Europe Daily News, 16 April 2024

COMPETITION

• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11323 - SKG / Westrock)
• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11476 - Nippon Steel/ United States Steel)
• Commission clears acquisition of Capri by Tapestry (M.11288) - Midday Express
• Commission clears acquisition of Resonetics by Carlyle and GTCR (M.11445) - Midday Express
• France - The Autorité publishes an opinion on inter-branch reserves in the wine sector
• Ireland - CCPC invites input to its State of Competition study
• UK - The CMA has accepted undertakings in lieu of reference for the anticipated acquisition by Hanson of Mick George
• UK - Secretary of State calls for Competition and Markets Authority to review competition in the home heating market
• UK - Informal guidance on environmental sustainability agreements
• EU set to fine Oreo-maker Mondelez for blocking cross-border sales - Probe finds snack maker tried to prevent products moving between countries so consumers could get lower prices - Financial Times

STATE AID

• Authorisation for State aid pursuant to Articles 107 and 108 of the TFEU - Cases where the Commission raises no objections – SA.113259; SA.109105; SA.109425; SA.109232; SA.112481;SA.109467 & SA.112482
• Answer given by EVP Vestager to a MEP written question - Status of State aid authorisation procedures for industrial and energy projects in eastern Germany
• Xi says China’s exports are helping ease global inflation - Chinese president warns German Chancellor Olaf Scholz against ‘rise of protectionism’ - Financial Times
• EU-China rift deepens as Vestager launches clean tech subsidy investigation - Euractiv.com

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Agenda for: Working Party on Trade Questions - 24 April 2024
• Agenda for: 655th meeting of the Export Credits Group - 26 April 2024
• EU-Central America: Council greenlights association agreement
• 6th Ministerial Meeting of the EU-US Trade and Technology Council - updated 15 April 2024
• EU requests consultations under Trade and Cooperation Agreement over UK's permanent closure of the sandeel fishery - IP/24/2050
• WTO - DG Okonjo-Iweala marks 30th anniversary of the Marrakesh Agreement

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

• Agenda for: Working Party on Competitiveness & Growth (Public Procurement & Industry) - 19 April 2024
• Statement from the Commission Chief Spokesperson following Markus Pieper's announcement renouncing the post of SME envoy
• Letta to call for US-IRA-style funding, pan-European state aid contribution scheme - Euractiv.com

RAW MATERIALS

• Commission seeks views on how to pool the demand for strategic raw materials - Midday Express
• Europe restarts magnesium mining to counter reliance on China - US-backed Verde to invest $1bn in disused Romanian mine and begin production in 2027 - Financial Times
• Aluminium and nickel prices jump after sanctions on Russian supply - UK and US measures ban delivery of new Russian-origin metals to LME and CME - Financial Times

FINANCE

• Answer given by Ms McGuinness to a MEP written question - Clarifying whether medicinal products are exempt from the requirements introduced by new EU trade sanctions
• EU leaders set to revive capital markets union plan in search for defence funding - Rearmament and green transition prompt rethink of long-stalled integration of Europe’s financial markets - Financial Times

ENERGY

• Commission supports European photovoltaic manufacturing sector with new European Solar Charter & Speech by Commissioner Simson
• The EU’s import dependency for the entire family of crude oil and petroleum products surged to a new record high of 97.7% in 2022
• Commission welcomes European Citizens' Panel recommendations on energy efficiency - IP/24/2402
• Registration is open for the 2024 European Sustainable Energy Week
• Germany: EIB supports TEAG’s power grid expansion in Thuringia
• Ukraine Support Task Force assists GasNet in delivering humanitarian aid to Ukraine
• Europe is not meeting its cross-border grid connection goals, watchdog warns - Euractiv.com

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• Agenda for: Working Party on International Environment Issues (Biosafety) - 22 April 2024
• EU announces €3.5 billion worth of commitments to protect the ocean and promote sustainability at Our Ocean Conference in Greece - IP/24/2409
• Stop EU companies from bankrolling nature destruction - Europe is complicit in the destruction of ecosystems and should regulate its funding of companies associated with deforestation - Politico.eu (see the Report by GreenPeace)

TRANSPORT & MOBILITY

• Public consultation - Driver cards – manual entries to record periods away from the vehicle - Implementing regulation - Feedback period: 15 April 2024 - 13 May 2024
• Public consultation - Road transport – training requirements for control officers involved in analysing data recorded and checking tachographs - Implementing regulation - Feedback period: 15 April 2024 - 13 May 2024
• Commission offers 35,500 DiscoverEU free travel passes to young people - IP/24/2085

DIGITAL & INFORMATION SOCIETY

• The US and Europe need a strategy for the geopolitical contest over AI - Rising middle powers will play a key role in the struggle for global technological supremacy - Financial Times

AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY & JUSTICE

• Directive (EU) 2024/1069 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 April 2024 on protecting persons who engage in public participation from manifestly unfounded claims or abusive court proceedings (‘Strategic lawsuits against public participation’)
• Commission publishes "Schengen report" setting "new priorities" for the year ahead - IP/24/1988
• EU justice chief Reynders defends EU supply chain law against German liberals’ rebuke - Euractiv.com

ECB, EURO & ECONOMY

• Eurogroup President Paschal Donohoe will represent the Eurogroup at the Spring Meetings of the IMF and World Bank Group in Washington, DC
• Commission receives Croatia's fifth payment request under the Recovery and Resilience Facility - Midday Express
• EIB approves €4.3 billion for innovation, business, climate action, transport and water across Europe
• Transactional demand for central bank digital currency - ECB Working Paper Series No.2926

FUTURE OF EUROPE

• Possible items for College agenda from 23 April to 03 July 2024
• New global trends report outlines challenges and opportunities for Europe's future - See the ESPAS Report

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• 7 October 2023 terrorist attacks in Israel: Council sanctions three entities over widespread sexual and gender-based violence - See Regulation (EU) 2024/1073 & Decision (CFSP) 2024/1074 (12 April 2024)
• Commission endorses Ukraine Plan, paving the way for regular payments under the Ukraine Facility - IP/24/1982, see the Decision, the Annex & Working Document
• EU commits €896 million in total humanitarian and development funding for Sudan - IP/24/1977
• Answer given by HR/VP Borrell to a MEP written question - CFSP cost sharing