Europe Daily News, 09 February 2023

COMPETITION

• Commission clears the acquisition of MBCC by Sika, subject to conditions (M.10560) - IP/23/598
• Belgium - Notification of a concentrtaion CONC-CC-22/0048: Sopra Steria Benelux SA / Assua NV
• UK - CMA reminds employers to avoid anti-competitive practices; see the Guidance
• UK - A register of decisions reached by the CMA under Schedule 4 to the Groceries Market Investigation (Controlled Land) Order 2010
• UK - A CMA investigation has provisionally concluded that Microsoft’s proposed acquisition of Activision could result in higher prices, fewer choices, or less innovation for UK gamers
• Europe breaks new ground in backing strategic green industries - Until now, industrial policy in the EU has been restrained by tough competition laws - Financial Times

STATE AID

• Commission approves €5.8 million Bulgarian measure to support Burgas and Varna airports in the context of Russia's war against Ukraine (SA.105987) - Midday Express
• Answer given by EVP Vestager to a MEP written question - European industry

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Agenda for: Trade Policy Committee (Full Members) - 16 February 2023 
• Judgment of the Court of 9 February 2023 in Case C-635/21; LB GmbH Vs. Hauptzollamt D
  Re: Reference for a preliminary ruling - Customs Union - Common Customs Tariff - Combined Nomenclature - Tariff classification - Heading 9401 - Scope - Air loungers
• Judgment of the Court of 9 February 2023 in Case C-788/21; Skatteministeriet Departementet v Global Gravity ApS
  Re: Reference for a preliminary ruling - Customs Union - Common Customs Tariff - Classification of goods - Combined Nomenclature - Subheadings 7616 99 90 and 8609 00 90 - Tubular Transport Running-system (TubeLock) - Concept of 'container
• Minutes of the 112th meeting of the General Customs Legislation Section of the Customs Code Committee (CCC/GEN/112) - 18 January 2023
• Minutes of the 2nd U.S.-EU Stakeholder event of the TTC Investment Screening Working Group - 13 December 2022
• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) /... imposing a definitive anti-dumping duty on imports of ceramic tiles originating in India and Türkiye
• EU-Montenegro SubCommittee Meeting on Trade, Industry, Customs and Trade - 4 October 2022 - Non-Paper Summary Report
• WTO - Agency heads call for urgent action to address food and nutrition security crisis
• WTO - 8th review of the trade policies and practices of Malaysia - 8 and 10 February 2023

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

• Draft standardisation request to the European Committee for Standardisation and the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardisation as regards gas appliances and their fittings in support of Regulation (EU) 2016/426
• TF4 - Report - Industrial Forum Task Force 4 report on enhancing crossborder and cross ecosystem investments - Created by GROW.01.DIR
• Revised No 11 Guidance document on the application of Directive 2009/48/EC on the safety of toys - Toys intended for children under 36 months of age or of 36 months and over

CHEMICAL

• Agenda for: REACH Committee of 01 March 2023
• Agenda for: Working Party Meeting on Technical Harmonisation (Dangerous Substances - Chemicals) - 22 February 2023
• Answer given by Ms Kyriakides to a MEP written question - Allowing the EMA and the ECHA to approve alternative methods to replace animal testing

FINANCIAL SERVICES

• ESMA report finds EU MMF industry at close to €1.5tn
• EBA consults on the amending ITS on supervisory disclosures

TAXATION

• Judgment of the Court of 9 February 2023 in Case C-482/21; Euler Hermes SA Magyarországi Fióktelepe Vs. Nemzeti Adó- és Vámhivatal Fellebbviteli Igazgatósága,
  Re: Reference for a preliminary ruling - Taxation - VAT - Directive 2006/112/EC - Article 90 - Taxable amount - Reduction - Insurer paying compensation to insured persons for unpaid claims, including VAT - National legislation refusing to allow that insurer, as legal successor, to reduce the taxable amount - Principle of fiscal neutrality - Principle of effectiveness

ENERGY

• Agenda for: Working Party on Energy - 14 February 2023
• Agenda for: Working Party on Energy - 16 February 2023
• Council Decision (EU) 2023/274 of 6 February 2023 on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union within the EU-UK Specialised Committee on Energy established under the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, of the one part, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, of the other part, concerning the EU-UK electricity trading arrangements
• MEPs backed two legislative proposals to facilitate the uptake of renewable and low-carbon gases, including hydrogen, into the EU gas market.
• Energy performance of buildings: climate neutrality by 2050
• Answer given by Ms Simson to a MEP written question - Abuse of ARENH in France by energy-intensive industries and alternative suppliers in the context of the new system of State aid

