Europe Daily News, 23 June 2022

COMPETITION

• Commission opens in-depth investigation into the proposed acquisition of OMV Slovenija by MOL  (M.10438) - IP/22/3974
• Commission clears acquisition of certain assets of Auto-Holding Dresden by Volkswagen Group Retail Deutschland (M.10714) - Midday Express
• Belgium - Notification - CONC-CC-22/0010: Le Groupe Maurin /Mercedes-Benz Wemmel NV/SA et Mercedes-Benz Mechelen NV/SA
• Cyprus - Notification of a concentration regarding the acquisition of the share capital of Pascal World Schools Ltd by Providence Equity Partners, LLC, through N.A.C.E. Midco Ltd
• Denmark - The Competition Council has approved Knorr-Bremse Sys-teme für Schienenfahrzeuge GmbH’s acquisition of sole control over Selskabet af 3. juli 2021 ApS (DSB Component Workshop) subject to commitments
• Greece - Memorandum of intent on cooperation between the HCC and the Israeli Competition Authority
• Italy - After the Authority's intervention TLC operators change the advertising of fibre internet connection offers
• The Netherlands - Speech by Martijn Snoep: Climate change requires a fresh look on fair and efficient in competition law
• Romania - The Competition Council assesses the taking over of Schleuniger AG by Komax Holding AG
• Romania - The Competition Council assesses the taking over of OPAL Technologies SRL by Florin Andrei and Ionut Rotaru
• UK - CMA is consulting on proposed undertakings in lieu of reference for the anticipated acquisition of Welbilt, Inc by Ali Holding S.r.l.

STATE AID

• Commission approves €1 million Croatian scheme to support maize seed producers in context of Russia's invasion of Ukraine (SA.103217) - IP/22/3682
• Commission approves €56.25 million Italian scheme to support travel agencies and tour operators in the context of the coronavirus pandemic (SA.103161) - Midday Express

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Agenda for: Working Party on Trade Questions - 28 June 2022
• Agenda for: Trade Policy Committee (Deputies) / Attachés - 27 June 2022
• Minutes of Customs 2020 project group on the assessment of national customs infringements and sanctions - 3rd plenary meeting - 2 June 2022
• Commission unveils new approach to trade agreements to promote green and just growth - IP/22/3921 & Factsheet
  - Communication on “The power of trade partnerships: together for green and just economic growth”
  - Updated Operating guidelines for the Single Entry Point and complaints mechanism for the enforcement of EU trade agreements and arrangements
• WTO - Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade - Notification - European Union - Hexavalent chromium as an anticorrosion agent in gas absorption heat pumps
• WTO - Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade - Notification - European Union - Biocidal products and treated articles treated with or incorporating biocidal products
• WTO - Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures - Notification - European Union - Fruits of Capsicum (L.), Citrus L., Citrus sinensis Pers., Prunus persica (L.) Batsch and Punica granatum L. - Addendum
• WTO - Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures - Notification - European Union - Pesticides - Residues - 1-methyl-3-(trifluoromethyl)-1H-pyrazole-4-carboxamide, cycloxydim, cyflumetofen, cyfluthrin, metobromuron and penthiopyrad
• The EFTA countries and Moldova met online today to take stock of the ongoing free trade negotiations 

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

• Agenda for: Committee on market surveillance and compliance of products - 30 June 2022
• Minutes of the Council of the European Union (Competitiveness (Internal Market, Industry, Research & Space)) - 9 and 10 June 2022
• Dr Sharon McGuinness selected as ECHA's new Executive Director - ECHA/NR/22/14
• New pan-European partnership on Culture and Creativity - IP/22/3920

FINANCIAL SERVICES

• European Commission mandates Scope to rate its creditworthiness - Midday Express
• EU policymakers strengthen rules for companies’ sustainability disclosures with mandatory ESG standards, but delay its implementation - T&E Statement
• UK financial services co-operation with EU hit by Northern Ireland row - Lords committee finds sector has become ‘collateral damage’ in post-Brexit dispute over trade agreement - Financial Times 

AGRICULTURE & FISHERIES

• Call for Evidence - Conversion to a Farm Sustainability Data Network (FSDN) - Proposal for a regulation - Feedback period: 22 June 2022 - 17 August 2022

