Europe Daily News, 30 March 2023

COMPETITION

• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.10917 - Schüco  / Metallinvest / RSFB / AWB)
• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11008 - CDC Group / EDF / Engie / IN Groupe / Archipels)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11004 - Itochu / AMCI / Fitzroy QLD Resource)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11052 - Macquarie Group / WPD / Luwei Wind Power / Chungwei HUWind Power / Tongwei Wind Power / Chinfeng  Wind Power / Anwei Wind Power)
• Denmark - The Competition Council has adopted a decision concerning price coordination between members of an association of undertakings
• Romania - Competition Council launches three investigations into possible price-fixing cartels in the markets for the production of sunflower oil, butter and sugar
• Spain - The CNMC approves the acquisition of Smartbox by Wonderbox subject to commitments
• UK - Memorandum of Understanding between Intellectual Property Office and Competition and Markets Authority

STATE AID

• Commission approves €16 million Lithuanian scheme under the Recovery and Resilience Facility to support restoration of wetlands (SA.102103) - Midday Express
• Answer given by EVP Vestager to a MEP written question - Lignite phase-out in Germany and State aid procedure

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Agenda for: 4th Meeting of Japan-EU EPA Joint Committee - 04 April 2023
• Joint Statement - Ukraine-EU Trade and Sustainable Development Sub-Committee to the Joint Civil Society Forum (9 March 2023)
• Notice of initiation of an anti-dumping proceeding concerning imports of certain polyethylene terephthalate (‘PET’) originating in People’s Republic of China
• Notice concerning the creation of certain Tariff Rate Quotas under the steel safeguard measure in connection to the amendment to Regulation (EU) 2020/2170
• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) /... accepting a request for new exporting producer treatment with regard to the definitive anti-dumping measures imposed on imports of ceramic tableware and kitchenware originating in People’s Republic of China and amending Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1198
• WTO - Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade - Notification - European Union - Charging receptacle and charging communication protocol for all the categories or classes of radio equipment capable of being recharged by means of wired charging
• WTO - Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade - Notification - European Union - Unique device identifiers for contact lenses
• WTO - Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade - Notification - European Union - Biocidal products
• WTO - Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade - Notification - European Union - Biocidal products : N,N-didecyl-N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-N-methylammonium propionate and N,N-didecyl-N-(2-(2-hydroxyethoxy)ethyl)-N-methylammonium propionate and N,N-didecyl-N-(2-(2-(2-hydroxyethoxy)e[...]l)-N-methylammonium propionate
  
• Britain secures agreement to join Indo-Pacific trade bloc - The U.K. will be the first new nation to join the CPTPP since it was set up in 2018 - Politico.eu

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

• Agenda for: Working Party on Competitiveness & Growth (Internal Market) - 03 April 2023
• Work in Progress - Referred Dossiers - EP Committee (ITRE) as of 28 March 2023
• Opinion by MEP Ivars Ijabs on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council of the European Parliament and of the Council on establishing the European defence industry reinforcement through common procurement act
• Innovation Fund: €100 million offered for innovative small-scale clean tech projects - IP/23/2062
• European Defence Fund: €1.2 billion to boost EU defence capabilities and innovation - IP/23/2021 & FactSheet
• Over half a billion euro in grants from European Research Council to researchers across Europe - See ERC Press release
• Commission paves way for mobile machinery to move easier on public roads across the EU - IP/23/2046, Factsheet & Proposal for a Regulation

CHEMICAL

• Answer given by Mr Breton to a MEP written question - Introducing a ‘functional period’ criterion for assessing the degradability of biodegradable polymeric infill

FINANCIAL SERVICES

• Advocate General Ćapeta: EU law does not, in principle, preclude national legislation which allows for the screening of foreign direct investment of third country provenance even if implemented via an EU-based company (See CPR No 57/2023 - Opinion of the Advocate General in the case C-106/22 - Xella Magyarország - Free movement of capital)
• Asset managers take aim at ‘unstable’ EU green fund rules - Investor uproar prompts Brussels to consider scrapping flagship sustainable investment category - Financial Times

TAXATION

• Judgment of the Court of 30 March 2023 in Case C-616/21, Dyrektor Krajowej Informacji Skarbowej Vs. Gmina L,
  Re: Reference for a preliminary ruling - Taxation - VAT - Directive 2006/112/EC - Article 2(1)(c) - Supply of services for consideration - Article 9(1) - Concepts of 'taxable person' and 'economic activity' - Municipality organising asbestos removal free of charge for the benefit of its residents, Reimbursement of the municipality by a subsidy from the competent voivodship in the amount of 40% to 100% of the costs - Article 13, paragraph 1 - Absence of tax liability of municipalities for activities or operations performed as public authorities
  
