Europe Daily News, 09 February 2026

COMPETITION

• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.12323 - OP / Yanfeng / OP Target Companies / Yanfeng Target Companies)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.12195 - Arcmont / HPS / Dainese)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.12229 - JIP / Mitsubishi Logisnext)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.12189 - Hartree / Touton)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.12277 - GIC Realty/ Brookfield / Yes Communities
• Summary of Commission Decision of 18 July 2025 relating to a proceeding under Article 102 of the TFEU and Article 54 of the EEA Agreement (Case AT.40728 - Corning)
  - Opinion of the Advisory Committee on restrictive practices and dominant positions & Final Report of the Hearing Officer
• Commission clears acquisition of Hauser by Epta (M.12094) - Midday Express
• Germany - Bundeskartellamt clears merger between IBM and Confluent

STATE AID

• Action brought on 10 November 2025 - Baur Vs. Commission (Case T-787/25)
  Re: Infringement of Article 107(1) TFEU (selective State aid); Infringement of essential procedural requirements (Article 108(2) TFEU, Article 296 TFEU)
• Commission approves €119 million Polish State aid to support forest ecosystems (SA.120559) - Midday Express
• Answer given by EVP Ribera to a MEP written question - German Government plan to reduce energy costs and the effect on fair competition in the EU internal market

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Agenda for: ACP Working Party - 10 February 2026
• Agenda for: Working Party on Trade Questions - 17 February 2026
• Action brought on 8 December 2025 - Yara Vs. Commission (Case T-841/25)
  Re: annulment of implementing decision on the repayment of import duties under Regulation (EU) No 952/2013 (REP 01/2024), C(2025) 5738, vis-à-vis the Federal Republic of Germany
• Action brought on 18 December 2025 - Ezz Steel and Others Vs. Commission (Case T-869/25)
  Re: annulment of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1919; definitive anti-dumping duty- hot-rolled flat products of iron, non-alloy or other alloy steel; Egypt, Japan and Vietnam
• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/313 of 6 February 2026 making imports of lightweight thermal paper originating in the People’s Republic of China subject to registration
• Answer given by Mr Šefčovič to a MEP written question - Chinese investment in EU infrastructure and EU security
• Answer given by Mr Šefčovič to a MEP written question - Request for action to protect Italian and European rice production
• Answer given by Mr Šefčovič to a MEP written question - Measures envisaged by the Commission to ensure the conclusion of the EU-Mercosur trade agreement
• How can the EU use FTAs to secure its global ambitions? - Bruegel
• Italian olive oil farmers say flood of imports is causing price collapse - Cheaper supplies from Tunisia are forcing producers to sell at a loss, industry group says - Financial Times

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

• Preparation of the Competitiveness Council (Internal Market, Industry, Research and Space) - 26 February 2026
  - Regulation on establishing the European Competitiveness Fund: a strategic resilience tool for SMEs and European value chains - Policy debate
  - Emergency plans for industrial resilience: follow-up to the Industrial Action Plans for Europe’s steel, automotive and chemical industries within the Clean Industrial Deal - Exchange of views
• Call for evidence - Guidelines on the implementation of the EU rules on forced labour - Feedback period: 06 February 2026 - 06 March 2026
• Public consultation: Drug precursors – EU legislation (revised rules) - Proposal for a regulation - Feedback period: 06 February 2026 - 06 April 2026
• Commission awards €404.3 million to postdoctoral researchers, confirming Europe's position as a global hub for scientific talent

CHEMICALS

• Answer given by Executive Vice-President Séjourné to a written question - The use of cement accelerators containing PFAS and the transfer of contaminated sediment

FINANCE

• Agenda for: Meeting of the Financial Services Committee - 18 February 2026
• Agenda for: Att. & Exp. Financial Services and Banking Union (Financial Services) (Sustainable Finance - (SFDR)) - 23 February 2026
• European alternatives to Visa and Mastercard ‘urgently’ needed, says banking chief - US payment processing companies account for about two-thirds of card transactions in Eurozone - Financial Times

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• New EU rules to stop the destruction of unsold clothes and shoes - The Delegated and Implementing Acts will support businesses in complying with new requirements
• EU reduces farmers' dependency on imported fertilisers with new rules enabling the use of RENURE - The new measures take the form of an amendment to the Nitrates Directive
• Commission seeks feedback on the EU's post-2030 climate policy framework - Proposal for a regulation - Feedback period: 09 February 2026 - 04 May 2026
• Call for evidence: Legal framework for the possible use of international carbon credits towards the 2040 EU climate law target - Proposal for a regulation - Feedback period: 09 February 2026 - 04 May 2026

DIGITAL & INFORMATION SOCIETY

• EU invests €700 million in newly opened NanoIC, Europe's largest Chips Act pilot line
• Commission notifies Meta of possible interim measures to reverse exclusion of third-party AI assistants from WhatsApp
• Can Europe get kids off social media? - Move follows Australia’s decision to introduce age restrictions over child-safety concerns - Financial Times

DATA PRIVACY & CYBERSECURITY

• Agenda for: 115th EDPB plenary meeting - 10 & 11 February 2026
• Commission responds to cyber-attack on its central mobile infrastructure
• Answer given by Executive Vice-President Virkkunen to a written question - Telecommunications cybersecurity contract

ECB, EURO & ECONOMY

• Commission greenlights Croatia's eighth payment request for €896,9 million under NextGenerationEU
• Explanatory note – Accompanying document to Council recommendation on the economic policy of the euro area 2026

FUTURE OF EUROPE

• Agenda for: Meeting of the Coreper (Part.1 & Part.2) - 09, 10 & 13 February 2026
• Possible items for Commission agendas from 18 February 2026 to 25 March 2026

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

EU/UK RELATIONS

• Agenda for: Working Party on the United Kingdom - 13 February 2026

EU/RUSSIA/UKRAINE

• Action brought on 24 November 2025 - Pumpyanskaya Vs. Conseil (Case T-799/25)
  Re: annulment of Council Decision (CFSP) 2014/145, Council Regulation (EU) 269/2014, Council Decision (CFSP) 2025/1895 & Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1894
• Action brought on 25 November 2025 - SBK Art Vs. Council (Case T-804/25)
  Re: annulment of Council Decision (CFSP) 2014/145, Council Regulation (EU) 269/2014, Council Decision (CFSP) 2025/1895 & Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1894
• Action brought on 16 December 2025 - Mizaev Vs. Council (Case T-862/25)
  Re: annulment of Council Decision (CFSP) 2024/2643, Council Decision (CFSP) 2025/2019 & Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/2021
• Action brought on 17 December 2025 - Europäisch-Iranische Handelsbank Vs. Council (Case T-865/25)
  Re: annulment of Council Implementing Decision (CFSP) 2025/1971 & Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1980
• Statement by President von der Leyen on the 20th package of sanctions against Russia
• Decision No 2/2026 of the Secretary-General of the Council of the European Union of 30 January 2026 laying down implementing rules concerning the application of Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 of the European Parliament and of the Council and the restriction of data subjects’ rights for the purpose of restrictive measures