COMPETITION

  • Request for a preliminary ruling from the Rechtbank Amsterdam (Netherlands) lodged on 24 April 2023 - Booking.com BV, Booking.com (Deutschland) GmbH Vs. 25hours Hotel Company Berlin GmbH and Others (Case C-264/23, Booking.com and Booking.com (Germany))
    Re: Wide and narrow parity clauses constitute an ancillary restriction in the context of Article 101(1) TFEU; Regulation (EU) No 330/2010; online travel agency platform
  • Initiation of proceedings (Case M.11033 - Adobe / Figma)
  • Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11200 - MSI / Valoriza)
  • Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11180 - Prada / Zegna / Fedeli)
  • Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11139 - Emerson / NI)
  • Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11047 - Eurazeo / BCI / PCP / BMS)
  • Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11187 - Mitsui / Celanese / Nutrinova JV)
  • Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11207 - Renre / Validus RE / Alphacat / Talbot)
  • Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11249 - TotalEnergies / RNS Holding / RNS Enerji)
  • Summary of Commission Decision of 15 May 2023 declaring a concentration compatible with the internal market and the functioning of the EEA Agreement (Case M.10646 - Microsoft / Activision Blizzard)
    - Opinion of the Advisory Committee on mergers at its meeting on 3 May 2023
    - Final Report of the Hearing Officer
  • Commission clears acquisition of HCS Group by ICI 3 (M.11195) - Midday Express
  • Commission clears acquisition of Arconic by Apollo Management (M.11171) - Midday Express
  • Belgium - The Competition Authority approves the merger of BMW / MINI dealer groups Jorssen, Beliën and Sneyers
  • Germany - Bundeskartellamt publishes 2022/23 report on the market power situation in electricity generation – a few companies have consolidated their market power – electricity imports increasingly significant - 09.08.2023
  • Poland - UOKiK has initiated preliminary proceedings regarding possible price fixing for bathroom furnishings
  • UK - The CMA provisionally clears NHS healthcare tech deal
  • UK - The CMA has published a notice of a penalty imposed on Copart, Inc., CPRT LLP and Copart UK Limited
  • UK - Publication of the minutes of the CMA board meetings on 13 June and 22 June 2023

STATE AID

  • Authorisation for State aid pursuant to Articles 107 and 108 of the TFEU - Cases where the Commission raises no objections
  • Commission approves amendment to Spanish scheme, including a €340 million annual budget increase, to support films and other audiovisual works (SA.105988) - Midday Express
  • Commission approves €6.5 billion German scheme to address carbon leakage risk for energy-intensive companies resulting from national fuel emission trading system (SA.63191) - IP/23/4105

TRADE & CUSTOMS

  • Notice of initiation of an anti-dumping proceeding concerning imports of certain alkyl phosphate esters, originating in the People’s Republic of China (CN codes 2919 90 00 and 3824 99 92)
  • Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/1631 of 11 August 2023 initiating an investigation concerning possible circumvention of the countervailing measures imposed by Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/433 on imports of stainless steel cold-rolled flat products originating in Indonesia, by imports of stainless steel cold-rolled flat products consigned from Taiwan, Türkiye and Vietnam, whether declared as originating in Taiwan, Türkiye and Vietnam or not, and making imports of stainless steel cold-rolled flat products consigned from Taiwan, Türkiye and Vietnam subject to registration
  • Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/1632 of 11 August 2023 initiating an investigation concerning possible circumvention of the anti-dumping measures imposed by Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/2012 on imports of stainless steel cold-rolled flat products originating in Indonesia, by imports of stainless steel cold-rolled flat products consigned from Taiwan, Türkiye and Vietnam, whether declared as originating in Taiwan, Türkiye and Vietnam or not, and making imports of stainless steel cold-rolled flat products consigned from Taiwan, Türkiye and Vietnam subject to registration
  • Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/1629 of 9 August 2023 amending Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/761 as regards the quantities that may be imported under certain tariff quotas in the sectors of sugar and of poultry following the agreement between the European Union and the Federative Republic of Brazil
  • Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/1617 of 8 August 2023 amending Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/2011 imposing a definitive anti-dumping duty on imports of optical fibre cables originating in the People’s Republic of China (published on 09.08.2023)
  • Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/1618 of 8 August 2023 imposing a definitive anti-dumping duty on imports of tungsten carbide, fused tungsten carbide and tungsten carbide simply mixed with metallic powder 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 (published on 09.08.2023)
  • Minutes of the Meeting of the advisory committee on responsible sourcing of tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold (3TG Advisory Committee) - 05 July 2023
  • Answer given by Mr Wojciechowski to a MEP written question - Protection of GI ‘Prosecco’ in EU-Australia trade agreement

