Europe Daily News, 20 December 2022

COMPETITION

• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.10560 - Sika / MBCC Group)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.10913 - Sadco / HACP / JV)
• Commission clears acquisition of HERE by Mitsubishi Corporation (M.10944) - Midday Express
• Commission clears creation of joint venture by Remondis and H&M (M.10907) - Midday Express
• Commission clears acquisition of joint control of Supratuc2020 by EPCG, JTCP and Eroski (M.10884) - Midday Express
• Commission accepts commitments by Amazon barring it from using marketplace seller data, and ensuring equal access to Buy Box and Prime - IP/22/7777
• Belgium - The Competition Authority approves the acquisition of the Jennes group by D'Ieteren Automotive
• France - The Autorité takes action on its own initiative to analyse the competitive functioning of the land passenger transport sector
• France - Circular economy: the Autorité publishes a reserved opinion on the reorganisation of the household plastic packaging sector and on the balancing mechanism provided for in the new draft decree
• Germany - Exploitation of energy price caps prohibited - Bundeskartellamt starts to build the required organisational structure
• Greece - Clearance of the notified concentration concerning the acquisition by “Mytilineos S.A.” of sole control over the entire share capital of “Watt and Volt Exploitation of Alternative Forms of Energy S.A.”
• The Netherlands - The European Commission is to investigate Cochlear's acquisition of Oticon
• Poland - UOKiK organised an ICPEN workshop session on good practices in Riga, Estonia
• Portugal - AdC sanctions food supplement supplier
• Portugal - Fertiberia notifies the acquisition of sole control over Fertimix
• Portugal - EDP Renewables notifies the acquisition of sole control over Moncorvo Wind Farm
• Portugal - AdC accuses laboratories and business association of involvement in COVID tests and clinical analysis cartel
• Romania - The Competition Council has sanctioned 8 companies active in the protective equipment market with a fine amounting of 4,886,811 lei (987,622 euro)
• UK - The CMA has referred the anticipated acquisition by Cochlear Limited of the hearing implants business of Demant A/S, known as Oticon Medical, for an in-depth investigation - Decision to refer
• UK - The CMA has accepted undertakings in lieu of reference for the anticipated acquisition by GIC (Realty) Private Limited and Greystar Real Estate Partners, LLC of Student Roost via Roost Bidco Limited - See the Final undertakings & Full text decision

STATE AID

• Commission approves amendments to Italian scheme, including up to €23 billion budget increase, to support companies in context of Russia's war against Ukraine (SA.104722) - IP/22/7847
• Commission approves €80 million Finnish recapitalisation measure to support Meyer Turku Oy in the context of Russia's war against Ukraine (SA.104831) - IP/22/7770
• Commission approves modification of a French aid scheme to support enterprises in the fisheries sector in the context of Russia's war against Ukraine (SA.105217) - Midday Express
• Commission approves €50 million Slovak scheme to support the agricultural sector in the context of Russia's war against Ukraine (SA.104872) - Midday Express
• Uniper concludes framework agreement with the Federal Government - approval by the EU Commission under state aid law expected soon

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Agenda for: Meeting of the Economic Tariff Questions Group - 19 & 20 January 2023
• Agenda for: 3rd meeting of the Customs Programme Committee - 09 January 2023
• Speech by EVP Dombrovskis at the EU-China Business Association Luncheon
• The Trade Committee of the EU-Viet Nam FTA (EVFTA) held its 2nd meeting virtually on December 19
• Answer given by the Council to a MEP written question - Including mirror clauses in free trade agreements

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

• EU and New Zealand successfully conclude negotiations for association to Horizon Europe
• InvestEU: Ormazabal signs a €40 million loan with EIB to boost its research and development (R&D) activities in Spain - IP/22/7842
• InvestEU: Commission signs agreement with Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations to unlock €700 million in investments across France - IP/22/7840
• The Commission's ex-post evaluation finds that the Investment Plan for Europe made important contribution to mobilising investment for growth and job creation - Midday Express
• Answer given by Mr Breton to a MEP written question - Euro 7 and non-exhaust emissions
• Berlin and Paris urge Biden to extend green subsidy benefits - Two most powerful EU member states call on Washington to extend electric vehicle benefits to European manufacturers - Financial Times

FINANCIAL SERVICES

• Council agrees position on establishing a framework for the recovery and resolution of insurance and reinsurance undertakings (IRRD)
• Financial markets: member states agree position to revise EU rules on central securities depositories (CSDR)
• Capital Markets Union: Council agrees negotiating mandate on proposal to strengthen market transparency
  
• Esma issues positive opinion on amended RTS 1 and 2

TAXATION

• Agenda for: Working Party on Tax Questions (Indirect Taxation - VAT) - 13 January 2023
• Carbon border tax: EU levy justifiably penalises carbon-intense imports - CBAM should stop ‘carbon leakage’, where output moves elsewhere and employment in Europe takes a hit - Financial Times
• US must follow Europe’s lead on global minimum tax - or be left behind - It is not in the interests of American corporations for Congress to block implementation - Financial Times
• EU deal set to trigger ‘domino effect’ for global minimum tax deal - Bloc’s pledge to introduce levy expected to trigger wave of implementation across world - Financial Times

