P) Vs. European Commission Kingdom of Spain, European Chemicals Agency (ECHA)
  Re: Appeals - Environment - Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 - Classification, labelling and packaging of certain substances and mixtures - Regulation (EU) No 944/2013 - Classification of pitch, coal tar, high-temp as an Aquatic Acute 1 (H400) toxic substance and as an Aquatic Chronic 1 (H410) toxic substance - Annulment - Actions for damages
• Summary of European Commission Decisions on authorisations for the placing on the market for the use and/or for use of substances listed in Annex XIV to Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning the REACH
  - Chromium trioxide & Sodium dichromate 
  - Chromium trioxide
• Agenda for: Hybrid meeting of the REACH Committee - 21-22 June 2022
• Less carbon, more autonomy: Europe says yes to clean hydrogen - Blog of Commissioner Thierry Breton
• EU awards tender for world-class supercomputing in Barcelona - Midday Express
• Answer given by Mr Breton to a MEP written question - EU dependency on China in strategic sectors 

EMPLOYMENT & SOCIAL POLICY

• The adjustment of family allowances and of various tax advantages granted by Austria to workers according to their children’s State of residence is contrary to EU law (See CPR No.102/2022 - Judgment of the Court of Justice in Case C-328/20, Commission Vs. Austria (Indexation des prestations familiales))
• Council recommends European approach to micro-credentials - See the Recommendation

FINANCIAL SERVICES

• Judgment of the Court of 16 June 2022 in Case C-572/20, ACC Silicones Ltd Vs. Bundeszentralamt für Steuern
  Re: Reference for a preliminary ruling - Free movement of capital - Dividends from shares held by a dispersed shareholder - Refund of tax on capital income paid by a non-resident company - Conditions - Free movement of capital - Principle of proportionality
• Progress on financial services legislative files as of 17 June 2022
• ESMA reviews its 2021 contribution to the EU’s green and digital capital markets - See the Annual Report

TAXATION

• Judgment of the Court of 16 June 2022 in Case C-596/20, DuoDecad Kft. Vs. Nemzeti Adó- és Vámhivatal Fellebbviteli Igazgatósága
  Re: Reference for a preliminary ruling - Taxation - Common system of VAT - Directive 2006/112/EC - Articles 2, 24 and 43 - Place of supply of services - Technical support services supplied to a company established in another Member State - Abuse of rights - Assessment of the facts - Lack of jurisdiction
• Optional reverse charge mechanism to stay in place until 2027 - See Council Directive (EU) 2022/890

AGRICULTURE & FISHERIES

• Draft Decision of the EU-Central America Association Council on the amendment to Annex XVIII (‘Protected Geographical Indications’) to the Agreement establishing the Association between the European Union and its Member States, on the one hand, and Central America, on the other

ENERGY

• Opinion of Advocate General Sànchez-Bordona of 16 June 2022 in Case C‑289/21, IG Vs. Varhoven administrativen sad
  Re: Preliminary ruling procedure - Energy policy - Promotion of energy efficiency - Directive 2012/27/EU - Article 47 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union - Right to an effective remedy and to judicial protection - Damages for breach of EU law -Amendment of national legislation during the course of an appeal
• Draft modernised Energy Charter Treaty: Belgium’s request for an Opinion is inadmissible on account of its premature nature (See CPR No.100/2022, Opinión 1/20)
• Commission supports the European Clean Hydrogen Alliance to reduce EU dependency on Russian gas - Midday Express
• Registration opens for the European Sustainable Energy Week 2022 - from 26-30 September
• European and Mediterranean regulators join efforts to accelerate the energy transition

ENVIRONMENT & LIMATE CHANGE

• EU Cohesion Policy: €1.63 billion for a just climate and energy transition in Greece - IP/22/3711
• The Covenant of Companies for Climate and Energy has opened today its first call for applications to its decarbonisation assistance programme
• List of EU voluntary commitments to be presented at the UN Ocean Conference (Lisbon, 27/06/2022 to 01/07/2022)
• Council adopts recommendation to stimulate learning for the green transition and sustainable development

