Europe Daily News, 03 April 2023

COMPETITION

• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11063 - CVC Capital / Scan Global Logistics)
• Commission clears acquisition of DSME by the Hanwha Group (M.11028) - Midday Express
• Austria - Interchange fees: AFCA receives supervisory and investigative powers
• UK - CMA calls on businesses to review practices as it investigates second firm over use of ‘urgency’ claims

STATE AID

• Commission approves €450 million Italian scheme to support the production of renewable hydrogen to foster the transition to a net-zero economy (SA.106007) - IP/23/2044
• Commission approves €30 million Italian scheme to support commercial bus transport operators in the context of Russia's war against Ukraine (SA.106575) - Midday Express
• Commission approves €25 million Greek scheme to support apple and chestnuts producers in the context of Russia's war against Ukraine (SA.106710) - Midday Express
• Decision - SA.64233: Germany, Prolongation of the reduced EEG-surcharge for railways (Public version available)
• Decision - SA.106542: TCF: Amendments to SA.103089 (as amended) and SA.104515 (as amended)

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/724 of 31 March 2023 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 the People’s Republic of China, and amending Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1198
• Open Consultation - Guidelines on the export of cyber-surveillance items under Article 5 of Regulation (EU) No. 2021/821 (Opening date 31 March 2023 - 09 June 2023)
• EU-Switzerland - Report  of the 17th Joint Committee meeting on Mutual Recongnition in relation to Conformity assessment - 14 December 2022
• Report of the Fourth Round of Negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement between the EU and India - 13 to 17 March 2023

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

• Request for a preliminary ruling from the Tribunale Amministrativo Regionale della Liguria (Italy) of 16 January 2023 - FA.RO. di YK & C. Sas Vs. Agenzia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli (Case C-16/23)
  Re: Article 15 of Directive 2006/123/EC, Articles 49, 56 and 106(2) TFEU, authorisation of tobacco product outlets
• Europe urged to support deep-sea mining - Financial Times
• Lithium shortages threaten Europe’s electric car transition - Without homegrown supply of key battery component, Europe could struggle to compete with China - Financial Times

FINANCIAL SERVICES

• ESMA has updated the following QaA: Benchmarks Regulation; EMIR implementation; DLT Pilot Regulation; MiFID II and MiFIR transparency topics; MiFIR data reporting & SFTR data reporting 

AGRICULTURE & FISHERIES

• Minutes of the Committee for the Common Organisation of the Agricultural markets - Horticultural Products - 24 March 2023
• Minutes of the Committee for the Common Organisation of the Agricultural Markets - Animal Products - 23 March 2023
• Minutes of the Committee for the Common Organisation of the Agricultural markets - Spirit Drinks - 17 March 2023 

ENERGY

• Agenda for: First meeting of the Renewables and Energy System permitting expert group - 20 April 2023
• HR/VP Borrell and Commissioner Simson to participate in EU-US Energy Council Ministerial Meeting - Midday Express
• Answer given by Ms Simson to a MEP written question - Sixty per cent hike in Spanish imports of Russian LNG since the invasion of Ukraine
• Answer given by Ms Simson to a MEP written question - The European Green Deal Industrial Plan and renewable hydrogen
• Statement - RED III Trilogue agreement - Copa and Cogeca consider the outcome as an acceptable compromise
• EEB - Conclusion of RED trilogues: EU lawmakers fail to set ambitious renewables target

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• Minutes - Plenary Meeting of the European Network of Environmental Authorities - Managing Authorities - 09 December 2022
• Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on substances that deplete the ozone layer and repealing Regulation (EC) No 1005/2009 - Mandate for negotiations with the European Parliament
• Answer given by EVP Timmermans to a MEP written question - Implementing the new EU forest strategy in France
• Consultation response to the CAA’s call for evidence on consumer environmental information - T&E