ENERGY

• Call for Evidence - Renewable energy - method for calculating the share of renewables in the case of co-processing Type of act - Delegated regulation - Feedback period : 22 June 2022 - 20 July 2022
• Readout of EU-US Task Force on European Energy Security Meeting
• IEA - Record clean energy spending is set to help global energy investment grow by 8% in 2022 - See the Report
• Germany fears ‘maintenance’ shutdown of Russia gas pipeline - Planned work on Nord Stream 1 further threatens efforts to build stores ahead of winter - Financial Times

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• Climate change: Parliament pushes for faster EU action and energy independence
• Fit for 55: Social Climate Fund to combat energy and mobility poverty - See the adopted Text
• Fit for 55 in 2030: Parliament wants a more ambitious Emissions Trading System - See the adopted Text
• CBAM: Parliament pushes for higher ambition in new carbon leakage instrument - See the adopted Text
  - See reactions from Eurofer, AluEurope, Cembureau, Oxfam International, WWF
• Ninth Environment for Europe Ministerial Conference (Nicosia, Cyprus, 5-7 October 2022) - Information from the Cyprus delegation
• Call for Evidence - Chemicals classification and labelling - updated list of notes - Delegated regulation - Feedback period: 22 June 2022 - 20 July 2022
• Answer given by Mr Sinkevicius to a MEP written question - Environmental standards and unfair competition in the garment sector

HEALTH, FOOD & PRODUCT SAFETY

• Agenda for: Meeting of the Standing Committee on Cosmetics Products - 28 June 2022
• EU-Latin America and Caribbean Partnership: manufacturing vaccines, medicines and health technologies and strengthening health systems - IP/22/3890
• Call for Evidence - Smoke-free environments - updated recommendation - Proposal for a recommendation - Feedback period: 22 June 2022 - 20 July 2022
• Press conference by EVP Timmermans and Commissioners Kyriakides and Sinkevičius on the "Nature Restoration Law and the Commission's proposal to halve the use of pesticides by 2030"
• Answer given by Ms Kyriakides to a MEP written question - Speeding up the legislative process on new genomic techniques in the light of the situation in Ukraine
• Joint ECDC-WHO/Europe monkeypox surveillance bulletin
• ECDC - Surveillance, prevention and control of leishmaniases in the EU and its neighbouring countries
• EFSA - Assessment of new sequencing information for genetically modified cotton DAS-24236-5 3 DAS-21Ø23-5 

DATA PRIVACY & CYBERSECURITY

• ENISA - Successful conclusion to the 3 day workshop: The role of the EU’s Cyber Ecosystem in the global cyber security stability

TRANSPORT & MOBILITY

• Call for Evidence - Shipping reporting formalities - specifications, standards and procedures for the Maritime Single Window - Implementing regulation - Feedback period: 20 June 2022 - 18 July 2022

AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY & JUSTICE

• Call for Evidence - Preventing terrorism - new rules on the marketing and use of high-risk chemicals - Proposal for a regulation - Feedback period: 21 June 2022 - 19 July 2022
• Successful action against VAT fraud in trade of used cars - Eurojust Statement
• Commissioner Dalli visits Poland on 24 and 25 June - Midday Express

BREXIT

• Rees-Mogg asks public to say which retained EU laws they want to scrap - Minister claims initiative will boost productivity but opposition calls it a Brexiter ‘vanity exercise’- Financial Times

ECB, EURO & ECONOMY

• The European Fiscal Board (EFB) has published today the assessment of the appropriate fiscal stance for the euro area in 2023

FUTURE OF EUROPE

• MEPs say EU leaders must grab the opportunity to expand and reform the EU
• Speech by President von der Leyen at the EP Plenary on the preparation of the European Council meeting
• Statement by President von der Leyen with Spanish Prime Minister Sánchez
• EU-Wide Survey: In face of Ukraine war, Citizens close ranks in support of EU

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• Afghanistan: EU mobilises €1 million in humanitarian assistance following devastating earthquake - Midday Express
• Speech by Andrej Plenković: Grant candidate status to Ukraine and Bosnia and Herzegovina
• EFTA parliamentarians and social partners discuss support to Ukraine with EFTA Ministers
• Answer given by Ms Urpilainen to a MEP written question - OACPS-EU Agreement

 RUSSIAN INVASION OF UKRAINE

• FAQs on oil imports concerning sanctions adopted following Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine and Belarus' involvement in it - 22 June 2022
• Answer given by HR/VP Borrell i Fontelles to a MEP written question - Russia-US dialogue: The situation at the Ukrainian border and European security 
• Can EU unity on Ukraine hold? - European solidarity with Ukraine has been impressive but can public support last? - Financial Times