Europe Daily News, 25 November 2021

EU CORONAVIRUS RESPONSES

HEALTH

• Answer given by Ms Kyriakides to a MEP written question - Ensuring continuity of vaccine supply
• Answer given by Ms Kyriakides to a MEP written question - Acceptance of Sputnik V for the purposes of the EU vaccination passport
• Answer given by Mr Reynders to a MEP written question - Non recognition of certain COVID 19 vaccines by the EU (the EMA) and the consequences for EU and non EU citizens
• ECDC - Data on country response measures to COVID-19
• ECDC statement: Risk of very high COVID-19 burden unless public health measures are applied urgently
• ECDC - Assessment of the current SARS-CoV-2 epidemiological situation in the EU/EEA, projections for the end-of-year festive season and strategies for response, 17th update

STATE AID

• COVID-19 pandemic: ESA approves prolongation and amendments to financial aid schemes for organisers of events in the sporting and voluntary sectors in Norway

TRAVEL

• Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2021/2056 of 24 November 2021 establishing the equivalence, for the purpose of facilitating the right of free movement within the Union, of COVID-19 certificates issued by the Republic of Togo to the certificates issued in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2021/953 of the European Parliament and of the Council
• Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2021/2057 of 24 November 2021 establishing the equivalence, for the purpose of facilitating the right of free movement within the Union, of COVID-19 certificates issued by the Republic of Singapore to the certificates issued in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2021/953 of the European Parliament and of the Council
• Coronavirus: Commission proposes to strengthen coordination of safe travel in the EU - IP/21/6186 & QaA, see the Proposal for a Council Recommendation
  - Factsheet on the new Commission proposal to ensure coordination on safe travel in the EU
  - Factsheet COVID-19: Travel and health measures in the EU

ECONOMY

• REACT-EU: more than €60 million to support health, SMEs and energy efficiency in three Polish regions - Midday Express
• Relaunching transport and tourism in the EU after COVID-19 - Tourism sector - Briefing & Study for EP TRAN Committee 

COMPETITION

• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.10474 - Neste / Ravago / JV)
• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.10436 - MOËT Hennessy  / Campari / Class a Tannico Shareholders  / Tannico)
• Commission clears acquisition of joint control of RAC Group by Silver Lake, CVC Capital Partners and Sphinx Investment (M.10492) - Midday Express
• Commission clears acquisition of Chipita by Mondelēz (M.10350) - Midday Express
• Commission opens in-depth investigation into the proposed acquisition of Recticel by Greiner (M.10319) - IP/21/6262
• Germany - Competition Register for Public Procurement – Bundeskartellamt publishes guidelines and practical guide on premature deletion of an entry due to self-cleaning

STATE AID

• Commission approves 2022-2027 regional aid map for Lithuania (SA.64485) - IP/21/6246
• Commission adopts revised State aid rules on Important Projects of Common European Interest - IP/21/6245 & Communication
• Commission approves €2.27 billion Greek aid scheme to support electricity production from renewable energy sources and high efficiency combined heat and power (SA.60064) - IP/21/6261
• Answer given by EVP Vestager to a MEP written question - Aid in connection with the relocation and expansion of Fangschleuse station in view of the Tesla electric-car manufacturer moving in to the district of Grünheide

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Agenda for the EP INTA Committee of 30November 2021
• Council Regulation (EU) 2021/2048 of 23 November 2021 temporarily suspending autonomous Common Customs Tariff duties on imports of certain industrial products into the Canary Islands
• Mission Report following the INTA mission to Washington D.C., United States, from 01 to 05 November 2021 - EP INTA Committee
• Answer given by EVP Dombrovskis to a MEP written question - Would ratification of the EU-China Comprehensive Agreement on Investment (CAI) facilitate access to public procurement for European companies? 
• WTO - The fourth review of the trade policies and practices of the Kingdom of Bahrain takes place on 24 and 26 November 2021
• WTO - Agriculture negotiations chair introduces revised text ahead of MC12 - see Briefing by DG Okonjo-Iweala
• All talks and no walk - America ain't back at WTO - Politico.eu