• Judgment of the Court of 30 March 2023 in Case C-612/21, Gmina O. Vs. Dyrektor Krajowej Informacji Skarbowej
  Re: Reference for a preliminary ruling - VAT - Directive 2006/112/EC - Article 2(1)(a) and (c) - Supply of goods and services for consideration - Article 9(1) - Concepts of 'taxable person' and 'economic activity' - Municipality organising the development of renewable energy in its territory for the benefit of its residents, owners of a property, who have expressed a wish to be equipped with renewable energy systems - Contribution by them amounting to 25% of the subsidisable costs, without exceeding a maximum value agreed between the municipality and the owner concerned - Reimbursement of the municipality by a subsidy from the competent voivodship amounting to 75% of the subsidisable costs - Article 13(1) - No liability of the municipalities for tax in respect of activities or operations carried out as public authorities
• Mission Report following the fact-finding visit to Washington D.C. (USA) from 18 to 22 July,2022, to raise awareness and discuss about the impact of the US Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) on EU citizens and hold exchange of views with representatives from the US Congress and the US government to find concrete solutions for the problems of the numerous EU citizens and their family members impacted by the extraterritorial application of citizenship based taxation, as raised in Petitions Nos: 1088/2016, 1470/2020, 0323/2021,0394/2021

AGRICULTURE & FISHERIES

• Agriculture: Latest short-term outlook report shows war in Ukraine continues to impact EU farmers - Midday Express
• Commissioner Sinkevičius on official visit to Italy to discuss the European Green Deal and fisheries matters - Midday Express
  

EMPLOYMENT & SOCIAL POLICY

• Equal pay: Commission statements ahead of the European Parliament's vote on pay transparency rules - See the EP Statement
• Demography: Commission publishes interactive mapping showing national demographic challenges and policy responses* - Midday Express

ENERGY

• National regulatory authorities for energy may have the power to order electricity undertakings to repay sums received in breach of consumer protection requirements (See CPR No 55/2023 - Judgment of the Court of Justice in Case C-5/22 - Green Network (Injonction de remboursement de frais))
• Council formally adopts 15% gas demand reduction target
• European Green Deal: EU agrees stronger legislation to accelerate the rollout of renewable energy - IP/23/2061 & EP Statement
• Answer given by Ms Simson to a MEP written question - Inefficient bidding zones within the European electricity market
• Answer given by Ms Simson to a MEP written question - Next steps for the Energy Charter Treaty
• Energy Community entities can now subscribe to AggregateEU's online platform for Joint Gas Purchasing
• The Secretariat encourages Bosnia and Herzegovina to make reform of the energy sector
• Decision No 07/2023 of the EU Agency for the cooperation of energy regulators of 22 March 2023 on the TSOs’ proposal for amendments to the methodology for sharing Firmness and Remuneration Costs (FRC) of long-term transmission rights
• Decision No 06/2023 of the EU Agency for the cooperation of energy regulators of 22 March 2023 on the TSOs’ proposal for amendments to the Congestion Income Distribution (CID) methodology
• Decision No 05/2023 of the EU Agency for the cooperation of energy regulators of 22 March 2023 on the TSOs’ proposal for amendments to the requirements for the Single Allocation Platform (SAP) and the SAP cost sharing methodology
• Reaching net-zero: Eurelectric’s three pillars for Europe’s electricity market reform - Eurelectric Statement

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• Agenda for: Working Party on the Environment - 03 & 04 April 2023
• Regulation on the certification of carbon removals: agricultural and forestry aspects - Information from the Commission - Policy debate
• Report by MEP Antonius Manders on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the protection of the environment through criminal law and replacing Directive 2008/99/EC
• Parliament is ready to negotiate with EU governments on further reducing fluorinated gases emissions, to meet EU and global climate goals
• EU Cohesion Policy: €166 million for the development of water and wastewater infrastructure in Călărași, Giurgiu, Ialomița and Ilfov counties in Romania - Midday Express
• UK and EU boost co-operation over new carbon border tax - Joint pledge to tackle climate signals warming relations between London and Brussels - Financial Times