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

CHEMICAL

  • Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/1608 of 30 May 2023 amending Annex I to Regulation (EU) 2019/1021 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the listing of perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), its salts and PFHxS-related compounds

FINANCIAL SERVICES

  • Agenda for: Att. Financial Services (Financial Services) (Insurance) - 08 September 2023

EMPLOYMENT & SOCIAL POLICY

ENERGY

  • Answer given by Ms Simson to a MEP written question - Use of national decarbonised energy mix to meet binding targets of Renewable Energy Directive
  • Answer given by Ms Simson to a MEP written question - Generator sets and power cuts in the outermost regions and overseas countries and territories
  • Answer given by Ms Simson to a MEP written question - The need for the EU to become energy self-sufficient
  • Answer given by Ms Simson to a MEP written question - Generator sets and the energy crisis

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

HEALTH, FOOD & PRODUCT SAFETY

  • Action brought on 26 May 2023 - British American Tobacco Polska Trading Vs. Commission (Case T-311/23)
    Re: requests for access to documents in request EASE 2022/6296, substantial change of circumstances for heated tobacco products, Directive 2014/40/EU, Article 296 TFEU
  • Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/1627 of 10 August 2023 amending Annex I to Regulation (EU) No 10/2011 as regards the authorisation of the substance bis(2-ethylhexyl)cyclohexane-1,4-dicarboxylate (FCM No 1079)
  • EFSA: Reasoned Opinion - Modification of the existing MRLs for azoxystrobin in hops
  • EFSA: Reasoned Opinion - Evaluation of confirmatory data following the Article 12 MRL review for fenbuconazole
  • EFSA: Reasoned Opinion - Modification of the existing MRLs for prothioconazole in sugar beet and chicory roots
  • EFSA: Reasoned Opinion - Modification of the existing MRLs or for flonicamid in kales, Chinese cabbages and kohlrabies
  • EFSA: Scientific Opinion - Safety evaluation of the food enzyme triacylglycerol lipase from the non‐genetically modified Rhizopus arrhizus strain AE‐TL(B)
  • EFSA: Scientific Opinion - Safety and efficacy of the feed additive consisting of protease produced by Bacillus licheniformis DSM 33099 (ProAct 360) for use in poultry species for fattening or reared for laying/breeding (DSM Nutritional Products Ltd)
  • EFSA: Scientific Opinion - Safety assessment of the process CPE based on the VACUNITE (EREMA basic and Polymetrix SSP V‐leaN) technology, used to recycle post‐consumer PET into food contact materials 

FUTURE OF EUROPE

  • Europe’s largest political party veers right ahead of 2024 election - EPP is battling to cling to seats in parliament after dominating EU politics for the past 25 years - Financial Times
  • No, there isn’t a ‘democratic deficit’ in the EU - A busy timetable of polls at national and European level will show that voters’ choices matter - Financial Times

EXTERNAL RELATIONS 

  • Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the EU on the alignment of certain countries with Council Decision (CFSP) 2023/1500 concerning restrictive measures against serious human rights violations and abuses
  • Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the EU on the alignment of certain countries with Council Decision (CFSP) 2023/1504 concerning restrictive measures against serious human rights violations and abuses
  • Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the EU on the alignment of certain countries with Council Decision (CFSP) 2023/1502 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Myanmar/Burma

RUSSIAN INVASION OF UKRAINE

  • Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the EU on the alignment of certain countries with Council Decision (CFSP) 2023/1532 concerning restrictive measures in view of Iran’s military support to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine
  • Answer given by HRVP Borrell to a MEP written question - Relations with Cuba in the light of the Russian war of aggression