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

• EU law precludes national legislation under which a parallel import licence of a medicinal product is to expire automatically after one year from the expiry of the marketing authorisation for the reference medicinal product, without carrying out an examination whether there is any risk to the health and life of humans (See CPR Nº 209/2021 - Judgment of the Court of Justice in Case C-488/20, Delfarma)
• Minutes of the Committee on market surveillance and compliance of products of 17 November 2021
• Winners of the EU Prize for Women Innovators 2021 announced - IP/21/6225
• Dortmund is the European Capital of Innovation 2021 with Vantaa recognised Rising Innovator - IP/21/6224

FINANCIAL SERVICES

• Communication from the Commission: Capital Markets Union - Delivering one year after the Action Plan
• Report from he Commission on the functioning of the European long-term investment funds (ELTIF) framework
• Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 2014/65/EU on markets in financial instruments
• Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) No 600/2014 as regards enhancing market data transparency, removing obstacles to the emergence of a consolidated tape, optimising the trading obligations and prohibiting receiving payments for forwarding client orders
• Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a European single access point providing centralised access to publicly available information of relevance to financial services, capital markets and sustainability
• Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) 2015/760 as regards the scope of eligible assets and investments, the portfolio composition and diversification requirements, the borrowing of cash and other fund rules and as regards requirements pertaining to the authorisation, investment policies and operating conditions of European long-term investment funds
• Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending certain Directives as regards the establishment and functioning of the European single access point
• ESMA ED Natasha Cazenave Keynote Speech_EFAMA Investment Management Forum 2021
• EBA publishes final draft technical standards on how to calculate risk weighted exposure amounts for exposures towards collective investment undertakings

TAXATION

• Judgment of the Court of 25 November 2021 in Case C-437/19, Luxembourg State Vs. L
  Re: Reference for a preliminary ruling - Administrative cooperation in the field of taxation - Directive 2011/16/EU - Article 1(1), Article 5 and Article 20, (2) - Request for information - Decision ordering the provision of information - Refusal to comply with the order - Penalty - 'Presumably relevant' nature of the information requested - Lack of identification of the names and individuals of the taxpayers concerned - Concept of 'identity of the person who is the subject of the request of the person under audit or investigation' - Statement of reasons for the request for information - Scope - Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union - Article 47 - Right to an effective judicial remedy against the decision to issue an information injunction - Article 52, Article 52(1) - Limitation - Respect for the essential content of the right 
• Judgment of the Court of 25 November 2021 in Case C-334/20, Amper Metal Kft. v Nemzeti Adó- és Vámhivatal Fellebbviteli Igazgatósága
  Re: Reference for a preliminary ruling - Common system of VAT - Directive 2006/112/EC - Article 2 - Transaction subject to VAT - Meaning - Article 168(a) and Article 176 - Right to deduct input VAT - Refusal - Advertising services described by the tax authorities as excessively expensive and unnecessary - No turnover generated for the taxable person
• Directive (EU) 2021/… of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 November 2021 amending Directive 2013/34/EU as regards disclosure of income tax information by certain undertakings and branches 

ENERGY

• ACER: Position on incentivising smart investments to improve the efficient use of electricity transmission assets - November 2021
• The European Nuclear Safety Regulators Group >peer review of Belarus national action plan - see the ENSREG Press Release

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• Agenda for: Committee on the Drinking Water Directive (2020/2184) of 03 December 2021
• Minutes of the16th meeting of Industrial Emissions Directive Committee on 25 October 2021
• Cities are invited to join the Mission '100 Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities by 2030', FaQ and FacSheet - Midday Express
• LIFE Programme: More than €290 million in EU funding for nature, environment and climate action projects - IP/21/6178 & QaA
• COP26: MEPs debate the Glasgow Climate Pact
• Answer given by Ms Gabriel to a MEP written question - Challenge of recycling composite materials in renewable energy technologies 