EMPLOYMENT & SOCIAL POLICY

• REACT-EU: €1.8 billion to boost employment, healthcare and social inclusion in Spain - IP/22/7645
• Commission together with social and economic partners reaffirms commitment for better integration of refugees and migrants into labour market - IP/22/7773

AGRICULTURE & FISHERIES

• Council calls for a complementary impact assessment on the sustainable use of plant protection products proposal
• EIB lends €32 million to Carraro to support decarbonisation of the agricultural sector - IP/22/7839
• Sustainable fisheries: EU and UK agree on fishing opportunities for 2023 - IP/22/7843

ENERGY

• Main results - TTE Council (Energy) - 19 December 2022, see press remarks by Commissioner Simson
  - REPowerEU: Council agrees on accelerated permitting rules for renewables - see Analysis of the final compromise text with a view to agreement
  - Proposal for a Council Regulation laying down a framework to accelerate the deployment of renewable energy - see the text of the Political agreement
  - Council agrees on temporary mechanism to limit excessive gas prices - see the text of the Political agreement
  - Member states agree on new rules to slash methane emissions
• EU energy crisis: US industry views - see the AmCham EU position

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• Commission Recommendation (EU) 2022/2510 of 8 December 2022 establishing a European assessment framework for ‘safe and sustainable by design’ chemicals and materials
• Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/2508 of 9 December 2022 establishing the best available techniques (BAT) conclusions, under Directive 2010/75/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council on industrial emissions, for the textiles industry

HEALTH, FOOD & PRODUCT SAFETY

• SCHEER - Final Opinion on "Draft Environmental Quality Standards for Priority Substances under the Water Framework Directive" - Hexachlorobutadiene
• SCCS - Preliminary Opinion open for comments on Salicylic acid - deadline for comments: 17 February 2023
• Guidance on appropriate surveillance regarding MDR Art.120 transitional provisions - devices covered by MDD or AIMDD certificates (MDCG 2022-4 rev.1) - December 2022 
• Guidance on Periodic Safety Update Report (PSUR) according to Regulation (EU) 2017/745 (MDCG 2022-21) - December 2022 
• Application of the Union’s veterinary medicines acquis in markets historically dependent on medicines supply from or through parts of the United Kingdom other than Northern Ireland - Commission notice 

DATA PRIVACY & CYBERSECURITY

• Answer given by Mr Reynders to a MEP written question - The Dutch Government’s use of Twitter user data without consent 

TRANSPORT & MOBILITY

• Minutes of: 6th meeting - European Ports Forum - 16 November 2022
• Answer given by Ms Vălean to a MEP written question - What solutions does the Commission intend to promote to combat the environmental damage caused by the explosion in maritime freight?

AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY & JUSTICE

• Minutes of: Meeting of the Resettlement Expert Group - 1 July 2022
• Joint Investigation Teams - Highlights of the Annual Meeting of the Network of National Experts on Joint Investigation Teams (Eurojust, The Hague, 5 and 6 October 2022
• Anti-money laundering: Commission's updated list of high-risk third countries strengthens international fight against financial crime; see the Regulation & Annex - Midday Express 

ECB, EURO & ECONOMY

• Council Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/2506 of 15 December 2022 on measures for the protection of the Union budget against breaches of the principles of the rule of law in Hungary
• ECB reviews its risk control framework for credit operations
  
• ECB - Euro area monthly balance of payments: October 2022
• ECB - Study on the payment attitudes of consumers in the euro area (SPACE) - 2022
• Cash remains the most frequently used means of payment in stores but electronic payments grow further, ECB study shows
• Pandemic lending: micro and macro effects of model-based regulation - ECB Working Paper Series - No.2760
• Monetary Communication Rules - ECB Working Paper Series - No.2759
• Bank bond holdings and bail-in regulatory changes: evidence from euro area security registers - ECB Working Paper Series - No.2758
• Model-based regulation: lending in times of Covid - ECB Research Bulletin No.102

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• Armenia: EU Monitoring Capacity completes its mandate, new planning team launched
• 24th Annual Report according to Article 8(2) of Council Common Position 2008/944/CFSP defining common rules governing the control of exports of military technology and equipment - see worldwide exports; per Region; Afghanistan to Cuba; Curacao to India; Indonesia to Morocco; Mozambique to Sierra Leone & Singapore to Multiple

RUSSIAN INVASION OF UKRAINE

• FAQs on Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia oblasts related matters concerning sanctions adopted following Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine
• Consolidated version of the FAQs concerning sanctions adopted following Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine and Belarus' involvement in it
• Answer given by the Council to a MEP written question - Council Decision (CFSP) 2022/1272 of 21 July 2022 amending Decision 2014/145/CFSP