Europe Daily News, 15 July 2022

COMPETITION

• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.10391 - RTL Group / Talpa Netwrok)
• Answer given by EVP Vestager to a MEP written question - Competitiveness on the European polypropylene granule market
• Belgium - Competition Authority approves the acquisition of Mercedes-Benz Antwerpen NV/SA by Hedin Automotive Belgium AB
• Germany - Bundeskartellamt - List of Notified Merger Projects
• UK - CMA response to hub and spoke dispensing consultation

STATE AID

• Authorisation for State aid pursuant to Articles 107 and 108 of the Treaty Functioning of the European Union - Cases where the Commission raises no objections
• Commission approves up to €5.4 billion of public support by fifteen Member States for an Important Project of Common European Interest in the hydrogen technology value chain - IP/22/4544
• Commission approves €5 billion German scheme to support energy and trade intensive companies in context of Russia's invasion of Ukraine (SA.103348) - IP/22/4506
• Commission approves €526.5 million Italian scheme to support the road haulage sector in the context of Russia's invasion of Ukraine (SA.103480) - IP/22/4512
• Commission approves €20.2 million Czech scheme to support agricultural producers in context of Russia's invasion of Ukraine (SA.103619) - IP/22/4513
• Commission approves €2 billion Finnish scheme to support companies in context of Russia's invasion of Ukraine (SA.103386) - IP/22/4534
• Commission approves €15 million Estonian scheme to support the agricultural, fishing and aquaculture sectors in context of Russia's invasion of Ukraine (SA.103350) - Midday Express
• Commission approves €3 million Maltese scheme to support land farmers in the context of Russia's invasion of Ukraine (SA.103449) - Midday Express

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Opinion of Advocate General Pitruzzella of 14 July 2022 in Joined Cases C 439/20 P and C 441/20 P, European Commission Vs. Jiangsu Seraphim Solar System Co. Ltd (C 439/20 P) and Council of the European Union Vs. Jiangsu Seraphim Solar System Co. Ltd (Case C 441/20 P)
  Re: Appeal - Dumping - Subsidies - Imports of crystalline silicon photovoltaic modules and key components (i.e. cells) originating in or consigned from the People’s Republic of China - Regulation (EU) 2016/1036 - Article 8(1), (9) and (10) and Article 10(5) - Regulation (EU) 2016/1037 - Article 13(1), (9) and (10) and Article 16(5) - Breach of an undertaking - Effects of withdrawal of acceptance of an undertaking - Implementing Regulations (EU) No 1238/2013 and No 1239/2013 - Admissibility of a plea of illegality - Implementing Regulation (EU) 2016/2146 - Invalidation of undertaking invoices
• Agenda for: Working Party on Customs Union - 20 July 2022
• Minutes of the 21st Project Group Meeting UCC Customs Decisions System (CPG/005) - 21 & 22 June 2022
• Draft Motion for a Resolution by MEP Bernd Lange further to Question for Oral Answer B9-0000/2022 pursuant to Rule 136(5) of the Rules of Procedure on Outcome of the Commission’s review of the 15-Point Action Plan on trade and sustainable development
• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/1221 of 14 July 2022 imposing a provisional anti-dumping duty on imports of certain aluminium road wheels originating in Morocco
• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/1219 of 14 July 2022 amending Annex III to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/2235 as regards model certificates for the entry into and transit through the Union of consignments of certain composite products
• Customs: Commission sets in motion process for Ukraine to join the Common Transit Convention and the Convention on Simplification of formalities in trade in goods - See the Proposal & Annexes
• Evaluation of the EU-Georgia and the EU-Moldova Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Areas
  - Georgia: Draft final report & Annexes - July 2022
  - Moldova: Draft final report & Annexes - July 2022
• EU Delegation meets WTO Deputy Director-General (Turkmenistan)
• WTO - Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade - Notification - European Union - Calcium oxide in straight solid macronutrient fertilisers
• WTO - Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade - Notification - European Union - Organic products

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

• Judgment of the Court of 14 July 2022 in Joined Cases C 274/21 and C 275/21, EPIC Financial Consulting Ges.m.b.H. Vs. Republic of Austria, Bundesbeschaffung GmbH,
  Re: Reference for a preliminary ruling - Public procurement - Regulation (EU) No 1215/2012 - Not applicable to procedures for granting an interlocutory injunction and review procedures as referred to in Article 2 of Directive 89/665/EEC in the absence of an international element - Directive 2014/24/EU - Article 33 - Treatment of a framework agreement as a contract, for the purposes of Article 2a(2) of Directive 89/665 - Not possible to award a new public contract where the quantity and/or maximum value of the works, supplies or services concerned laid down by the framework agreement has or have already been reached - National legislation providing for the payment of fees for access to administrative proceedings in the field of public procurement - Obligations to determine and pay the fees for access to proceedings before the court rules on an application for an interlocutory injunction or an action for review - Non-transparent procedure for the award of a public contract - Principles of effectiveness and equivalence - Effectiveness - Right to an effective remedy - Directive 89/665 - Articles 1, 2 and 2a - Article 47 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU - National legislation providing for the dismissal of an action for review where the fees for access to proceedings have not been paid - Determination of the estimated value of a public contract
• July Infringements package: key decisions
• New EU rules prepare the ground for more use of organic and waste-based fertilisers (EU regulation on fertilising products) - Midday Express
• New European Bauhaus: 20 small and medium municipalities to receive support for frontrunner projects - Midday Express
• Winners of public engagement research award announced - See ERC Press Release

