Europe Daily News, 30 November 2022

COMPETITION

• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.10932 - ZF / Hella / NGK / Clarios / Ahead JV)
• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.10940 - CPPIB / Montagu / Universal Investment / JV)
• Commission clears acquisition of Maxau by PHO P (M.10942) - Midday Express
• Commission clears acquisition of Garnica by Carlyle (M.10958) - Midday Express
• Austria - Industrial sugar cartel: After preliminary ruling by the ECJ, the Supreme Cartel Court upholds the BWB's appeal against the application of the double jeopardy prohibition
• Germany - Bundeskartellamt - List of Notified Merger Projects - 29.11.2022
• Portugal - AdC adopted a non-opposition decision in merger case 53/2022 - DeepOcean*Østensjø*Solstad / JV
• Portugal - AdC adopted a non-opposition decision in merger case 52/2022 - Crest II / FIMAG
• Portugal - AdC adopted a non-opposition decision in merger case 51/2022 - Explorer IV / Magos
• BEWI - Synbra concludes settlement agreement with the Commission which entails a payment of EUR 17.2 million
• INEOS Statement: European Commission investigation regarding anti-competitive practices in the ‘purchase’ of styrene monomer
• Statement by Synthos S.A. on the European Commission’s decision to terminate anti-cartel proceedings investigating collusion in the European styrene market
• UK - Mzuri Group Limited (Mzuri) has abandoned its proposed acquisition of Shuttercraft Holdings Limited (Shuttercraft)

STATE AID

• Construction of new nuclear reactors: the General Court dismisses the action brought by Austria to contest Hungarian investment aid approved by the Commission (See CPR Nº 192/2022 - Judgment of the General Court in Case T-101/18, Austria Vs. Commission)
• Commission approves €600 million Slovak scheme to support companies facing increased energy costs in context of Russia's war against Ukraine (SA. 104846) - IP/22/7229

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Agenda for: Meeting of the Member State Expert Group on "responsible sourcing of tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold (3TG)" - 16 December 2022
• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/2334 of 29 November 2022 amending Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/2447 as regards the application of monitoring of decisions relating to binding information and introducing a flexibility in the procedures for issuing of or making out proofs of origin
• Council Decision (EU) 2022/2335 of 28 November 2022 amending Decision (EU) 2015/2169 on the conclusion of the Free Trade Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Korea, of the other part
• Minutes of: Second meeting of the Trade Specialised Committee on Public Procurement under the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement
• Minutes of: Second meeting of the Trade Specialised Committee on VAT Administrative Cooperation and Recovery of taxes under the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement
• Minutes of: Third meeting of the Specialised Committee on Energy under the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement
• Minutes of: Second meeting of the Trade Specialised Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary measures under the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement
• Minutes of: Second meeting of the Trade Specialised Committee on Services, Investment and Digital Trade
• EU - US Trade and Technology Council - The TTC Working Group 9 has released its High-Level Guidelines on Intellectual Property for SMEs
• EU Trade Defence Instruments - A short overview of the deadlines and timelines in the investigative process – Updated 15 November 2022
• In a green subsidy race, the EU should not imitate the US - See CEPS Brief

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

• Agenda for: Working Party on Competitiveness & Growth (Internal Market) - 6 December 2022
• Single Market Task Force continues to tackle barriers in the single market - see the Report
• Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/2336 of 28 November 2022 on the publication of a list indicating certain CO2 emissions values per manufacturer as well as average specific CO2 emissions of all new heavy-duty vehicles registered in the Union pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2019/1242 of the European Parliament and of the Council for the reporting period of the year 2020
• Public consultation: Intellectual property - review of EU rules on industrial design (Design Directive & Design Regulation) - Feedback period: 28 November 2022 - 23 January 2023
• The Commission signs a new contract with Arianespace for Copernicus satellite launch services to strengthen its autonomous and reliable access to space - IP/22/7294
• Denmark: EIB finances GomSpace with EUR 18 million, in support of EU space innovation and strategic autonomy

FINANCIAL SERVICES

• Progress on financial services legislative files - 6 December 2022
• Sustainable finance: Commission adopts disclosure rules for major banks on ESG risks - Midday Express
• Auditors call for continued vigilance on the financial risks of the EU’s bank resolution system - see the Report
• Banks set to resist EU grab for a chunk of clearing business - Brussels prepares most ambitious plans post-Brexit to lure derivatives trade away from London - Financial Times

TAXATION

• Agenda for: 29th Meeting of the Working Group - SG AEOI - Administrative cooperation in the field of direct taxation - 10 November 2022

EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION & SOCIAL POLICY

• Main results: Education, Youth, Culture and Sport Council, 28-29 November 2022
• EPSCO Council on 8 December 2022
  - The role of family policy in the context of demographic developments in the EU - Presidency steering note
  - Conclusions of the Council and the representatives of the Governments of the Member States meeting within the Council on sustainable and accessible sports infrastructure
• Employment and social innovation: fintech company receives EU support to provide €46 million in loans to small businesses in Sweden - Midday Express

