COMPETITION

  • Opinion of Advocate General Athanasisos Rantos of 2 March 2023 Case C-331/21, Autoridade da Concorrência, EDP - Energias de Portugal SA, EDP Comercial - Comercialização de Energia SA, Sonae MC SGPS SA, formerly Sonae Investimentos and Sonae MC - Modelo Continente SGPS, Modelo Continente Hipermercados SA in the presence of : Ministério Público
    Re: Reference for a preliminary ruling - Competition - Article 101 TFEU - Agreement between an electricity supplier and a food retailer operating hypermarkets and supermarkets - Non-competition clause - Potential competition - Distinction between vertical and horizontal agreements - Restriction of competition 'by object' or 'by effect' - Regulation (EU) No 330/2010 - Agency agreement - Liberalisation of the electricity supply market
  • Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11052 - Macquarie Group / WPD / Luwei Wind Power / Chungwei Wind Power / Tongwei Wind Power / Chinfeng Wind Power / Anwei Wind Power)
  • Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.10891 - Bunge / SC Frich Envol/ SC One / BZ Group)
  • France - Land passenger transport sector inquiry: The Autorité launches a public consultation

STATE AID

  • Opinion of Advocate General Pikame in Joined Cases C‑73/22 P and C‑77/22 P; Grupa Azoty S.A., Azomureș SA, Lipasmata Kavalas LTD Ypokatastima Allodapis Vs. European Commission (C‑73/22 P) and Advansa Manufacturing GmbH, Beaulieu International Group, Brilen, SA, Cordenka GmbH & Co. KG, Dolan GmbH, Enka International GmbH & Co. KG, Glanzstoff Longlaville, Infinited Fiber Company Oy, Kelheim Fibres GmbH, Nurel, SA, PHP Fibers GmbH, Teijin Aramid BV, Thrace Nonwovens & Geosynthetics monoprosopi AVEE mi yfanton yfasmaton kai geosynthetikon proïonton, Trevira GmbH Vs. Dralon GmbH, European Commission (C‑77/22 P)
    Re: Appeal - State aid - Guidelines on certain State aid measures in the context of the system for greenhouse gas emission allowance trading post-2021 - Eligible sectors - Exclusion of the fertiliser manufacturing sector - Actions for annulment - Concept of ‘challengeable measure’
  • Authorisation for State aid pursuant to Articles 107 and 108 of the TFEU - Cases where the Commission raises no objections
  • Commission orders Italy to recover illegal aid in the form of real estate tax exemption (SA.20829) - Midday Express
  • Commission concludes that the Walloon tax measure in favour of Renewi does not constitute aid (SA.43147) - Midday Express

TRADE & CUSTOMS

  • Notice of initiation of an expiry review of the anti-dumping measures applicable to imports of certain seamless pipes and tubes of stainless steel originating in the People's Republic of China (CN codes 7304 11 00, 7304 22 00, 7304 24 00, ex 7304 41 00, ex 7304 49 83, ex 7304 49 85 , ex 7304 49 89, and ex 7304 90 00)
  • Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/453 of 2 March 2023 extending the definitive anti-dumping duty imposed by Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/141 on imports of certain stainless steel tube and pipe buttwelding fittings, whether or not finished, originating in the People’s Republic of China to imports of certain stainless steel tube and pipe buttwelding fittings, whether or not finished, consigned from Malaysia, whether declared as originating in Malaysia or not
  • 2022 Exceptional Update of the EU Control List of Dual-Use Items
  • Stakeholder meeting on the establishment of a Multilateral Investment Court - 22 March 2023
  • Transatlantic partnership: President von der Leyen to visit Canada and the US next week - IP/23/1367
  • Vietnam eases access to EU pharmaceuticals, extending the validity of existing marketing authorisations until 2024
  • CSD on the Trade SIA in support of negotiations with India and state-of-play of EU-India bilateral negotiations - 22 March 2023
  • AmCham EU's comments on EU-US TTC Stakeholder event questions on duplicate licensing - Working Group 7 - Export Controls
  • WTO issues note on trade policy developments following one year of war in Ukraine

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

CHEMICAL

  • Summary of European Commission Decisions on authorisations for the placing on the market for the use and/or for use of substances listed in Annex XIV to Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning the REACH - 4-(1,1,3,3-tetramethylbutyl)phenol, ethoxylated (‘4-tertOPnEO’ - C(2023) 1181
  • Commission Communication in the framework of the implementation of Regulation (EC) No 1907/ 2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning the REACH
  • Answer given by Mr Breton to a MEP written question - The DEHP dilemma: recycling PVC from medical supplies
  • Commission Regulation (EU) / amending, for the purpose of its adaptation to technical progress, the Annex to Regulation (EC) No 440/2008 laying down test methods pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals
  • Chemical testing: New safety animal-free test methods approved - see the Proposal - Midday Express

