Europe Daily News, 26 June 2025

COMPETITION

• The Court of Justice confirms, as previously done so by the General Court, the Commission’s approval of the acquisition of certain E.ON generation assets by RWE (See CPR No 77/2025 - Judgments of the Court of Justice in Cases C-464/23 P, C-465/23 P, C-467/23 P, C-468/23 P, C-470/23 P, C-466/23 P, C-469/23 P, C-484/23 P, C-485/23 P, EVH Vs. Commission Competition)
• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11956 - UMG / Downtown)
• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11901 - HIG Capital / Kantar Media)
• Commission opens in-depth investigation into the proposed acquisition of Kellanova by Mars (M.11753) 
• Austria - BWB and E-Control present final report of the joint task force to analyse the energy sector in Austria
• Belgium - The Competition Authority sanctions Nord Pool and EPEX SPOT for their participation in a market-sharing arrangement in the electricity trading sector
• Denmark - The Competition Council approves market investigation into the insurance industry
• Denmark - The Competition Council’s Decision on Øresundslinjen’s restrictions on the resale of ferry tickets
• Germany - The Bundeskartellamt met with selected stakeholders in an expert group to discuss issues of artificial intelligence (AI) relating to competition and restraints of competition
• Lithuania - The Competition Council has decided not to open an investigation into the actions of Orlen Lietuva in relation to the supply of LPG and diesel
• Switzerland - The COMCO has opened a new investigation into possible agreements in steel trading

STATE AID

• The Court of Justice confirms annulment of the Commission decision declaring unlawful the Spanish tax scheme on the deduction for indirect acquisitions of shareholdings in foreign companies (See CPR No 79/2025 - Judgment of the Court of Justice in Joined Cases C-776/23 P, C-777/23 P, C-778/23 P, C-779/23 P, C-780/23 P, Commission Vs. Spain State aid)
• Authorisation for State aid pursuant to Articles 107 and 108 of the TFEU - Cases where the Commission raises no objections – SA.115201
• EFTA Surveillance Authority: State aid – Decision to raise no objections
• New State aid framework enables support for clean industry; see the FactSheet, Remarks by EVP Ribera
  -  Overview of support possibilities under the Clean Industrial Deal State aid Framework (‘CISAF’)

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Agenda for: Working Party on Customs Union - 30 June 2025
• Agenda for: Meeting of the Trade Policy Committee (Services & Investment) - 02 July 2025
• Agenda for: Working Party on Customs Union - 26 June 2025
  - On-the-spot preparatory meeting for WCO 145th/146th Sessions of the Council 26-28 June 2025
• Investigation ‘Calypso’: EPPO strikes criminal networks flooding EU with fraudulent Chinese imports
• Minutes of the 20th meeting of the Import and Export Formalities Section of the Customs Expert Group jointly with the Trade Contact Group (TCG) - 28 May 2025
• Minutes of the Meeting of the Market Access Advisory Committee - 14 May 2025
• Solid EU trade performance in first quarter of 2025, as markets face higher import prices
• WTO - Members review farm policies, food security, technology transfer and transparency issues
• Friedrich Merz wants a US trade deal within days. The EU fears it will be a bad one - The German leader is piling the pressure on Brussels to strike a deal soon with Trump so Europe doesn’t end up with the scraps - Politico.eu
• Europe’s green steel ambitions falter as energy costs take toll - Industry leaders warn climate targets are at risk without more state support and protection from cheaper imports - Financial Times
• UK to focus new trade strategy on boosting services exports - Trade minister Douglas Alexander says policy will also involve strengthening anti-dumping defences amid Trump’s tariff war - Financial Times

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY 

• Agenda for: Meeting of the Antici Group (Simplification) - 02 July 2025
• Agenda for: Working Party on Competitiveness and Growth (Industry & Internal Market - Attachés) - 23 & 24 July 2025

SPACE INDUSTRY

• Commission proposes EU Space Act to boost market access and strengthen space safety - FactSheet and the Remarks by Commissioner Kubilius 
  - Proposal & Annexes 
  - Impact assessment report Part 1, Part 2 and the Executive summary

CHEMICAL

• Summary of European Commission Decisions on authorisations for the placing on the market for the use and/or for use of substances listed in Annex XIV to Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning the REACH (see Decision: C(2025) 3764; C(2025) 3814 - chromium trioxide & C(2025) 3760 - sodium dichromate)