HEALTH, FOOD & PRODUCT SAFETY

• Public consultation - Animal health – checks on establishments keeping live animals - Delegated regulation - Feedback period: 25 November 2021 - 23 December 2021
• EFSA - Safety assessment of the process deSter, used to recycle plastic catering tableware for use as food contact materials
• EFTA - ESA approves Norwegian emergency measures to control an outbreak of avian influenza
• EMA - A vision for use of real-world evidence in EU medicines regulation
• Health Union: medicines must be more accessible and affordable - see the EP Statement & Resolution

DIGITAL & INFORMATION SOCIETY

• Digital finance package: Council reaches agreement on MiCA and DORA
• Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on contestable and fair markets in the digital sector (Digital Markets Act) - General approach - Statement by the Austrian delegation
• Security and justice in the digital world: Commission proposals for ratification of new international instrument to improve cooperation on access to electronic evidence (see Com 2021-718 & Com 2021-719) - Midday Express
• Consumer Protection: Commission launches first Annual Digital Consumer Event - Midday Express
• Digital Europe: MEPs call for quick introduction of EU social security pass

TRANSPORT & MOBILITY

• Agenda for: Council of the European Union (TTE - Transport) of 9 December 2021
• Aviation Safety: Commission adopts new EU Air Safety List - IP/21/6268, QaA & Draft Regulation
• Commissioner Vălean in Moldova, to discuss cooperation on transport policy and infrastructure - Midday Express
• Answer given by Ms Vălean to a MEP written question - Regional passenger transport market being opened up to competition

AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY & JUSTICE

• Jurisdiction to hear a divorce application: the Court clarifies the meaning and scope of the concept of the « habitual residence » of a spouse (See CPR Nº 211/2021 - Judgment of the Court of Justice in Case C-289/20, IB (Résidence habituelle d’un époux - Divorce))
• Public Consultation - 2022 EU Justice Scoreboard - Communication - Feedback period: 24 November 2021 - 22 December 2021
• Draft - Commission Delegated Decision of 23 November 2021 on further defining security, illegal immigration or high epidemic risks
• European Democracy: Commission sets out new laws on political advertising, electoral rights and party funding - IP/21/6118, QaA, FactSheet, see the Report, Communication, Proposal for Regulation, Proposal for a Directive, Summary of the Impact Assessment
• Slovenia: MEPs discuss threats to media freedom and democracy

DATA PRIVACY

• ‘Inbox advertising’: the display in the electronic inbox of advertising messages in a form similar to that of a real email constitutes use of electronic mail for the purposes of direct marketing within the meaning of Directive 2002/58 (See CPR Nº 210/2021 - Judgment of the Court of Justice in Case C-102/20, StWL Städtische Werke Lauf a.d. Pegnitz) 
• Agenda for: 16th meeting of the Committee established under Article 93 of the GDPR of 26 November 2021
• EDPB adopts letters to UN & ENISA
• ENISA and ERA, the EU Agency for Railways, have joined forces to organise a virtual webinar today on cybersecurity for the railway sector - See the Report

ECB, EURO & ECONOMY

• Nowcasting euro area GDP with news sentiment: a tale of two crises - ECB Working Paper Series No.2616
• Bank leverage constraints and bond market illiquidity during the COVID-19 crisis - ECB Research Bulletin No.89
• To be or not to be “green”: how can monetary policy react to climate change? - ECB Occasional Paper Series No.285
• Speech by ECB's Isabel Schnabel: Inflation im Euroraum: Ursachen und Ausblick
• Speech by Frank Elderson, Member of the Executive Board of the ECB and Vice-Chair of the Supervisory Board of the ECB - Legal Conference 2021
• ECB - Survey on the Access to Finance of Enterprises: availability of finance improved amid increase in turnover - April to September 2021 - see ECB Statement

FUTURE OF EUROPE

• Possible items for College agendas from 1 December to 22 December 2021

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• Agenda for: Working Party on Enlargement and Countries negotiating accession to the EU of 26 November 2021
• Remarks by President Charles Michel at the opening session of the 13th Asia-Europe Meeting
• Opening speech by President von der Leyen at the 13th ASEM Summit via videoconference
• Vice-President Schinas in Uzbekistan today to hold meetings with government representatives  - Midday Express
• Answer given by HR/VP Borrell to a MEP written question - Measures to expedite the creation of a single European army and defence system