Europe Daily News, 14 June 2023

COMPETITION

• Judgment of the General Court of 14 June 2023 in Case T-585/20, Polwax S.A. Vs. European Commission, supported by Polski Koncern Naftowy Orlen S.A.,
  Re: Competition - Concentrations - Upstream market for gatsch - Downstream market for paraffin waxes - Decision declaring the concentration compatible with the internal market and the EEA Agreement - Absence of a commitment relating to the supply of gatsch - Vertical effects - Foreclosure of the input market
• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11154 - Lubea / GEL / Esteve Healthcare)
• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.10984 - Messer / Toyota Tsusho Europe / JV)
• Commission authorises the acquisition of joint control of Vlaanderen Eén by Mediahuis, Liberty Global and NRJ Group (M.11088) - Midday Express
• Commission authorises the creation of a joint venture by Capgemini and Orange in the field of the sovereign cloud (M.10855) - Midday Express
• Commission clears acquisition of MRH Trowe by its founders and managers, TA and Anacap (M.11127) - Midday Express
• Commission authorises the creation of a joint venture by EDF, SEKG, Nebras and QuWatt (M.11107) - Midday Express
• Commission clears acquisition of Daiwa Resort by Goldman Sachs and Platinum Spring (M.11105) - Midday Express
• Commission clears creation of joint venture by Aware Super, APG, DV4 and Oxford (M.11030) - Midday Express
• Commission clears acquisition of LEONI AG by Mr Pierer (M.11131) - Midday Expressncil
• The European Commission appoints Ms Carlota Reyners Fontana as new Director for its department for Competition - Midday Express
• Remarks by EVP Vestager on the Statement of Objections sent to Google over practices in the online advertising technology industry
• Rapporteur René Repasi would like to see changes to legal bases of European competition policy - see the Report

STATE AID

• Judgment of the General Court of 14 June 2023 in Case T‑79/21, Ryanair DAC, Airport Marketing Services Ltd, Vs. European Commission supported by Council of the European Union
  Re: State aid - Agreements concluded with the airline Ryanair and its subsidiary Airport Marketing Services – Marketing services - Decision declaring the aid incompatible with the internal market and ordering its recovery - Advantage - ‘Real need’ test - Articles 41 and 47 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights - Right of access to the file - Right to be heard
  
• Commission approves €8 million Bulgarian scheme to support agricultural producers in the context of Russia's war against Ukraine (SA.107863) - Midday Express

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Minutes of the Market Access Advisory Committee - 16 February 2023
• Agenda for: Meeting of the Economic Tariff Questions Group - 11 July 2023
• Agenda for: Trade Policy Committee (Generalised System of Preferences (GSP)) - 16 June 2023
• Call for evidence - Screening of foreign direct investments (FDI) – evaluation and revision of the EU framework - Feedback period: 14 June 2023 - 12 July 2023
• Call for evidence - Trade in agricultural products – mechanisms not covered by regulations on tariff rate quotas or agricultural licences - Delegated regulation - Feedback period: 14 June 2023 - 12 July 2023
• Call for evidence - Trade in agricultural products – mechanisms not covered by tariff rate quota regulations - Implementing regulation - Feedback period: 14 June 2023 - 12 July 2023
• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/1159 imposing a definitive anti-dumping duty on imports of okoumé plywood originating in the People’s Republic of China following an expiry review pursuant to Article 11(2) of Regulation (EU) 2016/1036 of the European Parliament and of the Council
• EU moves forward with Critical Minerals Agreement negotiations with the US - IP/23/3214, see the Recommendation and Annex

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

• InvestEU: Three new agreements worth €88 million in total to support the green transition and SMEs in Italy - Midday Express

FINANCIAL SERVICES

• Sustainable Finance: Commission takes further steps to boost investment for a sustainable future - IP/23/3192, QaA , Remarks by EVP Dombrovskis and Commissioner McGuinness
  - Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the transparency and integrity of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) rating activities
• EBA issues Opinion in response to the European Commission’s proposed amendments to the draft technical standards on crowdfunding service providers
• EBA and EIOPA publish Data Point Modelling Standard 2.0 to foster collaboration and harmonisation in the field of supervisory reporting
• EBA published its final resolvability testing Guidelines

TAXATION

• The Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism starts applying in its transitional phase as of 1 October: Commission consults on reporting obligations - IP/23/3243

AGRICULTURE & FISHERIES

• Sustainable fisheries: progress on fish stocks recovery, but more efforts needed to build a resilient sector - IP/23/3283, QaA & Communication
• Call for evidence - EU-Guinea-Bissau fisheries agreement – negotiation mandate for a new protocol - Recommendation for a decision - Feedback period: 13 June 2023 - 11 July 2023
• Press statement by Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski following today's informal Agriculture Ministers Council

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• Agenda for: Meeting of the Commission expert group on climate change policy - 29 June 2023

DIGITAL & INFORMATION SOCIETY

• Eurobarometer: Europeans believe digital technologies will be crucial in their daily lives - see the Report

TRANSPORT & MOBILITY

• Agenda for: 38th Land Transport Security Meeting - 05 July 2023
• Speech by President von der Leyen at the Brussels Urban Summit 2023
• Call for evidence - Inland waterway transport – smart and flexible EU crewing rules - Proposal for a regulation - Feedback period: 13 June 2023 - 11 July 2023

AREA OF FREEDOM SECURITY & JUSTICE

• Schengen visa: Political agreement on digitalisation of visa application - IP/23/3220
• Electronic evidence: new rules to speed up cross-border criminal investigations - see the EP Statement
• Amended proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a common procedure for international protection in the Union and repealing Directive 2013/32/EU - General approach
• Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on a single application procedure for a single permit for third-country nationals to reside and work in the territory of a Member State and on a common set of rights for third-country workers legally residing in a Member State (recast) - General approach
• Call for evidence - Enhancing the European Administrative Space (ComPAct) - Communication - Feedback period: 14 June 2023 - 12 July 2023

ECB, EURO & ECONOMY

• Financial regulation: agreement on a mandate to start negotiations on EU budget rules
• Social economy: Commission proposes ways to harness its full potential for jobs, innovation and social inclusion - IP/23/3188, Recommendation & Remarks by EVP Dombrovskis

FUTURE OF EUROPE

• Minutes of the Council of the European Union - (General Affairs) - 30 May 2023
• Possible items for College agendas from 20 June to 12 September 2023
• President Christodoulides: “no border changes will stem from violence and war” - see the EP Statement

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• Agenda for: Meeting of the Foreign Relations Counsellors - 15 June 2023
• Keynote speech by President von der Leyen at the EU-Argentina Business Forum
• EU Statement – UNICEF Executive Board: Annual on UNICEF Humanitarian Action
• The Council appointed Giovanni Pietro Barbano as new Head of Mission for EULEX Kosovo
• Supporting Syria and the region: Post-Brussels Conference Financial Tracking - Report Fourteen (May 2023)
• Montenegro: Joint Statement by HR/VP Josep Borrell and Enlargement Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi on the elections

RUSSIAN INVASION OF UKRAINE

• Ukraine: EU mobilises emergency stockpiles and provides funding to support crisis response to Nova Kakhovka dam breach - Midday Express