Europe Daily News, 13 June 2023

COMPETITION

• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11142 - Brookfield / Triton)
• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11141 - Wendel / Topscale)
• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11113 - Sadco / DPDHL / JV)
• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11146 - Silver Lake / Software AG)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11057 - Dekabank  / SC / LBBW / Swiat JV)
• Belgium - Notification MEDE-CC-23/0005: Partena Business Solutions NV / Easypay Groep
• German Initiative on Sustainable Cocoa – Bundeskartellamt sees no reason for detailed examination
• Romania - The Competition Council has authorised the acquisition of certain assets of Silnef by Silcotub
• Romania - The Competition Council examines the acquisition of HS Timber productions Sebes and certain assets of HS Timber production Reci by Ziegler Holzindustrie
• UK CMA - Open letter to Asda and Sainsbury’s about land agreements restricting competition
  
• UK CMA - Anticipated acquisition by Hitachi Rail, Ltd of Thales SA’s Ground - Transportation Systems Business - Provisional findings report & Appendices and Glossary - 8 June 2023

STATE AID

• Commission notice on current State aid recovery interest rates and reference/discount rates applicable as from 1 July 2023

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Agenda for: 27th Meeting - Customs 2027 Programme (CPG/023) - Prohibitions & Restrictions Experts Group - 15 June 2023
• Aligning European export credit agencies with EU policy goals - See the Study for the EP INTA Committee
• EFTA and Singapore hold 4th round of negotiations towards a Digital Economy Agreement
• WTO - Nigeria formally accepts the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies
• WTO - Speech by DDG Paugam: Cooperation and agricultural reform are needed to tackle food security crisis
• EUROFER welcomes OLAF and EPPO joint efforts in uncovering fraud on the steel market
• Brazil fears environmental sanctions from EU-Mercosur trade deal - Euractiv.com
• Brussels refutes Indonesia’s claims on EU anti-deforestation law - Euractiv.com

INTERNAL MARKET, INDUSTRY & RESEARCH

• Speech by President von der Leyen at the National Industry Confederation

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-tert-OPnEO’) & 4-Nonylphenol, branched and linear, ethoxylated (4-NPnEO))
• ECHA - Highlights from June BPC meeting - 13 June 2023 (see the Annex)
• REACH - List of Amendments to Annex XVII - Restrictions - Created by GROW.F.1 - Last update: 12 June 2023

FINANCIAL SERVICES

• Agenda for: Working Party on Att. & Exp. Financial Services and Banking Union (Retail Investment Package) - 05 July 2023
• Agenda for: 50th meeting of the Expert Group of the European Securities Committee - 22 June 2023
• Answer given by Ms McGuinness to a MEP written question - Composition of the Platform on Sustainable Finance
• EBA issues revised list of ITS validation rules
• EBA Annual Report highlights key achievements in 2022
• EBA updates list of other systemically important institutions
• AFME is pleased to circulate its Q1 2023 Securitisation report

TAXATION

• Public consultation - The reporting obligations during the transitional period of the carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM) - Feedback period: 13 June 2023 - 11 July 2023

EMPLOYMENT & SOCIAL POLICY

• EU Council adopts its mandate on occupational exposure to lead and diisocyanates - see the General Affairs
• Digital platform workers, EU countries ready to enter into delicate negotiations with European Parliament - See the Mandate & the Joint Statement by Member States and by France & Lithuania 
• EU deal paves way for gig economy workers to receive greater protection - Member states agree to rules that could give employment benefits to Uber drivers and food delivery riders - Financial Times

ENERGY

• Spain: Iberdrola signs €1 billion loan with EIB to accelerate energy transition in Europe
• Answer given by Ms Simson to a MEP written question - Contributions received by the Commission to the public consultation on the EU electricity market
• Advancing Azerbaijan's Heating Sector: EU supports push towards affordable and efficient heat supply - see CEER Statement

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• Agenda for: Working Party on the Environment - 15 & 16 June 2023
• Agenda for: EP ENVI Committee - 15 June 2023
• Council (Environment) meeting on 20 June 2023
  - Implementation of the European Hydrogen Bank Auctions as a service for Member States - Concept Note - Information from the Commission
  - Lower VAT rate for recyclates / recycled products - a possible economic tool to promote the circular economy - Information from the Czech delegation
• New EU regulatory framework for batteries: Setting sustainability requirements - see the EP Briefing
• The benefits to biodiversity of a strong circular economy - See EEA Briefing
• Poland to challenge EU climate laws before top court - Politico.eu

