Europe Daily News, 13 June 2025

COMPETITION

• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.12025 - Mitsui / Mol / The Port of Nigs Business)
• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11971 - Equitix / Baltic Cable / Greenlink)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11625 - EPCG / IDS)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11982 - Hellman & Friedman / CVC / Mehiläinen)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11807 - United Group / Motor Oil (Hellas) / Alpha Satellite TV)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11951 - Van Mossel Automotive International / Löhr & Becker)
• Commission clears creation of joint venture by VERBUND and Stadtwerke Münster (M.11825) - Midday Express
• Czech Republic - Euromedia and Pemic concentration approval subject to commitments, acquirer is obliged to divest the wholesale distribution of Printed Books
  
• Germany - The Bundeskartellamt has cleared plans by Infineon Technologies AG to acquire the automotive Ethernet business of the US company Marvell Technology

STATE AID

• Communication from the Commission – Code of Best Practices for the conduct of State aid control procedures
• Authorisation for State aid pursuant to Articles 107 and 108 of the TFEU - Cases where the Commission raises no objections - SA.117019
• Brussels split over state aid for clean tech production - Financial Times

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Notification by the European Union made in accordance with the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, of the one part, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, of the other part
• Notice of initiation of an expiry review of the anti-subsidy measures applicable to imports of certain woven and/or stitched glass fibre fabrics originating in the People’s Republic of China and Egypt (CN codes ex 7019 61 00, ex 7019 62 10, ex 7019 62 90, ex 7019 63 00, ex 7019 64 00, ex 7019 65 00, ex 7019 66 00, ex 7019 69 10, ex 7019 69 90 and ex 7019 90 00)
• Proposal for a Council Decision on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union within the Association Council established by the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an association between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Kingdom of Morocco, of the other part, as regards the amendment of Protocol 4 to that Agreement concerning the definition of the concept of ‘originating products’ and methods of administrative cooperation
• Answer given by Mr Šefčovič to a MEP written question - Trade agreements and respect of social and environmental standards
  
• Answer given by Mr Šefčovič to a MEP written question - Israeli settlement products: alignment of EU policies with UN resolution
• EFTA and Jordan modernise rules of origin in free trade agreement
• WTO - Panama formally accepts WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies
• WTO - Participants in IFD Agreement step up outreach and needs assessments for developing members
• WTO - Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade - Notification - European Union - Biocidal products - Epsilon-metofluthrin
• Brussels cooks up side deal to melt Macron’s resistance to Mercosur - A last-minute push is on to add an ‘annex’ to the trade pact with South America to reassure France — and its farmers - Politico.eu

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

• Agenda for: Meeting of the Antici Group (Simplification) - 16 June 2025
• Agenda for: Working Party on Technical Harmonisation - 24 June 2025
• Agenda for: Technical Committee - Motor Vehicles - 17 June 2025
• “Buy European” criteria in public procurement should include all 30 EEA States

CHEMICAL

• Agenda for: Meeting of the REACH Committee - 26 June 2025
• Council and Parliament agree on simplified and more efficient handling of chemical assessment data
• Answer given by Executive Vice-President Séjourné to a MEP written question - Proposed ban on lead in ammunition

FINANCE

• The EBA issues revised list of validation rules on supervisory reporting
• ESMA publishes Principles for third-party risk supervision
• ESMA - Summary of Conclusions Management Board - May 2025
• ESMA - Final Report on the Technical advice concerning civil prospectus liability
• ESMA - Final Report on the Technical advice concerning the Prospectus Regulation and the RTS updating the CDR on metadata

ENERGY

• Agenda for: Working Party on Energy - 18 June 2025
• Agenda for: Meeting of the Electricity cross-border committee - 17 June 2025
• Minutes of the Meeting of the Electricity cross-border committee - 19 May 2025
• Commission assesses nuclear investment needs by 2050 in view of decarbonisation and competitiveness goals - See the Q&A, the Communication and Working Document
  The European Commission helps boosting Egypt's green transition - Midday Express
• Cooperation on gas, clean energy transition focus of EU-Azerbaijan Energy Dialogue in Brussels - Midday Express
• Answer given by Mr Jørgensen to a MEP written question - Price of energy in Europe
• Answer given by Mr Jørgensen to a MEP written question - Regulated tariffs for the sale of electricity: a force for stability and social justice in Europe
• ACER issues a guide on benchmarking cybersecurity investments in the EU electricity sector

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• Agenda for: Working Party on the Environment - 20 June 2025
• Agenda for: Meeting of the Climate Change Committee - 19 June 2025

HEALTH, FOOD & PRODUCT SAFETY

• Judgment of the Court of 12 June 2025 in Case C‑219/24, A and Others Vs. Tallinna linn,
  Re: Reference for a preliminary ruling - Social policy - Protection of the safety and health of workers - Directive 89/391/EEC - Measures to encourage improvements in the safety and health of workers at work - Articles 5, 6 and 9 - Obligations on employers - Directive 2000/54/EC - Protection of workers from risks related to exposure to biological agents at work - Article 14(3) - Health surveillance - Making available of effective vaccines - Annex VII, points 1 and 2 - National legislation allowing employers to require workers who are exposed to a biological risk to undergo vaccination - SARS-CoV-2 virus
  
