COMPETITION

  • Belgium - The Competition Authority approves the acquisition of Asogem NV by Arçelik AS
  • Hungary - Publication of a new merger notice - 1/2022
  • Germany - List of Notified Merger Projects
  • Romania - The Competition Council assesses the transaction by which Med Life SA intends to take over the majority of shares of Provita Diagnosis and Treatment Center’s social capital
  • Romania - The Competition Council approved the transaction by which SD Biosensor, Inc. and SJL Partners, LLC take over Meridian Bioscience, Inc.
  • Romania - The Competition Council approved the operation by which Complex Energetic Oltenia and Tinmar Energy SA create together a company in order to build a combined cycle gas turbine (CCST)

STATE AID

  • Commission approves €1.2 billion Irish scheme to support companies in the context of Russia's war against Ukraine (SA.104761) - IP/22/7567
  • Public Consultation: State aid – review of rules on exemptions for small amounts of aid to SGEI - Regulation - Feedback period: 12 December 2022 - 09 January 2023
  • Council Regulation on the application of Articles 93, 107 and 108 of the TFEU to certain categories of State aid in the rail, inland waterway and multimodal transport sector
  • Answer given by Executive Vice-President Vestager to a MEP written question - State aid rules and Germany’s 200-billion-euro defence shield against energy prices
  • Bulb sale to Octopus risks breaching EU state aid rules, Centrica warns - British Gas owner says contentious deal may lead to test of Northern Ireland protocol - Financial Times

TRADE & CUSTOMS

  • Minutes of: Second Trade Specialised Committee on Customs Cooperation and Rules of Origin - 17 October 2022
  • Council Regulation amending Regulation (EU) 2021/2283 opening and providing for the management of autonomous tariff quotas of the Union for certain agricultural and industrial products
  • Council Regulation amending Regulation (EU) 2021/2278 suspending the Common Customs Tariff duties referred to in Article 56(2), point (c), of Regulation (EU) No 952/2013 on certain agricultural and industrial products
  • Valid proof of origin for imports of products originating in Madagascar into the EU under the EU-ESA interim EPA from 1 January 2023
  • WTO - Indonesia appeals panel report in dispute regarding Indonesian measures on nickel ore - WT/DS592/6
  • WTO - Items proposed for consideration at the next meeting of Dispute Settlement Body - 20 December 2022
  • Fourth edition of the COVID-19 Project newsletter highlights WCO’s effort to support its Members in fostering emergency operational readiness
  • Statement by COPA-COGECA on the EU-Chile Association Agreement modernisation
  • China hits back at US chip sanctions with WTO dispute - Beijing says move necessary to defend ‘legitimate rights’ in response to Washington’s semiconductor controls - Financial Times

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

  • Agenda for: Technical Committee - Motor Vehicles - 14 December 2022
  • Agenda for: Working Party on Intellectual Property (Copyright & Attachés - Experts) - 19 December 2022
  • European wind turbine manufacturers face tough 2023 - Competition from China is growing and inflation has pushed up the price of key raw materials - Financial Times

FINANCIAL SERVICES

  • EBA issues revised list of ITS validation rules
  • ESMA has published the November edition of its Spotlight on Markets Newsletter
  • ESAs publish joint advice to the EU Commission on the review of the securitisation prudential framework

TAXATION

  • International taxation: Council reaches agreement on a minimum level of taxation for largest corporations
  • Fair Taxation: Commission welcomes agreement on minimum taxation of multinationals - IP/22/7674
  • Further convictions in Germany in cross-border VAT evasion case - two Slovak citizens imprisoned
  • Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) /... amending Implementing Regulation (EU) 2016/323 as regards the messages relating to the movements of excise goods under duty suspension pursuant to Council Regulation (EU) No 389/2012
  • Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) /... amending Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 612/2013 as regards the data registered in messages relating to the registration of economic operators involved in the movements of excise goods released for consumption in one Member State and moved to another Member State to be delivered there for commercial purposes

EMPLOYMENT & SOCIAL POLICY

  • Digital workers: better working conditions and protection of rights - See the EP Statement
  • Answer given by Mr Schmit to a MEP written question - Revision of the directive on chemical agents at work to incorporate new limit values for di-isocyanates and lead