HEALTH, FOOD & PRODUCT SAFETY

• MEPs approve revamped EU product safety rules
• EFSA - External Scientific Report - Proposal of critical appraisal tools for the evaluation of ecotoxicology studies
• EFSA - Scientific Opinion - Safety assessment of the process Akmert İplik, based on the Starlinger iV+ technology, used to recycle post‐consumer PET into food contact materials
• EFSA - Scientific Opinion - Safety assessment of the process Royce Universal, based on the Starlinger iV+ technology, used to recycle post‐consumer PET into food contact materials
• EFSA - Scientific Opinion - Pest categorisation of Eotetranychus sexmaculatus

DIGITAL & INFORMATION SOCIETY

• Opening remarks by Commissioner Reynders on the proposal for a Directive on upgrading Digital Company Law
• ESA urges Iceland to fully implement EEA rules by establishing a single digital contact portal for service providers
• Meta bosses look at political ads ban in Europe - Facebook parent concerned how it will police social networks in wake of new EU regulations - Financial Times

DATA PRIVACY & CYBERSECURITY

• Live streaming by videoconference of classes in state school education falls within the scope of the GDPR (See CPR No 54/2023 - Judgment of the Court of Justice in Case C-34/21 - Hauptpersonalrat der Lehrerinnen und Lehrer)
• Opinion of Advocate General Campos Sànchez-Bordona of 30 March 2023 in Case C‑162/22, A.G. Vs. Lietuvos Respublikos generalinė prokuratūra
  Re: Reference for a preliminary ruling - Telecommunications - Processing of personal data - Directive 2002/58/EC - Scope - Article 15(1) - Access to data retained by providers of electronic communications services and collected in criminal investigations - Subsequent use of data in an investigation into misconduct
• Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Decision 2005/671/JHA, as regards its alignment with Union rules on the protection of personal data - European Parliament's position at first reading (draft amendments)

AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY & JUSTICE

• According to Advocate General Campos Sánchez-Bordona, Volkswagen cannot be penalised in Italy for ‘Dieselgate’, after having been penalised in Germany, if there has not been sufficient coordination between the penalty proceedings of both States (See CPR No 56/2023  - Opinion of the Advocate General in the case C-27/22 - VW Group Italia and VW Aktiengesellschaft)

EURO, ECB & ECONOMY

• Summary & Presentation of the Commission’s assessment of the Dutch recovery and resilience plan
• Interview with Frank Elderson, Member of the Executive Board of the ECB and Vice-Chair of the Supervisory Board of the ECB, conducted by Lluís Pellicer
• Global value chains and the pandemic: the impact of supply bottlenecks - Economic Bulletin Issue 2, 2023
• Update on euro area fiscal policy responses to the energy crisis and high inflation - Economic Bulletin Issue 2, 2023
• What shapes spillovers from US monetary policy shocks to emerging market economies? - Economic Bulletin Issue 2, 2023
• Liquidity conditions and monetary policy operations from 2 November 2022 to 7 February 2023 - Economic Bulletin Issue 2, 2023
• Backcasting real interest rates and inflation expectations – combining market-based measures with historical data for related variables - Economic Bulletin Issue 2, 2023

FUTURE OF EUROPE

• Report by President Charles Michel at the EP Plenary session
• Speech by President von der Leyen at the EP Plenary on the conclusions of the European Council meeting of 23-24 March 2023 - Watch the full debate

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• Speech by President von der Leyen on EU-China relations to the Mercator Institute for China Studies and the European Policy Centre
• Statement by the HR/VP on behalf of the EU on the alignment of certain countries concerning restrictive measures directed against certain persons and entities in view of the situation in Iran
• Myanmar: Statement by the HR/VP on behalf of the EU on the dissolution of democratic political parties
• Global Gateway: Team Europe invests in transformative green mobility in Nairobi - IP/23/1928
• Lebanon: €60 million in humanitarian aid for the most vulnerable - IP/23/2026
• Answer given by HR/VP Borrell to a MEP written question - Current legislative framework related to Article 39 TEU
• Switzerland to revive talks with EU on forging closer ties - Bern seeks ‘package’ agreement of multiple treaties after last effort to build universal framework failed - Financial Times

RUSSIAN INVASION OF UKRAINE

• Statement  by the HR/VP on behalf of the EU on the alignment of certain third countries concerning restrictive measures in respect of actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine
• Answer given by Ms McGuinness to a MEP written question - Limited impact of EU sanctions on Russia’s economy

BREXIT

• Speech by President Charles Michel at the ceremony for the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement
• Speech by President von der Leyen at the European Parliament Plenary on the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement
• UK re-entry into EU Horizon programme threatened by cash dispute - Britain seeks to reduce contributions to €95bn research network seen as vital by country’s scientists - Financial Times