Europe Daily News, 25 April 2025

COMPETITION

• UniCredit has requested EU competition approval for its plan to take over national rival Banco BPM - See Case M.11830 & FS.100173
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11630 - COVH / CDC / Sogecap / Mont du Centre / PHOENIX Belgium)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11933 - PAI Partners / Motel One)
• Commission to assess the proposed acquisition of Downtown by UMG (M.11956) - Midday Express
• Commission publishes 2024 Report on competition policy - Midday Express

STATE AID

• Authorisation for State aid pursuant to Articles 107 and 108 of the TFEU - Cases where the Commission raises no objections – SA.108766, SA.118343 & SA.118272

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Minutes of the 266th meeting of the Customs Code Committee (CN sector) - 18 March 2025
• Customs programme Annual Progress Report on year 2024
• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) …/... of XXX concerning the classification of certain goods in the Combined Nomenclature (CN: 2106 90 98)
• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) …/... of XXX concerning the classification of certain goods in the Combined Nomenclature (CN: 9506 99 90)
• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) …/... of XXX concerning the classification of certain goods in the Combined Nomenclature (CN: 7616 99 90)
• Council Decision (EU) 2025/798 of 14 April 2025 on the signing, on behalf of the Union, of the Agreement on Digital Trade between the European Union and the Republic of Singapore
• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/796 of 24 April 2025 imposing a definitive countervailing duty on imports of mobile access equipment originating in the People’s Republic of China and amending Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/45 imposing a definitive anti-dumping duty on imports of mobile access equipment originating in the People’s Republic of China
• EU initiates "appeal arbitration" in intellectual property dispute, discloses panel report
• Answer by Mr Šefčovič to a MEP written question - EU-Mercosur trade agreement
• Answer by Mr Šefčovič to a MEP written question - Future trade agreement with Ukraine
• Answer by Mr Šefčovič to a MEP written question - Customs duties in the European Union
• Answer by Mr Šefčovič to a MEP written question - Anti-dumping measures for titanium dioxide imports
• Answer by Mr Šefčovič to a MEP written question - Termination of the EU-Algeria Association Agreement
• WTO - Panel established to review EU duties on battery electric vehicles from China
• Reeves says Britain’s trade ties with EU ‘even more important’ than US - Financial Times
• Trump talks tariff. The EU talks free trade with the rest of the world - Politico.eu

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

• President Costa to travel to Bulgaria to meet with PM Jeliazkov and visit key industrial and technological sites on 27-29 April 2025
• EU seeks input on future prospects for research and technological development - Midday Express
• MEPs push for a more ambitious European defence industry programme
• Answer given by Mr Séjourné to a MEP written question - Labelling rules for textiles
• UK must pay to join EU defence fund, says Brussels - Financial Times

CHEMICAL

• Minutes of the 45th Meeting of the DNA on the export and import of hazardous chemicals - 02 April 2025
• Answer given by Mr Séjourné to a MEP written question - Simplifying REACH

FINANCE

• Answer given by Ms Albuquerque to a MEP written question - EIB criticises green reporting rules under Taxonomy Regulation
• Answer given by Ms Albuquerque to a MEP written question - Impact of the first Omnibus package on the European Green Deal
• Answer given by Ms Albuquerque to a MEP written question - Impact of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the attendant administrative costs on Germany and the EU
• Answer given by Ms Albuquerque to a MEP written question - The transparency and impact of the preparatory process for the European Commission’s Omnibus Sustainability package on the EU’s sustainability goals and businesses
• ESMA assesses the risks posed by the use of leverage in the fund sector
• ESMA: TRV Article: Annual risk assessment of leveraged AIFs in the EU-2024
• ESMA: TRV Article: Risks in UCITS using the absolute Value-at-Risk approach

ENERGY

• Gas supply: MEPs advocate storage refill flexibility to bring down prices
• Answer given by Mr Jørgensen to a MEP written question - The Commission’s strategy to end energy imports from Russia
• Answer given by Mr Jørgensen to a MEP written question - Wholesale natural gas prices and increasing costs of storage refill

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• EU and Albania join forces to create a Green Generation: Launch of the “EU4GreenGen” Project
• Over €65 million in EU funds for new waste management facilities in Greece's Peloponnese region - Midday Express
• Answer given by Ms Roswall to a MEP written question - Security and functionality of the deforestation tracking database under Regulation (EU) 2023/1115

HEALTH, FOOD & PRODUCT SAFETY

EFSA

• Safety and efficacy of a feed additive consisting of xylanase (produced with Komagataella phaffii DSM 25376) and β‐glucanase (produced with Komagataella phaffii DSM 26469) (ENZY CARBOPLUS®) for all poultry (Kaesler Nutrition GmbH)
• Assessment of the feed additives betaine anhydrous (3a920) and betaine hydrochloride (3a925) for all animal species for the renewal of their authorisations (Orffa Additives B.V.)
• Revised safety evaluation of the food enzyme endo‐1,3(4)‐β‐glucanase from the non‐genetically modified Cellulosimicrobium funkei strain AE‐TN
• Assessment of the feed additive copper bilysinate for all animal species for the renewal of its authorisation (Senzyme GmbH)
• Peer review of the pesticide risk assessment of the active substance buprofezin

DIGITAL & INFORMATION SOCIETY

• Agenda for: Horizontal Working Party on Cyber Issues - 28 April 2025
• Commission publishes annual report on DMA implementation in 2024 - Midday Express
• Answer given by Executive Vice-President Virkkunen to a MEP written question - TikTok platform
• Answer given by Executive Vice-President Virkkunen to a MEP written question - Timeframes and the effectiveness of the Commission’s measures to monitor very large online platform (VLOP) commitments

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• Myanmar: EU restrictive measures renewed until 30 April 2026
• European Peace Facility: Council adopts two assistance measures in support of Moldovan Armed Forces
• EU-GCC: Second meeting of the EU-Gulf Cooperation Council Regional Security Dialogue
• International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace: Statement by the HR/VP Kaja Kallas
• First EU-Funded shelter serving as an underground school opens in Odesa Region
• Statement by President von der Leyen with UK Prime Minister Starmer