Europe Daily News, 26 November 2025

COMPETITION

• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.12152 - Spar / VGS / JV)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.12131 - Axa / Neurone / Prima)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.12136 - Eurazeo / CME / Proteor)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.12049 - Sixth Street / F2i / New Sorgenia JV)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.12191 - KKR / Cinven / CVC / Nemean Midco)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.12185 - CPP Investments / Stone Point / Onedigital)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.12085 - Axel Springer / Schwarz Group / DYN Media and DYN Productions JV)
• Commission clears acquisition of MeTS by Magellan (M.12184) - Midday Express
• Commission clears acquisition of Seaco by Stonepeak (M.12043) - Midday Express
• Commission clears acquisition of AMTP Iasi by Metinvest (M.12034) - Midday Express
• Commission clears acquisition of IPlanet Holding by Tages, IP and Bestinver (M.12197) - Midday Express
• Commission clears acquisition of International Paper Company's global cellulose fibres businesses by AIP (M.12157) - Midday Express
• Commission has published its earlier approval of Methanex's acquisition of rival OCI's global methanol business - See Case M.11812
• Austria - Waste Management Update: BWB submits an application for a reduced fine against KAB Kärntner Abfallbewirtschaftung GmbH (€750,000) and against Killer GmbH & Co KG and Killer GmbH (€ 278,000) and confirms the companies' leniency status
• Denmark - Maritime and Commercial High Court: Illegal coordination of prices and bids in the energy sector
• Italy - The AGCM opens procedure for the adoption of interim measures against Meta over abuse of a dominant position
• France - Purchasing agreements: AURA (Intermarché, Auchan, Casino) agrees to exclude several dozen suppliers from the scope of the buying alliance
• Slovakia - Supreme Administrative Court uphold the legality of an inspection carried out by the national competition authority

STATE AID

• Authorisation for State aid pursuant to Articles 107 and 108 of the TFEU - Cases where the Commission raises no objections – SA.113090

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Agenda for: 275th meeting of the Customs Code Committee Tariff and Statistical Nomenclature Section (Sub-Section Mech/Misc/Tex) - 01 to 03 December 2025
• Topics that were at the Agenda of the 13th Expert Group Meeting on Trade and Investment Relations with China - 21 November 2025
• WTO - The fourth review of the "trade policies and practices" of Tunisia takes place on 25 and 27 November 2025

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

• Agenda for: Meeting of the Antici Group (Simplification: Omnibus I: CSRD/CSDDD & Omnibus VII: Digital Omnibus) - 01 December 2025
• Minutes - 31st meeting of the Committee on standards - 18 November 202
• Joint European Forum for Important Projects of Common European Interest backs three new biotechnology projects to strengthen European competitiveness

DEFENCE & SPACE

• Defence - simplifying EU rules for defence and sensitive security procurement - Proposal for a directive - Feedback period: 25 November 2025 - 17 February 2026
• Commissioner Kubilius to discuss European space policy at the European Space Agency ministerial council meeting - Midday Express
• Parliament greenlights first-ever European defence industry programme - See the EP Resolution

CHEMICAL

• ECHA ready to receive reports on microplastics emissions - ECHA/NR/25/39 - see the Guidelines
• ECHA - Highlights of the November Forum meeting - ECHA/NR/25/38
• ECHA - Agenda for: 92th meeting of the Member State Committee - 09 to 11 December 2025
• ECHA - Minutes of the 68th meeting of the Committee for Socio-economic Analysis - 15 to 19 September 2025
• ECHA - Screening report - Reaction products of 1,3,4-thiadiazolidine-2,5-dithione, formaldehyde and 4-heptylphenol, branched and linear (RP-HP) with ≥ 0,1 % w/w 4-heptylphenol, branched and linear (4-HPbl)

FINANCE

• Artificial intelligence in financial sector - EP calls for simplification of EU regulatory framework
• The EBA publishes its Q2 2025 Dashboard on the minimum requirement for own funds and eligible liabilities
• The EBA releases the final technical package for its 4.2 reporting framework to ensure compliance with EU regulatory reporting obligations and to conclude the transition to DPM 2.0

AGRICULTURE &  FISHERIES

• Commissioner Hansen visits Hungary and Slovakia to discuss the future of the common agricultural policy, having visited all Member States - Midday Express
• Commissioner Kadis visits Croatia to discuss the future of the fisheries sector and strengthen regional cooperation - Midday Express
• Commission updates 2026 fishing opportunities proposal to recognise Mediterranean fishers’ efforts and uphold sustainability
• Access to land: opening the way for Europe’s next generation of farmers

