Europe Daily News, 30 April 2025

COMPETITION

• Judgment of the General Court of 30 April 2025 in Case T‑263/23, Symrise AG, Vs. European Commission
  Re: Competition - Agreements, decisions and concerted practices - Administrative procedure - Decision ordering an inspection - Article 20(4) of Regulation (EC) No 1/2003 - Subject matter and purpose of the inspection - Obligation to state reasons - Sufficiently serious indicia - Protection of privacy
• Commission clears acquisition of Alpha Satellite TV by United Group and Motor Oil Hellas (M.11807) - Midday Express

STATE AID

• Judgment of the Court of 30 April 2025 in Case T-218/18 RENV, Deutsche Lufthansa AG Vs. European Commission, supported by Land Rheinland-Pfalz and by Federal Republic of Germany
  Re: Action for annulment - State aid - Aviation sector - Operating aid granted by Germany to Frankfurt-Hahn airport - Direct subsidy intended to cover the airport's expected operating losses over the period 2017-2021 - Decision not to raise objections - Action not intended to safeguard procedural rights - Inadmissibility’
• Authorisation for State aid pursuant to Articles 107 and 108 of the TFEU - Cases where the Commission raises no objections – SA.106799

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Judgment of the Court of 30 April 2025 in Case C-330/24; Celní jednatelství Zelinka s. r. o. Vs. Generální ředitelství cel
  Re: Reference for a preliminary ruling - Customs Union - Regulation (EU) No 952/2013 - Customs Code of the Union - Article 116(7) - Reinstatement of the customs debt - Concept of repayment granted ‘wrongly’ - Incorrect tariff classification
• Judgment of the Court of 30 April 2025 in Joined Cases C‑554/23 P and C‑568/23 P, Fertilizers Europe Vs. AO Nevinnomysskiy Azot, AO Novomoskovskaya Aktsionernaya Kompania NAK ‘Azot’, Novomoskovsk, European Commission, and European Commission Vs. AO Nevinnomysskiy Azot, AO Novomoskovskaya Aktsionernaya Kompania NAK ‘Azot’, Fertilizers Europe
  Re: Appeal - Dumping - Imports of ammonium nitrate originating in Russia - Definitive anti-dumping duties - Article 11(2) of Regulation (EU) 2016/1036 - Request for an expiry review of anti-dumping measures - Time limit laid down in that provision for making such a request - Sufficiency of the evidence - Information submitted after the expiry of that time limit
• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/826 of 29 April 2025 correcting Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/261 imposing a definitive anti-dumping duty on imports of biodiesel originating in the People’s Republic of China
• EFTA parliamentarians visit Malaysia to strengthen parliamentary ties after FTA negotiations conclude
• WTO, IFC launch joint publication on trade finance in Central America and Mexico
• Merz can’t count on Macron to save the EU’s Latin American trade deal - Politico.eu
• China to lift sanctions on EU lawmakers to unlock trade talks - Politico.eu

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

• Agenda for: Working Party on Competitiveness & Growth (Industry) - 05 May 2025
• Commission Decision (EU) 2025/840 of 25 March 2025 recognising certain critical raw material projects as Strategic Projects under Regulation (EU) 2024/1252 of the European Parliament and of the Council
• Call for evidence: Activation of EU rules on radio equipment for reconfigurable radio systems - Delegated regulation - Feedback period: 29 April 2025 - 27 May 2025
• Call for evidence: European strategy on research and technology infrastructures - Communication - Feedback period: 24 April 2025 - 22 May 2025
• For every euro invested Horizon Europe generates up to €11 in economic gains

FINANCE

• Judgment of the Court of 30 April 2025 in Case C-602/23, Finanzamt für Großbetriebe, in the presence of : Franklin Mutual Series Funds - Franklin Mutual European Fund
  Re: Reference for a preliminary ruling - Free movement of capital - Restrictions - Tax on capital income - Undertakings for collective investment in transferable securities (UCITS) - Legal personality - National legislation providing that UCITS do not have legal personality - Tax transparency of UCITS - Tax treatment of foreign undertakings comparable to UCITS but having legal personality - Comparability of a cross-border situation with a domestic situation
• ESMA issues supervisory guidelines to prevent market abuse under MiCA

ENERGY

• Who should be charged? Principles for fair allocation of electricity system costs - See Bruegel Policy Brief

DIGITAL, DATA PRIVACY & INFORMATION SOCIETY

• Agenda for: Working Party on Data Protection - 06 May 2025
• Special report 12/2025: The EU’s strategy for microchips – Reasonable progress in its implementation but the Chips Act is very unlikely to be sufficient to reach the overly ambitious Digital Decade target
• Commission launches a Call for Evidence in view of the assessment of the Recommendation on combatting online piracy of sports and other live events - open until 28 May 2025
• EU funding worth €13.5 million to support pan-European reporting - Midday Express

AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY & JUSTICE

• Commission kicks off EU Diversity Month with winners of the 2025 European Capitals of Inclusion and Diversity Award
• Malta’s ‘golden passport’ scheme breaks law, EU’s top court rules - Paid-for citizenship offer must be scrapped under European Court of Justice ruling - see Case C-181/23 - Financial Times

ECB, EURO & ECONOMY

• ECB study shows money market turnover rose from 2022 to 2024
• Eurozone economy grows faster than expected in rush to get ahead of Trump tariffs - Politico.eu

FUTURE OF EUROPE

• Speech by President von der Leyen at the 2025 EPP Congress
• Europeans celebrate 75 Years of unity and solidarity on Europe Day 2025

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• Judgment of the General Court of 30 April 2025 in Case T‑102/23, SBK Art OOO, Vs. Council of the European Union supported by Republic of Croatia, by Kingdom of the Netherlands and by European Commission,
  Re: CFSP - Restrictive measures taken in respect of actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine - Freezing of funds - List of persons, entities and bodies subject to the freezing of funds and economic resources - Inclusion and maintenance of the applicant’s name on the list - Concept of ‘association’ - Article 2(1), in fine, of Decision 2014/145/CFSP - Article 3(1), in fine, of Regulation (EU) No 269/2014 - Obligation to state reasons - Rights of the defence - Error of assessment - Proportionality - Plea of illegality
• Consolidated version of the FAQs on sanctions against Russia and Belarus as of 28 April 2025
• FAQs on sanctions against Russia and Belarus, with focus on the following provision: Article 5n of Council Regulation (EU) No 833/2014 - Provision of services

EU DEFENCE

• Commission mobilises €910 million to boost European defence and close capability gaps
• Europe can find strength in its solitude - Alone and betrayed by its most important ally, it is also larger than ever - Financial Times
• Tech groups pivot to defence in neutral Ireland as EU re-arms - Radar, AI and subsea surveillance are big growth areas for security technology with dual uses - Financial Times