Europe Daily News, 22 January 2026

COMPETITION

• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.12206 - TIL / Steas / Socar Terminal)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.12205 - Umicore / HSAM / EMM)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.12137 - Aurelius / Fiamm Energy Technology)
• Belgium - The Competition Authority grants conditional approval to the acquisition of Cofinimmo by Aedifica
• Norway - The Competition Authority extends period of disclosure requirements for specific market players in several markets
• Switzerland - Ticketcorner, Zurich arena get Swiss fine for illegal cooperation agreement by COMCO
• UK - The CMA has provisionally cleared the completed acquisition by Constellation Developments Limited of ABVR Holdings Limited

STATE AID

• EFTA Surveillance Authority - State aid – Decision to raise no objections
• Action brought on 24 November 2025 by Masserud Utvikling AS against the EFTA Surveillance Authority (Case E-27/25)
  Re: Annulment of EFTA Surveillance Authority’s Decision of 11 June 2025 No 090/25/COL in part, in relation to Article 2, and subsequently 3, 4 and 5
• EFTA Surveillance Authority Decision No 173/25/COL of 15 October 2025 amending the substantive rules in the field of State aid by extending the period of application provided for in the Guidelines on State aid for rescuing and restructuring non-financial undertakings in difficulty

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Opinion of Advocate General Martin y Pérez De Nanclares of 21 January 2026 in Case T-150/25, Zollamt Österreich, interested party: G GmbH
  Re: Reference for a preliminary ruling - Customs Union - Union Customs Code - Article 33 of Regulation (EU) No 952/2013 - Decision relating to binding tariff information - Article 34(3) to (6) of Regulation No 952/2013 - Cessation of validity, annulment and revocation of decisions relating to binding tariff information - Article 44(4) of Regulation No 952/2013 - Appeal against a decision relating to binding tariff information - Amendment - Retroactive effect of a judicial decision
  
• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/130 of 21 January 2026 making imports of new pneumatic tyres, of rubber, of a kind used on motor cars, buses or lorries with a load index not exceeding 121 originating in the People’s Republic of China subject to registration
• EU must respond decisively to any form of coercion against EU member states - See the EP Statement
• Answer given by Mr Hansen to a MEP written question - EU-India Free Trade Agreement: sugar sector in deep water
• ACEA supports concluding EU-India FTA negotiations but the final deal needs to provide deep and meaningful access to automotive markets

EU/UK RELATIONS

• Agenda for: Working Party on the United Kingdom (attaché) - 23 January 2026
• UK would be ‘crazy’ not to consider new EU customs union, says minister - Lib Dem MP claims business secretary Peter Kyle is contradicting himself in comments made earlier this week - Financial Times

EU/MERCOSUR

• EU-Mercosur: MEPs demand a legal opinion on its conformity with the EU treaties - Financial Times
• EU-Mercosur – BusinessEurope shocked by the collective lack of responsibility
• Statement by Copa-Cogeca - MEPs pivotal vote validates EU farming community’s rightful concerns and mobilisation
• Germany calls to ram through Mercosur deal as EU Parliament throws up roadblock - Major clash looms after European lawmakers send Latin American trade deal for a judicial review that could take two years - Politico.eu

EU/WTO

• The WTO needs an overhaul - We must question whether the ‘most favoured nation’ principle remains fit for purpose - Financial Times
• EU seeks to reform WTO ‘most favoured nation’ trade rules - Dramatic shift from Brussels, which had long defended the principle that members must treat one another equally - Financial Times

CBAM

• Austria calls for immediate suspension of Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism for fertilisers

INTRNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

• Carmakers spurn Brussels’ ‘made in Europe’ bid - Companies divided on proposals that lay out minimum thresholds for locally produced parts and supplies - Financial Times

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• Agenda for: Working Party on the Environment - 26 and 27 January 2026

HEALTH, FOOD & PRODUCT SAFETY

EFSA

• Guidance document on the submission of data for the evaluation of the safety and efficacy of substances for the removal of microbial surface contamination of foods of animal origin intended for human consumption
• Guidance on the scientific data requirements for an application for authorisation of a food additive submitted under Regulation (EC) No 1331/2008
• Pest survey card on Ips amitinus, I. cembrae, I. duplicatus and I. sexdentatus; on Dendroctonus micans & on Gilpinia hercyniae

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• MEPs approve “enhanced cooperation” for €90 billion EU support loan to Ukraine
• Answer given by HR/VP Kallas to a MEP written question - Continuation of EU sanctions against Belarus
• Answer given by HR/VP Kallas to a MEP written question - Compliance of transnational oil companies and ENI S.p.A. with human rights and environmental legislation in relation to supplies to Israel
• Trump’s Greenland pivot leaves Europe flummoxed - EU leaders to meet as US president drops tariffs and military threat to take Arctic island from Denmark - Financial Times