Europe Daily News, 22 November 2022

COMPETITION

• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.10951 - BMF / Uniper)
• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.10806 - Broadcom / VMWARE)
• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.10728 - CACF / Stellantis / FCA Bank / F2ML)
• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.10727 - Santader / Stellantis / Opeal Bank Assets / FCA Bank Assets / JV)
• Ireland - CCPC analysis of fuel price movements finds market is competitive and explains delay in excise cut being reflected at pumps
• Poland - Nord Stream 2 - the UOKIK will appeal against the court ruling
• UK - The CMA has cleared the Macquarie, BCI’s plan to acquire National Grid stake
• UK - The CMA is investigating the anticipated acquisition by Broadcom Inc. of VMware, Inc.
• UK - The CMA has launched a market investigation into cloud gaming and mobile browsers after receiving widespread support for its proposals first published in June.

STATE AID

• Decision text - SA.103662 - Germany, Temporary lignite power supply reserve to save gas
• Decision text - SA.104461 - Denmark, TCF: Danish deferral scheme for electricity, gas and heating
• Decision text - SA.104602 - Denmark, TCF: Guarantee scheme for financial collaterals for electricity and gas companies
• Decision text - SA.56791 - Denmark, Temporary compensation scheme for self-employed financially affected by the COVID 19
  
• ESA approves Norwegian grant scheme for businesses particularly affected by severe increases in energy prices

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Agenda for: Foreign Affairs Council (Trade) - 25 November 2022
• Notice of initiation of an expiry review of the anti-dumping measures applicable to imports of ceramic tiles originating in the People’s Republic of China (CN codes 6907 21 00, 6907 22 00, 6907 23 00, 6907 30 00 and 6907 40 00)
• Decision No 1/2022 of the EU-Ukraine Association Committee in Trade Configuration of 25 October 2022 as regards the update of Annex XV (Approximation of customs legislation) to the Association Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community and their Member States, of the one part, and Ukraine, of the other part
• Answer given by Ms Kyriakides to a MEP written question - Agreement between South Africa and the European Union concerning cold storage of citrus fruit
• Proposal to seek an opinion from the Court of Justice on the compatibility of an international agreement with the Treaties under Rule 114(6) of Parliament’s Rules of Procedure
• WTO - Proposed Agenda for: Council for Trade in Goods - 24 November 2022
• WTO - Overview of developments in the International Trading Environment - Annual Report by the Director General (Mid-October 2021 to mid-October 2022)
  
• Illegal timber trade targeted in the EU and Brazil - Joint actions bring together source and destination countries to combat the illegal trade of timber coming also from the Amazon forest - See Europol Statement
• Lessons for Europe from China’s quest for semiconductor self-reliance - See Bruegel Paper
• Why Japan could be the key to the EU’s Indo-Pacific ambitions - See CEPS Paper

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

• Agenda for: Working Party on Technical Harmonisation (Attachés) - 28 November 2022
• UN Regulation No. 10 - Uniform provisions concerning the approval of vehicles with regard to electromagnetic compatibility
• Answer given by Mr Breton to a MEP written question - Revision of legislation on essential oils in connection with the CLP and REACH regulations 
• Internal Market Scoreboard: Growing number of EEA legal acts yet to be implemented in Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway

FINANCIAL SERVICES

• Anti-money-laundering directive: the provision whereby the information on the beneficial ownership of companies incorporated within the territory of the Member States is accessible in all cases to any member of the general public is invalid (See CPR Nº 188/2022 - Judgment of the Court of Justice in Joined Cases C-37/20, C-601/20, Luxembourg Business Registers)
• ESMA proposes amendment to simplify cash penalties process for cleared transactions under CSDR
• ESMA published its Annual Report on waivers and deferrals

TAXATION

• Answer given by Mr Gentiloni to a MEP written question - VAT exemption for recreational classes

AGRICULTURE & FISHERIES

• Main results - Agriculture & Fisheries Council - 21 November 2022
  

ENERGY

• Agenda for: Extraordinary Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council (Energy) - Background Brief - 24 November 2022
• European Parliament resolution on the outcome of the modernisation of the Energy Charter Treaty
• Answer given by Ms Simson to a MEP written question - An energy crisis nightmare threatens the EU
• Answer given by Ms Simson to a MEP written question - Short-term measures to tackle rising energy prices

