Europe Daily News, 20 March 2023

COMPETITION

• Commission clears the acquisition of VOO and Brutélé by Orange, subject to conditions (M.10663) - IP/23/1722
• Commission clears acquisition of Point Broadband by Berkshire and GTCR (M.11066) - Midday Express
• Commission clears acquisition of Camden by EPPE (M.11036) - Midday Express
• Germany - Case report: Approval of the establishment of a JV for the marketing of magazine advertising inventory by BurdaVerlag GmbH and Funke Mediengruppe GmbH & Co. KGaA
• Poland - Deutsche Bank Polska - pln 5.7 million fine and an obligation to reimburse for the fees for statements on credit facilities and loans

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Agenda for: 242nd Meeting of the Tariff and Statistical Nomenclature Section of the Customs Code Committee (Combined Nomenclature Sector) - 28 March 2023
• Special Procedures – Title VII UCC – “Guidance for MSs and Trade” - 14 March 2023
• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/608 of 17 March 2023 amending Implementing Regulations (EU) 2020/761 and (EU) No 2020/1988 as regards the management system of some tariff quotas following the agreement between the European Union and New Zealand as a consequence of the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union
• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/609 of 17 March 2023 reimposing a definitive anti-dumping duty on imports of electric bicycles originating in the People’s Republic of China as regards Giant Electric Vehicle (Kunshan) Co., Ltd following the judgment of the General Court in case T-242/19
• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/610 of 17 March 2023 reimposing a definitive countervailing duty on imports of electric bicycles originating in the People’s Republic of China as regards Giant Electric Vehicle (Kunshan) Co., Ltd following the judgment of the General Court in case T-243/19
• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/611 of 17 March 2023 amending Regulation (EC) No 88/97 on the authorisation of the exemption of imports of certain bicycle parts originating in the People’s Republic of China from the extension by Council Regulation (EC) No 71/97 of the anti-dumping duty imposed by Council Regulation (EEC) No 2474/93
• Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2023/617 of 17 March 2023 terminating the anti-subsidy proceeding concerning imports of fatty acid originating in Indonesia
• Answer given by HR/VP Borrell to a MEP written question - Suspension of the EU-Peru Trade Agreement

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

• Agenda for: Working Party on Competitiveness & Growth - 21 March 2023
• Minutes of the Council of the EU (Competitiveness (Internal Market, Industry, Research and Space)) - 02 March 2023
• Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a framework for setting ecodesign requirements for sustainable products and repealing Directive 2009/125/EC - Guidance for further work

FINANCIAL SERVICES

• Agenda for: Working Party on Financial Services - (MiFIR/MiFID) - 31 March 2023
• ESMA raises concerns with the proposed changes to the insider list regime - ESMA Letter: Listing Act legislative proposal - Insider List Regime

TAXATION

• Agenda for: Code of Conduct Group (Business Taxation) - Subgroup on internal and external issues - 29 March 2023

AGRICULTURE & FISHERIES

• Fisheries: EU and Norway conclude bilateral consultations on fishing opportunities for jointly managed stocks in the Skagerrak, reciprocal access to respective waters and exchanges of fishing quotas

ENERGY

• TTE (Energy) Council on 28 March 2023
  - Presidency background note on the Revision of the EU Electricity Market Design
• Commission Recommendation of 14 March 2023 on Energy Storage - Underpinning a decarbonised and secure EU energy system
• EU Cohesion Policy: €124 million for the construction of a section of a gas transmission pipeline in Poland - Midday Express
• Commission proposes to extend coordinated EU-wide gas demand reduction to ensure security of supply and price stability
  - See the Proposal, the Report & Working Document 