FINANCE

• The Council and the European Parliament reached a political agreement on an updated crisis management and deposit insurance framework for banks in the EU
• ESMA provides advice on eligible assets for UCITS
• ESMA suggests amendments to the DLT Pilot Regime to make it permanent

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• 17th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal (COP-17) - 12th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade (COP-12) - 12th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (COP-12) (Geneva, 28 April - 9 May 2025) - Compilation of statement
• Position of the Council at first reading with a view to the adoption of a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 2008/98/EC on waste – Adopted by the Council on 23 June 2025
• Commissioner Roswall in Germany for cross-sectoral exchanges on water resilience - Midday Express
• Commissioner Hoekstra participates in the London Climate Action Week ahead of COP30 negotiations - Midday Express
• More than 20% of Europeans exposed to harmful noise pollution levels - See the EEA Report
• Renewables and electrification: key to cutting costs and powering EU’s clean industry and competitiveness - See the EEA Report

HEALTH, FOOD & PRODUCT SAFETY

• Judgment of theCourt of 26 June 2025 in Case C‑759/23, PJ Carroll & Company Ltd, Nicoventures Trading Ltd Vs. The Minister for Health, Ireland, The Attorney General, interested parties: Philip Morris Ltd, Philip Morris Products SA, Philip Morris Manufacturing & Technology Bologna SpA
  Re: Reference for a preliminary ruling- Public health - Directive 2014/40/EU - Article 7(12) - Article 11(6) - Delegated Directive (EU) 2022/2100 - Validity - Manufacture, presentation and sale of tobacco products - Delegation of power to the European Commission Novel tobacco products - Heated tobacco products - Power to withdraw exemptions from prohibitions of flavourings and labelling requirements – Substantial change of circumstances
• A medicinal herbal tea classified as a traditional herbal medicinal product cannot, in principle, be marketed with the organic logo (See CPR No 78/2025 - Judgment of the Court of Justice in Case C-618/23, SALUS)
• Commission simplifies instructions for use of medical devices to further digitalise healthcare systems - Midday Express
• World leaders recommit to immunisation amid global funding shortfall
• Speech by President von der Leyen at the Gavi Replenishment Conference
• Speech by President António Costa at the Gavi’s High-Level Pledging Summit 2025
• Answer given by Mr Várhelyi to a MEP written question -  EU dependency on US pharmaceutical imports and lack of adequate substitutes

DATA PRIVACY & CYBERSECURITY

• Agenda for: Attachés & Experts Horizontal Working Party on Cyber Issues - 30June 2025
• Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/1225 of 24 June 2025 amending Implementing Decision (EU) 2021/1773 pursuant to Directive (EU) 2016/680 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the adequate protection of personal data by the United Kingdom
• Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/1226 of 24 June 2025 amending Implementing Decision (EU) 2021/1772 pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the adequate protection of personal data by the United Kingdom
• Answer given by Mr McGrath to a MEP written question - Failure to meet General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) requirements: qualifications and skills of nominated members of the Bulgarian data protection authority (DPA)
• EDPB comments on European Commission's Guidelines on Art. 28 DSA

ECB, EURO & ECONOMY

• Speech by ECB's Isabel Schnabel: Monetary policy and economic growth in a more fragmented world
• Enhancing GDP nowcasts with ChatGPT: a novel application of PMI news releases - ECB Working Paper Series No.3063
• Brussels set to disregard ECB warnings over stablecoin rules - EC poised to propose treating stable coins issued outside bloc as interchangeable with EU versions - Financial Times
• Italy’s Monte dei Paschi says ECB has approved Mediobanca takeover - Deal can proceed without need to clear thresholds for shareholder acceptance - Financial Times

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• Council Decision (EU) 2025/1258 of 23 June 2025 on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union within the Joint Committee established by the Framework Agreement on Comprehensive Partnership and Cooperation between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and the Kingdom of Thailand, of the other part, as regards the adoption of the Rules of Procedure of the Joint Committee, the establishment of specialised working groups and the adoption of their terms of reference
• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1277 of 24 June 2025 amending for the 348th time Council Regulation (EC) No 881/2002 imposing certain specific restrictive measures directed against certain persons and entities associated with the ISIL (Da’esh) and Al-Qaida organisations
• EU-Kazakhstan: 22nd Cooperation Committee Meeting held in Astana - 17 June 2025

EU SWITZERLAND

• Commission advances on expanding EU-Switzerland relations - Midday Express
  - The text of the Joint Declaration
  - Commission proposals for the signature and conclusion
  - The explanatory fiches