AGRICULTURE & FISHERIES

• The Commission approves the CAP Strategic Plan of Malta - Midday Express

ENERGY

• Minutes of Second meeting of the EU Energy Platform Industry Advisory Group - 18 November 2022
• Celtic Interconnector between Ireland and France: Next milestone reached
• The global energy crisis is driving a surge in heat pumps, bringing energy security and climate benefits - See iea statement & Report
• Rising prices and supply chain risks threaten Europe’s renewable aims - Costly components make it harder for the industry to hit climate targets and wean itself off Russian energy - Financial Times
• Price cap problems: Europe struggles to form a wartime energy policy - EU divisions over how to tame high gas and electricity costs caused by Russian export cuts have yet to be resolved - Financial Times

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• COP15: the European Union and the Organisation of African, Caribbean, and Pacific States call for an ambitious global agreement - IP/22/7289
• Italy: EIB provides €115 million to Saviola Group to promote the circular economy
• EU industries raked in €100bn in free CO2 credits since 2013: see the study by the WWF

HEALTH, FOOD & PRODUCT SAFETY

• European Health Union: HERA invests nearly €1.3 billion in health emergency preparedness and response in 2023 - QaA, see the Report - Midday Express
• Conclusions on vaccination as one of the most effective tools for preventing disease and improving public health - Approval
• Report and Working Document from the Commission on the implementation of Directive 2010/53/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 July 2010 on standards of quality and safety of human organs intended for transplantation 
• EFSA - Scientific Report - The EU summary report on surveillance for the presence of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSE) in 2021
• EFSA - Reasoned Opinion - Review of the existing maximum residue levels for pyriproxyfen according to Article 12 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005

TRANSPORT & MOBILITY

• EU Cohesion Policy: €109 million to improve railway connections in Sicily - Midday Express

DATA PRIVACY & CYBERSECURITY

• Summary of the Opinion of the European Data Protection Supervisor on the Proposal for a Regulation on European Union geographical indications for wine, spirit drinks and agricultural products, and quality schemes for agricultural products 

AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY & JUSTICE

• Migration management: High-level Forum on legal pathways to protection and resettlement cooperation - IP/22/7248
• e-Evidence: Commission welcomes political agreement to strengthen cross-border access for criminal investigations - IP/22/7246
• Kosovo*: Council agrees negotiating mandate on visa free travel
• Police cooperation: Council Presidency and European Parliament agree on a directive to improve information exchange between law enforcement authorities
• Preventing terrorism: Commission launches public consultation on new rules on marketing and use of high-risk chemicals - 28 November 2022 - 20 February 2023

EURO, ECB & ECONOMY

• Commission finds that Hungary has not progressed enough in its reforms and must meet essential milestones for its Recovery and Resilience funds - IP/22/7273, Communication, Proposal & Annex, Remarks by EVP Dombrovskis
  - QaA: European Commission endorses Hungary's recovery and resilience plan
  - QaA: on the rule of law conditionality procedure in the case of Hungary
  - Factsheet on Hungary's recovery and resilience plan
• ECB - Euro area insurance corporation statistics: third quarter of 2022
• The European stability mechanism is not ready for next crisis - see CER Insight
• How Brexit made Britain a more European country - With a cheaper currency, higher taxes and messier politics, the UK has become continental - Financial Times

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• Judgment of the General Court of 30 November 2022 in Joined Cases T-316/14 RENV & T-148/19, Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) Vs. Council of the European Union supported European Commission, intervener in Case T 316/14 RENV, the other parties: French Republic and Kingdom of the Netherlands
  Re: CFSP - Restrictive measures against the PKK with a view to combating terrorism - Freezing of funds - Common Position 2001/931/CFSP - Applicability to situations of armed conflict - Terrorist group - Factual basis of the fund-freezing decisions - Decision taken by a competent authority - Authority of a third State - Review - Proportionality - Obligation to state reasons - Rights of the defence - Right to effective judicial protection - Modification of the application
• Main Results of : 45th ACP-EU Council of Ministers - 29 November 2022

RUSSIAN INVASION OF UKRAINE

• Council conclusions on the fight against impunity regarding crimes committed in connection with Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine
• Ukraine: Commission presents options to make sure that Russia pays for its crimes - IP/22/7311
• Statement by President von der Leyen on Russian accountability and the use of Russian frozen assets
• Stand with Ukraine: Commission awards €5.5 million to ensure safe homes for people fleeing Russian aggression against Ukraine - IP/22/7248
• EIB Global and city of Kyiv to work on restoring and modernising transport infrastructure in the capital of Ukraine
• OSCE/EUMAM Ukraine: HiR Borrell travels to Poland to attend OSCE Ministerial Council and visit EU Military Assistance Mission for Ukraine - Midday Express