• Meeting of EPSCO (Health) - 20 June 2025:
  - A continued and urgent call for action at EU level to protect young people from harm caused by novel tobacco and nicotine products, in particular e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches - Information from Ireland on behalf of Belgium, Estonia, Finland, France, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Spain

EFSA

• Re-assessment of the risks to public health related to the genotoxicity of styrene present in plastic food contact materials
• Scientific Opinion - Safety evaluation of the food enzyme triacylglycerol lipase from the genetically modified Komagatella phaffii strain LALL‐LI2
• Scientific Opinion - Safety evaluation of the food enzyme endo‐1,4‐β‐xylanase from the genetically modified Trichoderma reesei strain DP‐Nzd72
• Scientific Opinion - Safety evaluation of the food enzyme glucan 1,4‐α‐maltohydrolase from the genetically modified Escherichia coli strain MLAVSC
• Scientific Opinion - Safety evaluation of the food enzyme mannan endo‐1,4‐β‐mannosidase from the non‐genetically modified Aspergillus niger strain AE‐HCM
• Scientific Opinion - Safety of grain and flour from perennial intermediate wheatgrass (Thinopyrum intermedium) as a novel food pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2015/2283
• Scientific Opinion - Safety and efficacy of a feed additive consisting of Lacticaseibacillus huelsenbergensis DSM 115424 for all animal species (Lactosan GmbH & Co. KG)
• Scientific Opinion - Safety and efficacy of a feed additive consisting of Bacillus velezensis NRRL B‐67647, Bacillus pumilus NRRL B‐67648 and Bacillus licheniformis NRRL B‐67649 (Microsaf®) for chickens for fattening, other poultry for fattening and ornamental birds (S.I. Lesaffre)
• Scientific Opinion - Safety and efficacy of a feed additive consisting of 25‐hydroxycholecalciferol produced with Saccharomyces cerevisiae CBS 146008 for salmonids, other fish species and all other animal species (except poultry, pigs and all ruminants) (DSM Nutritional Products Ltd.)

TRANSPORT & MOBILITY

• Answer given by Mr Tzitzikostas to a MEP written question - Commission’s stance on improving road safety by introducing photo-luminescent lane markings throughout the EU
• T&E recommends limiting height of car bonnets to improve road safety

DIGITAL, DATA PRIVACY & CYBERSECURITY

• Answer given by Mr McGrath to a MEP written question - Data flows
• Generative AI set to transform EU economy but requires further policy action - see the JRC Report
• BEREC prepares its Strategy for 2026-2030

AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY & JUSTICE

• Council agrees position on EU law improving legal protection for adults in need of care
• Schengen: Council approves declaration to commemorate 40th anniversary and renew its commitment for the common travel area

ECB, EURO & ECONOMY

• Eurogroup statement on the draft budgetary plan of Belgium for 2025
• Ukraine receives a further €1 billion G7 loan initiative - Midday Express
• Germany wants next EU budget to focus on defence - Financial Times

EU INSTITUTIONS

• Speech by President António Costa at the ceremony of the 40th anniversary of Portugal signing the Accession Treaty
• Speech by President António Costa at the ceremony marking the 40th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Accession of Spain to the European Economic Community
• European Council, 26-27 June 2025: Invitation letter by President António Costa to the members of the European Council

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• President von der Leyen participates in the G7 Summit, hosted by Canada - Midday Express
• Statement by Commissioner Micallef on the "World Day Against Child Labour"
• Moldova: challenges and progress towards EU membership - see the EP Briefing
• Strengthening EU defence won’t undermine the transatlantic alliance - Financial Times

EU SANCTIONS

• Guatemala: Council sanctions three individuals and one entity for undermining democracy and the rule of law - See Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1198 & Council Decision (CFSP) 2025/1199
  
• Answer given by HR/VP Kallas to a MEP written question - Need for sanctions and embargo on the sale of military equipment in response to Türkiye’s threats to invade Cyprus
• Sanctions on Russia are working - It’s the right time to tighten the screws further - Financial Times
• EU targets Chinese banks over Russian trade links - Proposed sanctions would be first time Brussels has moved against third-country lenders supporting Moscow - Financial Times

EU/SWITZERLAND 

• Proposal for a Council Decision on the conclusion of a broad package of agreements to consolidate, deepen and expand the bilateral relations with the Swiss Confederation
• Proposal for a Council Decision on the signing, on behalf of the European Union, of a broad package of agreements to consolidate, deepen and expand the bilateral relations with the Swiss Confederation, and on the provisional application of the Agreement on the terms and conditions for the participation of the Swiss Confederation in the European Union Agency for the Space Programme