TAXATION

• Opinion of Advocate General Collins of 14 July 2022 in Case C 332/21, Quadrant Amroq Beverages SRL Vs. Agenţia Naţională de Administrare Fiscală - Direcţia Generală de Administrare a Marilor Contribuabili
  Re: Reference for a preliminary ruling - Excise duty - Directive 92/83/EEC - Article 27(1)(e) - Ethyl alcohol - Exemptions - Production of flavours for the preparation of non alcoholic beverages with an alcohol strength not exceeding 1.2% volume - Recognition by the Member State of destination of an exemption granted by the Member State of production - Conditions imposed by the Member State of destination
• Opinion of Advocate General Kokott of 14 July 2022 in Case C 247/21, Luxury Trust Automobil GmbH, Other party: Finanzamt Österreich
  Re: Request for a preliminary ruling - VAT - Intra-Community triangular transaction - Special scheme - Purpose and legal consequences of the special scheme - Reference to a reverse charge in the invoice as a requirement - Correction of an incorrect invoice - Retroactive effect of the correction - Correction without the invoice being received

AGRICULTURE & FISHERIES

• Agenda for: Agriculture & Fisheries Council - 18 July 2022

ENERGY

• Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/1214 of 9 March 2022 amending Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/2139 as regards economic activities in certain energy sectors and Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/2178 as regards specific public disclosures for those economic activities
• President von der Leyen and Commissioner Simson travel to Azerbaijan to strengthen bilateral relations, including energy cooperation - Midday Express
• Statement by Commissioner Simson on the Energy Emergency Plan of Hungary
• Final ACER/CEER Annual Report on the Results of Monitoring the Internal Electricity and Natural Gas Markets in 2021
• What Regulators stood for in the First Half of 2022 -CEER

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• Environmental impact assessment: Commission takes Greece to the Court of Justice of the European Union (INFR(2019)2217) - IP/22/3886
• Forest fires: EU mobilises further assistance to Portugal, France and Albania - Midday Express
  

HEALTH, FOOD & PRODUCT SAFETY

• Minutes of the meeting of the PAFF Committee meeting, section CIC - 09 & 10 June 2022
• ECDC Director statement on the Commission proposal for a new legislation on blood, tissues, and cells
• Minutes - 5th drafting group meeting on facing the impact of post-COVID-19 condition on health systems (13 June 2022)
• Full report - Hearing on Managing antimicrobial resistance across the health system (20 June 2022)
  
• Answer given by Ms Kyriakides to a MEP written question - Lack of action by the Commission to prevent the spread of pests through citrus fruit exports to Europe 

DIGITAL SINGLE MARKET & INFORMATION SOCIETY

• Media freedom: the Commission refers Hungary to the Court of Justice of the European Union for failure to comply with EU electronic communications rules - IP/22/2688

DATA PRIVACY CYBERSECURITY

• EDPB moves ahead with closer cooperation on strategic cases
• European Health Data Space must ensure strong protection for electronic health data
• EDPB-EDPS Joint Opinion 03/2022 on the Proposal for a Regulation on the European Health Data Space

TRANSPORT & MOBILITY

• Minutes of the Meeting of the TEN-T Expert Group on Art.49 of the TEN-T Guidelines - 08 April 2022
• EU Cohesion Policy: More than €110 million for the modernisation of a railway corridor in western Bulgaria - Midday Express
• Single European Sky: Commission decides to refer Greece, Malta and Slovakia to the Court for failure to comply with EU rules on the provision of data link services - IP/22/3764

AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY & JUSTICE

• Commission refers Hungary to the Court of Justice of the EU over violation of LGBTIQ rights - IP/22/2689
• Application of EU law: Upholding rights, fundamental freedoms and the rule of law - IP/22/4145 & Annual Report
• Fighting organised crime: coordinated action on 10 priorities leads to 31 000 arrests between 2018-2021 - See the Full Summary

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• Agenda for: Foreign Affairs Council - 18 July 2022
• Main results - 11th meeting EU-Montenegro Stabilisation and Association Council - see the Joint press statement & Address by the President - 14 July 2022
• The European Union deployed an Election Follow-up Mission (EFM) to Zimbabwe to assess the status of the implementation - see the Final Report
• EU experts help to strengthen Strategic risk analysis of the law enforcement agencies in Uzbekistan
• Commissioner Johannes Hahn travels to South-East Asia to promote the EU as a borrower
• European Union (EU) country roadmap for engagement with civil society in Zambia
• Answer given by HR/VP Borrell to a MEP written question - Sanction assessment against the new Chief Executive of Hong Kong, John Lee

RUSSIAN INVASION OF UKRAINE

• Answer given by Mr Lenarčič to a MEP written question - New threats of nuclear war
• Conference on Accountability for Ukraine: Commission stepping up coordination with international partners - Declaration - Midday Express
• REACT-EU: Over €433 million for Belgium, Italy and Luxembourg to support people fleeing Russia's aggression against Ukraine, employment and the healthcare sector - Midday Express