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• Regulation (EU) 2025/2365 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 November 2025 on preventing plastic pellet losses to reduce microplastic pollution
• Directive (EU) 2025/2360 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 November 2025 on soil monitoring and resilience (Soil Monitoring Law)
• Commission launches EU Pollinator Monitoring Scheme to help restore biodiversity - See the Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/2188
• Regional launch of Europe’s environment 2025 marks two decades of partnership with EEA’s cooperating countries

HEALTH, FOOD & PRODUCT SAFETY

• Commission publishes interim evaluation of EU4Health Programme
• Commission launches an impact assessment on hazardous pesticides entering EU through imported products - Midday Express
• Toy safety: Parliament adopts new rules to enhance child health protection - See the EP Resolution
• Council and Parliament reach a provisional deal to improve the welfare and traceability of cats and dogs across Europe - See the EP Statement & Commission reactions

EFSA

• Protocol of the systematic literature review for the distribution of priority vector species within the VectorNet geographical area
• Protocol of the systematic literature review on the vector status of potential vector species of selected vector‐borne pathogens
• Unprecedented high level of highly pathogenic avian influenza in wild birds in Europe during the 2025 autumn migration
• Modification of the existing MRLs in barley, wheat and rye, and evaluation of Art.12 confirmatory data for pinoxaden
• Guidance for reporting the 2026 national control plans for veterinary medicinal product residues

DIGITAL & INFORMATION SOCIETY

• Commission seeks input for the review of the 2030 Digital Decade targets and objectives (Feedback period: 25 November 2025 - 23 December 2025) - Midday Express
• Commission requests Shein to provide information on the sale of illegal products under the Digital Services Act - Midday Express
• Minutes - 3rd Meeting of the Expert Group on Cybersecurity of Products with Digital Elements - 22 October 2025
• Minutes - 5th meeting of the European Artificial Intelligence Board - 24 October 2025

TRANSPORT & MOBILITY

• Modernised EU rules on driving licences and driving disqualifications enter into force - See the EP Statement

AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY & JUSTICE

• Citizenship of the Union: a Member State has the obligation to recognise a marriage between two Union citizens of the same sex that has been lawfully concluded in another Member State where they have exercised their freedom to move and reside (See CPR No.147/2025 - Judgment of the Court in Case C-713/23, Wojewoda Mazowiecki)
  
• Child sexual abuse: Council reaches position on law protecting children from online abuse
• Commission has registered the European Citizens' Initiative (ECI) entitled ‘EU Stars On My Passport (STAR-PASS)'
• Parliament sounds the alarm over Hungary’s deepening rule of law crisis - See the EP Resolution

ECB, EURO & ECONOMY

• Commission approved the disbursement of more than €4 billion to four Member States under NextGenerationEU, supporting economic growth and competitiveness
• Commission outlines priorities to boost EU competitiveness in its 2026 European Semester Autumn Package - Q&A
  - 2026 European Semester: Autumn package
  - Remarks by EVP Mînzatu and Commissioner Dombrovskis
• How Greece’s recovery can be an inspiration for Europe - The Eurozone’s former problem child is now borrowing more cheaply than much of the continent - Financial Times

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• Commission registers European Citizens' Initiative on the EU-Israel Association Agreement
• Commissioner Lahbib travels to Egypt as EU pushes for unhindered Gaza relief - Midday Express
• EU advances economic partnerships and the connectivity agenda with Central Asia and South Caucasus

EU/UKRAINE/RUSSIA

• Statement by President von der Leyen following the Call of the Coalition of the Willing
• Speech by President von der Leyen at the EP plenary debate on the EU position on the proposed plan and EU engagement towards a just and lasting peace for Ukraine
• Judgment of the General Court of 26 November 2025 in Case T‑607/24, SBK Art OOO, Vs. Council of the European Union, supported by Republic of Croatia, by Kingdom of the Netherlands, and by European Commission
  Re: Common foreign and security policy - Restrictive measures taken in respect of actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine - Freezing of funds - List of persons, entities and bodies subject to the freezing of funds and economic resources - Maintenance of the applicant’s name on the list - Concept of ‘association’ - Article 2(1), in fine, of Decision 2014/145/CFSP - Article 3(1), in fine, of Regulation (EU) No 269/2014 - Obligation to state reasons - Rights of the defence - Error of assessment - Proportionality - Plea of illegality
• Judgment of the General Court of 26 November 2025 in Case T-608/24, Musa Yusopovich Bazhaev Vs. Council of the European Union
  Re: CFSP - Restrictive measures taken with regard to actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine - Freezing of funds - List of persons, entities and bodies to which the freezing of funds and economic resources applies - Retention of the applicant’s name on the list - Article 2(1)(g) of Decision 2014/145/CFSP - Concept of ‘association’ - Error of assessment - Right to property - Presumption of innocence - Proportionality

AFRICAN UNION - EU SUMMIT

• Joint declaration of the 7th African Union 
• Remarks by President António Costa at the closing session