AGRICULTURE & FISHERIES

ENERGY

  • Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on common rules for the internal markets in renewable and natural gases and in hydrogen Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the internal markets for renewable and natural gases and for hydrogen (recast) - Progress report
  • Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on methane emissions reduction in the energy sector and amending Regulation (EU) 2019/942 - General approach
  • Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) /... on establishing operational guidance on the evidence for demonstrating compliance with the sustainability criteria for forest biomass laid down in Article 29 of Directive (EU) 2018/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council
  • Standing with the Ukrainian people: EU delivers further energy support for the winter - IP/22/7320
  • Statement by President von der Leyen on ‘REPowerEU: outlook on EU gas supply in 2023'
  • CEER co-signs Joint Declaration on enhanced Consumer Protection this winter

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

  • EU climate action: provisional agreement reached on Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)
  • Answer given by Mr Sinkevičius to a MEP written question - Implementation of Directive 2001/42/EC on the assessment of the effects of certain plans and programmes on the environment
  • Answer given by Mr Sinkevičius to a MEP written question - List of substances authorised for use in the manufacture of materials or products in contact with water intended for human consumption
  • Most plastic consumption in Europe lacks direct policy targets and data - See the EEA briefing

HEALTH, FOOD & PRODUCT SAFETY

DATA PRIVACY & CYBERSECURITY

  • Agenda for: 73rd EDPB meeting 13 December 2022

TRANSPORT & MOBILITY

AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY & JUSTICE

  • Rule of law conditionality mechanism: Council decides to suspend €6.3 billion given only partial remedial action by Hungary
  • EP President Metsola on the ongoing investigations by Belgian authorities
  • Fifth Progress Report and Annexes on the EU Security Union Strategy
  • Communication - EU Action Plan against Trafficking in Cultural Goods
  • Cybercrime experts discuss online fraud and encrypted digital evidence - Eurojust
  • Ombudsman asks for more information on ethics rules related to European Defence Fund
  • Fresh raids as Qatar corruption scandal rocks Brussels - European Commission president says allegations of payments to EU lawmakers are of the ‘utmost concern’ - Financial Times

ECB, EURO & ECONOMY

  • The leaders of the G7 met on 12 December to reflect on progress of their cooperation under Germany’s Presidency to jointly address global challenges at a time of severe geopolitical crisis and critical moment for the world economy - See the Statement
  • NextGenerationEU: Member states approve national plan of Hungary - see also: Analysis of the recovery and resilience plan of Hungary
  • Commission’s assessment of Luxembourg’s revised recovery and resilience plan

FUTURE OF EUROPE

  • President Michel invited 27 leaders to the EU-ASEAN Summit and the December European Council.

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

  • Iran: EU adopts Council conclusions and additional restrictive measures - See Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/2428 & Council Implementing Decision (CFSP) 2022/2433
  • DPRK/North Korea: EU imposes additional restrictive measures on 8 persons and 4 entities responsible for or involved in the development of ballistic missiles - See Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/2429 & Council Decision (CFSP) 2022/2431
  • The EU restrictive measures against individuals and entities responsible for threatening the peace, security, or stability of Mali, or for obstructing or undermining the successful completion of Mali’s political transition were renewed until 14 December 2023 - See Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/2436 and Council Decision (CFSP) 2022/2440 
  • Main results - Foreign Affairs Council, 12 December 2022
    - Council approves conclusions calling for a renewed impetus towards the civilian Common Security and Defence Policy
    - Yemen: Council approves conclusions
    - Iran: Council approves conclusions
    - Niger: EU establishes a military partnership mission to support the country in its fight against terrorism - See Council Decision (CFSP) 2022/2444
    - Operation ATALANTA, EUTM Somalia and EUCAP Somalia: mandates extended for two years, until 31 December 2024 - See Council Decision (CFSP) 2022/2441, Council Decision (CFSP) 2022/2443 & Council Decision (CFSP) 2022/2445
    - European Peace Facility: Council agrees €2 billion increase of the financial ceiling in 2023

    RUSSIAN INVASION OF UKRAINE
  • The Council adopted further sanctions against Iran for the help provided to Russia in its aggression against the Ukrainian people - See Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/2430 & Council Decision (CFSP) 2022/2432
  • Council Decision (EU) 2022/2435 of 26 July 2022 on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Union, of the Agreement between the European Union and Ukraine on the carriage of freight by road
  • Speech by President von der Leyen at the Conference ‘Standing with the Ukrainian people'
  • EU agrees to unlock €18bn Ukraine aid package as Hungary drops veto - Wider political deal includes approval for minimum corporate tax in EU and Budapest having possible access to recovery funds - Financial Times

Related Capabilities

Practices –
Key Issues –

Latest Perspectives

View More