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• Agenda for: Working Party on International Environment Issues (Climate change) - 23 March 2023
• Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Decision (EU) 2015/1814 as regards the number of allowances to be placed in the market stability reserve for the Union greenhouse gas emission trading system until 2030
• Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) 2018/842 on binding annual greenhouse gas emission reductions by Member States from 2021 to 2030 contributing to climate action to meet commitments under the Paris Agreement, and Regulation (EU) 2018/1999
• Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) 2018/841 as regards the scope, simplifying the reporting and compliance rules, and setting out the targets of the Member States for 2030, and Regulation (EU) 2018/1999 as regards improvement in monitoring, reporting, tracking of progress and review
• Hazardous waste exports: Report shows increase in quantity and more detections of illegal shipments - Midday Express
• Droughts in Europe: an exceptionally dry and warm winter affects the south and west of the EU- Midday Express
• Zero Pollution: New EU Report calls for stronger action to reduce noise pollution - Midday Express
• Executive Vice-President Timmermans at the Copenhagen Climate Ministerial in Copenhagen
• Answer given by Mr Sinkevicius to a MEP written question - The European textile sector and environmental responsibility

HEALTH, FOOD & PRODUCT SAFETY

• Regulation (EU) 2023/607 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 March 2023 amending Regulations (EU) 2017/745 and (EU) 2017/746 as regards the transitional provisions for certain medical devices and in vitro diagnostic medical devices
• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/612 of 17 March 2023 amending Implementing Regulation (EU) No 307/2012 as regards certain procedures for the Union assessment of the safety of a substance or group of substances under scrutiny
• ECDC - Weekly COVID-19 country overview report: week 10 2023
• ECDC - Communicable disease threats report, Week 11, 12-18 March 2023
• EMA Management Board: highlights of March 2023 meeting
• EMA - Meeting highlights from the Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee (PRAC) 13 - 16 March 2023

DATA PRIVACY & CYBERSECURITY

• Agenda for: Horizontal Working Party on Cyber Issues - 22 March 2023
• The New mini-site launched by the ENISA serves the objective to promote and disseminate information related to EU cybersecurity certification

AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY & JUSTICE

• The European Commission launches a pilot project with Romania
• Answer given by Ms Johansson to a MEP written question - Nord Stream 1 and 2 – Outcome of the Commission's investigation

EURO, ECB & ECONOMY

• Statement by Christine Lagarde, President of the ECB, on the announcement on 19 March 2023 by the Swiss authorities
• ECB Banking Supervision, SRB and EBA statement on the announcement on 19 March 2023 by Swiss authorities
• ECB - Coordinated central bank action to enhance the provision of US dollar liquidity

FUTURE OF EUROPE

• Agenda for: Meeting of the Coreper (Part.1 & Part.2) - March 2023

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination 2023: Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the European Union
• International Donors' Conference – Together for the people in Türkiye and Syria in Brussels today
• North Korea/DPRK: Statement by the HR/VP Borrell on behalf of the EU on the launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile on 15 March
• Statement by the HR/VP Borrell  on behalf of the EU on the alignment of certain third countries concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Syria
• Joint press statement following the 16th meeting of the EU - North Macedonia Stabilisation and Association Council
• Information relating to the entry into force of the Arrangement between the European Community and the Republic of Iceland and the Kingdom of Norway on the modalities of those states’ participation in the European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders of the Member States of the European Union
• Political and Security Committee Decision (CFSP) 2023/613 of 14 March 2023 on the appointment of the Head of Mission of the European Union CSDP mission in Mali (EUCAP Sahel Mali) (EUCAP Sahel Mali/1/2023)
• Political and Security Committee Decision (CFSP) 2023/614 of 14 March 2023 on the appointment of the EU Mission Force Commander for the European Union military partnership mission in Niger (EUMPM Niger) (EUMPM Niger/1/2023)
• Political and Security Committee Decision (CFSP) 2023/615 of 14 March 2023 on the appointment of the EU Mission Force Commander of the European Union military mission to contribute to the training of Somali security forces (EUTM Somalia) and repealing Decision (CFSP) 2022/170 (EUTM Somalia/1/2023)
• Kosovo and Serbia agree to EU plan to normalise relations - Financial Times

RUSSIAN INVASION OF UKRAINE

• Commissioner Reynders in London today to attend Justice Ministers Conference on Support to the International Criminal Court's work on Ukraine - Read the Speech 
• EU ministers to agree on ammunition plan for Ukraine - Financial Times
• Explosives shortage threatens EU drive to arm Ukraine - Financial Times