Europe Daily News, 28 September 2021

EU CORONAVIRUS RESPONSES

HEALTH

• Answer given by Ms Kyriakides to a MEP written question - Liability clauses for vaccines and vaccine hesitancy
• Answer given by Ms Kyriakides to a MEP written question - EU vaccine contract with Moderna
• EMA evaluating data on booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine Spikevax
• Data on the daily number of new reported COVID-19 cases and deaths by EU/EEA country - ECDC
• Data on COVID-19 vaccination in the EU/EEA - ECDC

STATE AID

• Commission approves modification of two Czech schemes supporting companies affected by coronavirus outbreak (SA.62442 and SA.62441) - Midday Express
  
• COVID-19 pandemic: ESA approves amendments to Norwegian compensation scheme for organisers of cancelled or downscaled cultural events 

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• The EU provides €36.4 million to tackle COVID-19 and support police reform in the Republic of Moldova - IP/21/4923

COMPETITION

• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.10247 - CVC/ Cooper)
• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.10375 - ArcelorMittal/Condesa Tubos)
• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.10379 - HDT Automotive Solutions/Veritas)
• Commission clears acquisition of Cesar, SDA and VDM by H.I.G. Capital (M.10392) - Midday Express
• Commission clears acquisition of joint control of Langdi Pharmaceutical by CPP Investments and FountainVest (M.10452) - Midday Express
• Commission clears acquisition of joint control of Litoral Gas and Energy Consulting Services by Tecpetrol and Oaktree (M.10397)  - Midday Express
• Austria - GCR Rating Enforcement 2021: AFCA again among top enforcers globally
• Belgium - MEDE-CC-21/0018 : Koninklijke A-ware Food Group B.V. / ‘De Target’ (Productiefaciliteiten voor melkpoeder en vloeibaar melkconcentraat van een fabriek in Aalter van FrieslandCampina Belgium NV)
• Cyprus - The Commission for the Protection of Competition has decided to launch a full investigation of the merger regarding the acquisition of part of the share capital of VLPG PLANT Ltd by YUGEN LIMITED and the merger of Hellenic Petroleum S.A Group activities’ related to the storage and management of LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) with the respective business divisions of Petrolina (Holdings) Public Ltd, Synergas Ltd and Intergaz Ltd, which have already been merged through VLPG PLANT Ltd
• Finland - The FCCA proposes that nearly EUR 1,9 million in penalty payments be imposed on six companies operating in Turku subregion public transport services and their joint venture for severe restrictions on competition
• Germany - Case report: Bundeskartellamt concludes proceedings against stainless steel companies and imposes fines totalling around 355 million euros (date of decisions: last 21 July 2021)
• Greece - Dawn Raids of the Hellenic Competition Commission in the sectors of refining, wholesale and retail trade of petrol (gasoline) and diesel
• UK - The CMA is investigating the completed acquisition by Admiral Taverns of pubs owned by Hawthorn Leisure Topco Limited (the Hampden Pub Estate)
• UK - The CMA has cleared the anticipated acquisition by Facebook, Inc. of Kustomer, Inc.
• BEUC intervenes to support European Commission in European Court Google Android hearing (See Case T-104/18)

STATE AID

• Commission approves 2022-2027 regional aid map for Poland (SA.64284) - IP/21/4885

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Agenda for: Trade Policy Committee (Deputy Members) of 01 October 2021
• Agenda for: The 16th annual meeting of Project Group Sampling SAMANCTA of 22-23 September 2021
• Agenda for: 225th Meeting - Customs Code Committee - Tariff & Statistical Nomenclature Section (Combined Nomenclature Sector) of 6 October 2021
• Minutes of the Economic Tariff Questions Group Quotas & Suspensions of  12-13 July 2021
• Minutes - Second EU-Japan Joint Dialogue with Civil Society un Chapter 16 (TSD) of the EU-Japan EPA
• Economic Partnerships : State of play - Regular update of the FTAs for the six ACP regions as of September 2021
• BEUC calls for transparency ahead of first EU-US Trade & Technology Council
• EU envoys create 11th-hour hitch for transatlantic tech alliance - Ambassadors fail to reach consensus on statement about what the objectives should be in Pittsburgh - Politico.eu

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

• Agenda for: Council of the European Union (Competitiveness (Internal Market, Industry, Research and Space)) of 28 & 29 September 2021 - see the "List of A Items" 
• Draft - Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) …/... of XXX supplementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2144 of the European Parliament and of the Council by laying down detailed rules concerning the specific test procedures and technical requirements for the type-approval of motor vehicles with regard to their event data recorder and for the type-approval of those systems as separate technical units and amending Annex II to that Regulation 
• Commission Recommendation of 6 May 2003 concerning the definition of micro, small and medium- sized enterprises (2003/361/EC) - Executive summary of the evaluation
• Council agrees on a global approach to research and innovation
• Commission seeks public opinion on short-term accommodation rentals - Feedback period: 27 September 2021 - 13 December 2021