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• Agenda for: Working Party on International Environment Issues (Int. Chemicals/Synergies) - 14 February 2023
• Joint letter sent to the Chairs of the EP ENVI Committee  and the Chair of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL) - Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a Social Climate Fund 
• Letter sent to the Chair of the EP ENVI Committee/ a) Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 2003/87/EC establishing a system for greenhouse gas emission allowance trading within the Union, Decision (EU) 2015/1814 concerning the establishment and operation of a market stability reserve for the Union greenhouse gas emission trading scheme and Regulation (EU) 2015/757 b) Proposal for a Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Decision (EU) 2015/1814 as regards the amount of allowances to be placed in the market stability reserve for the Union greenhouse gas emission trading scheme until 2030
• Letter to the Chair of the EP ENVI Committee - Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 2003/87/EC as regards aviation's contribution to the Union’s economy-wide emission reduction target and appropriately implementing a global market-based measure
• Answer given by Mr Sinkevičius to a MEP written question - Innovative recyclable bio-based materials in the context of the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive
• Answer given by Mr Sinkevičius to a MEP written question - Refrigerant fluids from the air-conditioning systems of end-of-life vehicles: classification and reuse

HEALTH, FOOD & PRODUCT SAFETY

• Agenda for: Meeting of the Regulatory Committee (GMO) under Directive 2001/18/EC - 17 February 2023
• EFSA - Scientific Opinion - Modification of the conditions of the authorisation of Clostridium butyricum FERM BP‐2789 (Miya‐Gold®) for chickens for fattening, chickens reared for laying and minor avian species (excluding laying birds) (Miyarisan Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd)
• EFSA - Scientific Opinion - Re‐evaluation of locust bean gum (E 410) as a food additive in foods for infants below 16 weeks of age and follow‐up of its re‐evaluation as a food additive for uses in foods for all population groups
• EFSA - Scientific Opinion - Safety evaluation of the food enzyme d‐tagatose 3‐epimerase from the genetically modified Escherichia coli strain PS‐Sav‐001
• Gonorrhoea - Annual Epidemiological Report for 2019 - ECDC Surveillance report

DIGITAL & INFORMATION SOCIETY

• Code of Practice on Disinformation: New Transparency Centre provides insights and data on online disinformation for the first time - Midday Express
• MEPs back plans for an EU-wide digital wallet

DATA PRIVACY & CYBRSECURITY

• Judgment of the Court of 9 February 2023 in Case C-453/21; X-FAB Dresden GmbH & Co KG Vs. FC
  Re: Reference for a preliminary ruling - Protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data - Regulation (EU) 2016/679 - Article 38(3) - Data protection officer - Prohibition on removal from office for the performance of his duties - Requirement of functional independence - National legislation prohibiting the removal of a data protection officer from office in the absence of serious reasons - Article 38(6) - Conflict of interests - Criteria
• Data Act: MEPs back new rules for fair access and use of industrial data

AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY & JUSTICE

• Commissioner Johansson in Berlin to discuss the fight against child sexual abuse - Midday Express

ECB, EURO & ECONOMY

• NextGenerationEU: European Commission endorses positive preliminary assessment of Slovakia's request for a €709 million disbursement under the Recovery and Resilience Facility - IP/23/646 & QaA 
• NextGenerationEU: European Commission endorses positive preliminary assessment of Czechia's request for €928 million disbursement under the Recovery and Resilience Facility - IP/23/643 & QaA
• InvestEU: the Commission and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development have signed a €60 million agreement on advisory support for investment projects - Midday Express
• Monetary policy and local industry structure - ECB Working Paper Series - No.2778

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• European Commission and Swedish Presidency of the Council will organise a Donors' Conference for the people of Türkiye and Syria affected by the earthquake - IP/23/708
• Earthquake: EU mobilises further emergency help for Syria and Türkiye - IP/23/701
  

RUSSIAN INVASION OF UKRAINE

• President Metsola welcomes Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy
• Volodymyr Zelenskyy to address European Parliament
• Statement of the Conference of Presidents of the European Parliament on support for Ukraine
• Answer given by Ms McGuinness to a MEP written question - Two different messages on EU sanctions against Russia
• Ukraine needs a credible path to EU membership - It is important for both sides that Kyiv meets the same standards as other applicants - Financial Times
• Ukraine wrongfoots reluctant EU states with accession reforms - Brussels says Kyiv is moving rapidly on change despite punishing wartime conditions - Financial Times
  
  BREXIT
• Agenda for: Working Party on the United Kingdom - 14 February 2023
• UK top court rejects challenge to Brexit deal's N. Ireland protocol - see the Supreme Court Judgment