FINANCIAL SERVICES

TAXATION

  • Agenda for: Working Party on Tax Questions (Direct Taxation) - 22 March 2023
  • Proposed ‘DEBRA’ directive continues to divide MEPs - see the Draft Report and Amendments discussed at the EP ECON Committee on 01 March 2023

EMPLOYMENT & SOCIAL POLICY

  • One year into the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine: The employment and social situation in the EU, with a focus on the labour market situation of temporarily displaced persons from Ukraine - Exchange of views
  • New generation of European Citizens' Panels: Commission hosts panel on learning mobility - IP/23/1289
  • EU job seeker’s aid worth €1.9m for 559 dismissed workers in Belgium - see the EP Statement & Opinion

ENERGY

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

  • Proposal for a Council Decision on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union at the Conference of the Parties to the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal with regard to certain amendments of Articles in that Convention
  • EVP Timmermans and Commissioner Simson in Saudi Arabia for climate and energy discussions and COP28 preparations  - Midday Express
  • The EP ENVI Committee has adopted by 64 votes to 6 with 8 abstentions the own-initiative report on sustainable carbon cycles - see the compromise amendments
  • The EP ENVI Committee agrees to an ambitious reduction of fluorinated greenhouse gases emissions, to further contribute to EU’s climate neutrality goal - see the compromise amendments

HEALTH, FOOD & PRODUCT SAFETY

  • Europe's Beating Cancer Plan: Arsenic levels lowered in food products to increase food safety and fight cancer - see the Proposal - Midday Express

DATA PRIVACY & CYBERSECURITY

  • Agenda for: Horizontal Working Party on Cyber issues - 03 March 2023
  • Report by MEP Pilar del Castillo Vera on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on harmonised rules on fair access to and use of data (Data Act)

TRANSPORT & MOBILITY

  • Opinion of Advocate General Emiliou of 2 March 2023 in Case C‑49/22, Austrian Airlines AG Vs. TW
    Re: Reference for a preliminary ruling - Air transport - Passengers’ rights - Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 - Article 5(1)(a) - Article 8(1) - Article 9 - Cancellation of flight - COVID-19 pandemic - Repatriation flight organised by the Member State - Consular functions - Flight operated by the same airline and at the same time as the cancelled flight - Obligation for the passenger to contribute to the costs of the repatriation flight - Concept of ‘re-routing, under comparable transport conditions’ - Right to reimbursement - Duty of care - Directive (EU) 2015/2302 - Package travel - Article 14(1) - Price reduction

AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY & JUSTICE

  • Judicial statistics 2022: proceedings marked by the major issues facing today’s world (the rule of law, the environment, the protection of privacy in the digital era and so forth) and by the restrictive measures adopted by the European Union in the context of the war in Ukraine (See CPR No.42/2023)
  • A shipwreck portends a new EU migrant crisis - The bloc faces allegations of double standards over its treatment of arrivals - Financial Times

ECB, EURO & ECONOMY

  • Annual work programme decision 2023: Directorate‑General for Economic and Financial Affairs
  • Euro area bank interest rate statistics: January 2023
  • Account of the monetary policy meeting of the Governing Council of the European Central Bank held in Frankfurt am Main on Wednesday and Thursday, 1-2 February 2023

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

  • EU support to Somalia: Council approves further support under the European Peace Facility to the Somali National Army and to the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS)
  • EU launches new cooperation programmes with Morocco worth €624 million green transition, migration and reforms - IP/23/423, FactSheet 1 & FactSheet 2
  • Proposal for a Council Decision on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union in the Cooperation Council established by the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Iraq, of the other part, in connection with the envisaged adoption of a decision concerning the establishment of a Sub-Committee on Development Cooperation

RUSSIAN INVASION OF UKRAINE

  • Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/449 of 2 March 2023 implementing Regulation (EU) No 208/2014 concerning restrictive measures directed against certain persons, entities and bodies in view of the situation in Ukraine
  • Council Decision (CFSP) 2023/457 of 2 March 2023 amending Decision 2014/119/CFSP concerning restrictive measures directed against certain persons, entities and bodies in view of the situation in Ukraine
  • EU welcomes co-ordinated First Anniversary push on Russia Sanctions
  • EU plans to deliver jointly funded ammunition to Ukraine within weeks - Capitals to use €1bn from European Peace Facility to buy shells for Kyiv - Financial Times
  • Why the EU’s public prosecutor wants a slice of the sanctions action - Also in today’s newsletter: the Estonian nationalists seeking power in Sunday’s election - Financial Times

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