FINANCIAL SERVICES

• DG FISMA - Consolidated list of financial sanctions, as of 27 September 2021

TAXATION

• Public country-by-country reporting: Council paves the way for greater corporate transparency for big multinationals (CBCR directive) 
  

AGRICULTURE & FISHERIES

• Fit for 55 (legislative initiatives for the implementation of the updated 2030 climate target): Contribution of Agriculture and Forestry - Exchange of views 

ENERGY

• Commission Recommendation on Energy Efficiency First: from principles to practice. Guidelines and examples for its implementation in decision-making in the energy sector and beyond
• Energy intensive industries: Commission kicks off consultations towards a more resilient, sustainable and digital ecosystem - see the scenarios

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• Agenda for: Working Party on International Environment Issues (UNECE and other regional issues) of 04 October 2021
• Agenda for: Standing Committee on Biocidal Products of 30 September 2021
• Agenda for: Meeting of the Committee established under Article 25 of Regulation(EC) No1005/2009 on substances that deplete the ozone layer of 05 October 2021
• Agenda for: 107th session of the Climate Change Committee of 29 September 2021
• Minutes of the 85th meeting of the Nitrates Committee and meeting of the Nitrates Expert Group of 15 September 2021

HEALTH, FOOD & PRODUCT SAFETY

• Minutes of Working Group Meeting on Nanomaterials in Cosmetic Products of 16 September 2021
• European Health Union: Towards a reform of EU's pharmaceutical legislation - IP/21/4882 - see the Public Consultation
• EFSA - Peer review of the pesticide risk assessment of the active substance benthiavalicarb (variant assessed benthiavalicarb‐isopropyl)
• Answer given by Ms Kyriakides to a MEP written question - New EFSA guidelines for the submission of applications for primary smoke flavouring products
• Draft - Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) …/... of XXX amending Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/625 as regards combined nomenclature and harmonised system codes, import conditions of certain composite products, amending Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/2122 as regards certain pet birds exempted from official controls at border control posts and amending Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/630 as regards requirements for composite products exempted from official controls at border control posts

CONSUMER PROTECTION

• Consumer Protection: Commission and national consumer protection authorities called upon Volkswagen to compensate European consumers
• Consumer protection: Commissioner Reynders announces the winners of the European Product Safety Awards 2021 - IP/21/4823

TRANSPORT & MOBILITY

• Agenda for: Road Transport Committee of 1 October 2021
• Agenda for: Working Party on Transport - Intermodal Questions and Networks of 1 October 2021

DATA PRIVACY & CYBERSECURITY

• Agenda for: Horizontal Working Party on cyber issues
• EDPB adopts opinion on draft South Korea Adequacy Decision
• Answer given by Mr Breton to a MEP written question - Protection against cyber-attacks

AREA OF FREDDOM, SECURITY & JUSTICE

• The 1965 Hague Convention on the Service Abroad of Judicial and Extrajudicial Documents in Civil or Commercial Matters: Line to take concerning the accession of Georgia – Approval
• Six steps to improve the quality of drug services and systems - EMCDDA launches new practical manual for decision-makers

ECB, EURO & ECONOMY

• NextGenerationEU: European Commission disburses €818 million in pre-financing to Croatia - IP/21/4913, QaA, FactSheet, Decision and Working Document
• NextGenerationEU: European Commission disburses €915 million in pre-financing to Czechia - IP/21/4912, QaA, FactSheet, Decision and Working Document
• NextGenerationEU: European Commission disburses €450 million in pre-financing to Austria - IP/21/4067, QaA, FactSheet, Decision and Working Document
• NextGenerationEU: European Commission endorses Romania's €29.2 billion recovery and resilience plan - IP/21/4876, QaA, FactSheet, Proposal & Annex, Working Document
• ECB - Monetary developments in the euro area: August 2021
• Introductory statement by Christine Lagarde, President of the ECB, at the Hearing of the EP Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs
• Introductory statement by Paschal Donohoe, President of the Eurogroup, at the Inter-parliamentary Conference on Stability, Economic Coordination and Governance in the EU

BREXIT

• Council adopts a €5 billion Brexit adjustment reserve

FUTURE OF EUROPE

• Agenda for: Meeting of the Coreper (Part.1 & Part.2) of 29 September & 01 October 2021
• List of meetings taking place between 1 and 31 October 2021

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• Republic of Moldova: Remarks by HR/VP Josep Borrell after the meeting with Prime Minister Gavrilita and Foreign Minister Popescu
• Saudi Arabia: First Human Rights Dialogue with the EU