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• Agenda for: Committee on the Community eco-management and audit scheme (EMAS) - 24 November 2022
• Agenda for: Working Party on International Environment Issues (UNECE CLRTAP) - 29 November 2022
• Agenda for: 19th meeting of the EUBP Sub Group on Birds and Habitats (NADEG) - 30 November 2022
• Agenda for: 7th meeting of the Invasive Alien Species Expert Group - 30 November 2022
• Minutes of the 7th meeting of the ABS Consultation Forum - 12 May 2022
  - Status of the implementation: update on progress (Regulation (EU) n. 511/2014)
  - Update on DECLARE Nagoya Usage
  
  COP27

• EU agrees to COP27 compromise to keep Paris Agreement alive and protect those most vulnerable to climate change - IP/22/7064

HEALTH, FOOD & PRODUCT SAFETY

• Agenda for: Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed (SCPAFF)
  - section "Novel Food and Toxicological safety of the food chain" - 24 November 2022
  - section "Propagating Material and Plants of Fruit Genera and Species" - 29 November 2022
• Answer given by Ms Kyriakides to a MEP written question - NutriScore system not suited to consumer use and harmful for producers - Commission position and EFSA’s role
• EFSA - Reasoned Opinion - Targeted review of maximum residues levels (MRLs) for haloxyfop‐P
• EFSA - Reasoned Opinion - Evaluation of confirmatory data following the Article 12 MRL review for paclobutrazol
• EFSA - External Scientific Report - EFSA ‐ RACFC Chemical Contamination of Food Crisis Preparedness Training 2022 with Central and Eastern European Countries
• EFSA - Scientific Opinion - Assessment of GM Maize MON 87429 for food and feed uses, under Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 (application EFSA‐GMO‐NL‐2019‐161)
• ECDC - Summary of Expert Panel meeting discussions on interventions to increase linkage to care and adherence to treatment for hepatitis B and C, HIV and tuberculosis among people who inject drugs
• ECDC - A systematic literature review of interventions to increase linkage to care and adherence to treatment for hepatitis B and C, HIV and tuberculosis among people who inject drugs
• ECDC - Generic protocol for ECDC studies of COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness against confirmed SARS-CoV-2 using healthcare worker cohorts, version 2.0
• ECDC - Interim analysis of COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness in healthcare workers, an ECDC multi-country study, May 2021–July 2022

DIGITAL & INFORMATION SOCIETY

• Public consultation - Interoperable digital public services - European Interoperability Framework evaluation & strategy - Proposal for a regulation - Feedback period: 18 November 2022 - 16 January 2023

DATA PRIVACY & CYBERSECURITY

• Agenda for: Horizontal Working Party on Cyber issues - 23 November 2022 

AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY & JUSTICE

• A third country national who is suffering from a serious illness may not be removed if, in the absence of appropriate medical treatment in the receiving country, that national risks being exposed to a real risk of a rapid, significant and permanent increase in the pain linked to that illness (See Nº 189/2022 - Judgment of the Court of Justice in Case C-69/21 - Staatssecretaris van Justitie en Veiligheid (Éloignement - Cannabis thérapeutique))
• Agenda for: Extraordinary Justice & Home Affairs Council (Home Affairs) - 25 November 2022
• Migration routes: Commission proposes Action Plan for Central Mediterranean to address immediate challenges - IP/22/7068
• The system is overwhelmed: Europe confronts fresh migrant influx - Surge comes on top of the arrival of millions of Ukrainian refugees - Financial Times 

ECB, EURO & ECONOMY

• Agenda for: Council of the EU (Economic & Financial Affairs) - 06 December 2022 - See the List of "A Items"
• The Council reached the required qualified majority and approved the joint text on the EU’s general budget for 2023
• Recommendations of the EP ECON committee for a decision to raise no objections to two delegated acts
• ECB - Euro money market statistics: Sixth maintenance period 2022
• ECB - Euro area monthly balance of payments: September 2022

FUTURE OF EUROPE

• Revised Agenda for: Meeting of the Coreper (Part.1 & Part.2) - 23 November 2022
• Agenda for: EP Plenary Session from 21 to 24 November 2022

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• Agenda for: Council Security Committee - Technical Surveillance Counter-Measures Expert Group - 30 November 2022
• Answer given by HR/VP Borrell to a MEP written question - No to sales of European military equipment to Turkey!
• Answer given by HR/VP Borrell to a MEP written question - Threats by Turkey to Greece and Cyprus and, by extension, the EU as a whole      

RUSSIAN INVASION OF UKRAINE

• Answer given by HR/VP Borrell to a MEP written question - Russian aggression against Ukraine and detrimental role played by oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili
• Answer given by HR/VP Borrell to a MEP written question - Situation of Andrzej Poczobut and Katsyaryna Andreyeva
• Answer given by Mr Breton to a Mr Breton written question - Inclusion of Ukraine in the EU roaming area