HEALTH, FOOD & PRODUCT SAFETY

• Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the sustainable use of plant protection products and amending Regulation (EU) 2021/2115 -  Exchange of views
• European Health Union: EU steps up the fight against antimicrobial resistance - IP/23/3187, QaA, Factsheet & Recommendation
• Minutes of: 50th meeting of the Independent Advisory Panel on characterising flavours in tobacco products - 24 April 2023
• Updated rolling plan - Implementation of the Regulation on health technology assessment (June 2023)
• MEPs draw lessons from COVID-19 crisis - see the Draft Report & Amendments
• Answer given by Ms Kyriakides to a MEP written question - Proposal for a regulation on the sustainable use of plant protection products
• SCCS - Final Opinion on Salicylic acid
• SCCS - Preliminary Opinion open for comments on Methylparaben (deadline: 21 August 2023)
• SCCS - Preliminary Opinion open for comments on Benzyl salicylate (deadline: 24 August 2023)
• SCCS - Request for a scientific Opinion on the safety of aluminium in cosmetic products - Submission IV
• SCCS - Request for a scientific Opinion on the inhalation toxicity of the fragrance ingredient Acetylated Vetiver Oil – AVO in sprayable cosmetic products - Submission IV
• EFSA - Reasoned Opinion - Setting of import tolerances for sulfoxaflor in various crops

DIGITAL & INFORMATION SOCIETY

• Agenda for: Working Party on Telecommunication & Information Society - 19 June 2023
• Answer given by Mr Breton to a MEP written question - Compatibility with press freedom and freedom of information of the ideologically motivated boycott of Twitter and CNEWS by advertising stakeholders

DATA PRIVACY CYBERSECURITY

• The ENISA organised a workshop to support the area of Trust Services and Digital Wallets and published a report on moving trust services to the cloud
• EDPB Newsletter No.102 - 09 June 2023 

AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY & JUSTICE

• Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the definition of criminal offences and penalties for the violation of Union restrictive measures - General approach
• Electronic evidence: new rules to speed up cross-border criminal investigations - see the EP Statement
• Answer given by Vice-President Jourová to a MEP written question - Answer to a written question - Journalists systematically targeted by SLAPP lawsuits in Greece
• EUR 79 million worth of counterfeit toys seized in Europol-coordinated operation
• Poland to build coalition against EU migration pact

FUTURE OF EUROPE

• Agenda for: Meeting of the Coreper (Part.1 & Part.2) - 14 June 2023
• European Parliament - Agenda for the sittings of 12 - 15 June 2023
• European Parliament adopts its calendar for 2024

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/1147 of 12 June 2023 implementing Article 12 of Regulation (EU) No 356/2010 imposing certain specific restrictive measures directed against certain natural or legal persons, entities or bodies, in view of the situation in Somalia - see the Notice
• Council Implementing Decision (CFSP) 2023/1148 of 12 June 2023 implementing Decision 2010/231/CFSP concerning restrictive measures against Somalia - see the Notice
• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/1139 of 8 June 2023 amending for the 336th time Council Regulation (EC) No 881/2002 imposing certain specific restrictive measures directed against certain persons and entities associated with the ISIL (Da'esh) and Al-Qaida organisations
• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/1140 of 9 June 2023 amending for the 337th time Council Regulation (EC) No 881/2002 imposing certain specific restrictive measures directed against certain persons and entities associated with the ISIL (Da'esh) and Al-Qaida organisations
• Statement by President von der Leyen at the joint press conference with Brazilian President Lula da Silva
• Answer given by HR/VP Borrell to a MEP written question - The EU’s role in defending the status quo in the Taiwan Strait: diplomacy in the face of escalating tensions in the region and upholding the EU’s ‘One China’ policy
• Answer given by HR/VP Borrell to a MEP written question - Independent judgment and objective assessment: the EU should demand respect for the State of Israel
• It’s time for more majority decision-making in EU foreign policy - We are not advocating for treaty changes, nor do we envision drawn out academic debate. What we propose is a pragmatic approach focusing only on questions of foreign and security policy - Politico.eu

RUSSIAN INVASION OF UKRAINE

• Answer given by HR/VP Borrell to a MEP written question - Compensation to the Slovak Republic from the European Peace Facility (EPF) in connection with the donation of MiG-29 fighters and the KUB air defence system to Ukraine
• New EU contribution for EIB's Ukraine support package to enable new lending of €100 million - IP/23/3003

UK/EU RELATIONS (BREXIT)

• Barriers to post-Brexit trade likely to ‘deepen’ further, warns EU - Maroš Šefčovič concedes regulatory divergence may bring ‘more costs’ for business despite resolution to NI impasse - Financial Times