HEALTH, FOOD & PRODUCT SAFETY

• Agenda for the PAFF Committee meeting,
  - section "Plant Health" - 16 & 17 June 2022 
  - section "Animal Nutrition" - 28 & 30 June 2022 
  - section "Novel Food and Toxicological Safety" - 22 June 2022 
• Agenda for: Stakeholder meeting - Monkeypox, information meeting and exchange of activities - 17 June 2022
• SCCS - Minutes of the Working Group Meeting on Methodologies - 07 June 2022
• Answer given by Ms Kyriakides to a MEP written question - Online food sales
• Food systems - Research and innovation investment gap study - Results of a comparative study on private & public research and innovation investment levels in the EU

DIGITAL SINGLE MARKET

• Opinion of Advocate General Kokott of 16 June 2022 in Case C‑632/20 P, Kingdom of Spain Vs. European Commission
  Re: Appeal - External relations - Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, of the one part, and Kosovo, of the other part - Electronic communications - Regulation (EU) 2018/1971 - BEREC - Article 35(2) - Participation of the national regulatory authority (NRA) of Kosovo in that body - Concepts of ‘third country’ and ‘third State’ - Institutional competence of the Commission
• EP Internal Market Committee endorses agreement on Digital Services Act - See the Proposal for a Regulation (Final version)
• Answer given by Mr Gentiloni to a MEP written question - Government measures targeting small businesses, including the introduction of the myDATA application 

DATA PRIVACY & CYBERSECURITY

• EDPB adopts guidelines on certification as a tool for transfers and an Art. 65 dispute resolution binding decision regarding Accor

AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY & JUSTICE

• According to Advocate General Szpunar, the appeal brought by Mr Junqueras i Vies against the order of the General Court of the European Union delivered on 15 December 2020 must be dismissed (See CPR No.103/2022 - Opinion of the Advocate General in the Case C-115/21 P, Junqueras i Vies Vs. Parliament)

ECB, EURO & ECONOMY

• Statement after the ad hoc meeting of the ECB Governing Council
• Interview with Luis de Guindos, Vice-President of the ECB, conducted by Maria Vasileiou
• Interview with Isabel Schnabel, Member of the Executive Board of the ECB, conducted by Dein Spiegel on 19 May 2022
• The European Commission, on behalf of the European Union, has today carried out an EU-Bills auction - see the Results of 15-06-2022 auction 

BREXIT

• Brexit Adjustment Reserve: Commission approves almost €627 million pre-financing for 4 Member States (Germany, Greece, Cyprus and Hungary) - Midday Express 

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• Partnership Agreement on relations and cooperation between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and New Zealand, of the other part
• Report of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy "CFSP Report - Our Priorities in 2022"
• Remarks by President Charles Michel after his meeting in Pristina with President Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu
• UN: HR/VP Josep Borrell to address the UN Security Council in New York - Midday Express
• Answer given by Mr Várhelyi to a MEP written question - Opening of accession negotiations with Albania

RUSSIAN INVASION OF UKRAINE

• Communication from the Commission on Guidance for access to the labour market, vocational education and training and adult learning of people fleeing Russia’s war of aggression against
• Answer given by Ms Mc Guinness to a MEP written question - Impact of Western sanctions on the Russian banking sector on the EU’s economy
• Answer given by the Council to a MEP written question - Suspending Russian access to Interpol databases
• Answer given by HR/VP Borrell to a MEP written question - Russian response to EU sanctions 
• Answer given by HR/VP Borrell to a MEP written question - EU sanctions against Russia
• How Ukraine wants to make Russia pay for war’s environmental damage - Politico.eu
• EU countries unanimously back Ukraine - except on its bid to join the EU - Kyiv’s demand for ‘candidate status’ sets off fierce, fractious debate - Politico.eu