HEALTH, FOOD & PRODUCT SAFETY

• SCCS - Minutes of the 4th plenary meeting, Luxembourg, 21-22 March 2023
• ECDC - Update on iatrogenic botulism cases in Europe
• ECDC - COVID-19 - Country overview report: week 12 2023
• EMA - Meeting highlights from the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) - 27 to 30 March 2023
• EMA recommends approval of Bimervax as a COVID-19 booster vaccine
• Answer given by Ms Kyriakides to a MEP written question - Ensuring food supply – maintaining self-sufficiency
• Answer given by Ms Kyriakides to a MEP written question - Transparency regarding insects contained in food

TRANSPORT & MOBILITY

• Answer given by Ms Valean to a MEP written question - Strengthening Northern Germany as a port hub

DIGITAL & INFORMATION SOCIETY

• Agenda for: 2nd meeting of the Digital Decade Committee - 04 April 2023

DATA PRIVACY & CYBERSECURITY

• Appeal brought on 17 February 2023 by WhatsApp Ireland Ltd against the order of the General Court of 7 December 2022 in Case T-709/21, WhatsApp Ireland Vs. European Data Protection Board (Case C-97/23 P)
  
• Italy temporarily bans ChatGPT over privacy concerns - Data protection authority becomes first regulator in world to open investigation into Microsoft-backed OpenAI’s chatbot - Financial Times & WSJ

AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY & JUSTICE

• Eurojust supports action against drug trafficking and money laundering: 22 arrests
• 22 firearms traffickers arrested across Europe - Europol-coordinated operation leads to seizure of 1 621 weapons, 24 735 rounds of ammunition, and explosives

EURO, ECB & ECONOMY

• Agenda of the Recovery & Resilience Facility Committee - 04 April 2023
• President of the Eurogroup, Paschal Donohoe, travels to Greece on 3 and 4 April 2023
• ECB - The growing role of investment funds in euro area real estate markets: risks and policy considerations
• 30th anniversary of the Cohesion Fund: €179 billion for convergence and sustainable development - IP/23/2025

FUTURE OF EUROPE

• Agenda for: Meeting of the Coreper (Part.1 & Part.2) - 05 April 2023

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• Humanitarian action: EU introduces exemptions to sanctions to facilitate the delivery of assistance - See Council Regulation (EU) 2023/720 & Council Decision (CFSP) 2023/726
• Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/721 of 31 March 2023 implementing Regulation (EU) No 359/2011 concerning restrictive measures directed against certain persons, entities and bodies in view of the situation in Iran
• Council Decision (CFSP) 2023/727 of 31 March 2023 amending Decision 2011/235/CFSP concerning restrictive measures directed against certain persons and entities in view of the situation in Iran
• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/723 of 30 March 2023 amending Council Regulation (EC) No 1210/2003 concerning certain specific restrictions on economic and financial relations with Iraq
• Burundi: EU allocates €9 million to refugee crisis - IP/23/2075
• EU Ambassadors of the MENA region meet Secretary General of the League of Arab States for discussions on regional issues
• EU-Cambodia partnership brings multi-agency CBRN response exercise to enhance preparedness to respond to CBRN incidents and attacks in advance of the 2023 Southeast Asian Games and ASEAN Para Games
• Answer given by HR/ VP Borrell to a MEP written question - Updating of the Strategic Compass

RUSSIAN INVASION OF UKRAINE

• FAQs on sanctions against Russia and Belarus, with focus on the following provisions: Articles 2, 2a and 2b of Council Regulation (EU) No 833/2014. Correlation table included (Export-related restrictions for dual-use goods and advanced technologies)
• Consolidated version of the FAQs on sanctions against Russia and Belarus
• Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/722 of 31 March 2023 implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/427 amending Regulation (EU) No 833/2014 concerning restrictive measures in view of Russia’s actions destabilising the situation in Ukraine
• Council Decision (CFSP) 2023/728 of 31 March 2023 concerning restrictive measures in view of Russia’s actions destabilising the situation in Ukraine
• Speech by President von der Leyen on the occasion of the one-year anniversary of the liberation of Bucha, via video message
• Small and medium size cities of Ukraine are invited to renovate schools, hospitals and other public buildings
• Russian sanctions heighten oil spill concern - Financial Times