Europe Daily News, 06 February 2023

COMPETITION

• Commission authorises the acquisition of joint control of the ECT Group by CNP and Sienna Capital (M.10976) - Midday Express
• Poland - 7 waste-collection companies in Poland have been fined a total of more than 7.2 million złoty (around $1.65 million) by the UOKik

STATE AID

• Commission seeks feedback on the implementation of the Foreign Subsidies Regulation - IP/23/591 (Feedback period: 06 February 2023 - 06 March 2023)
• Commission authorises the acquisition of joint control of the ECT Group by CNP and Sienna Capital (M.10976) - Midday Express
• Commission approves €450 million Irish scheme to support the development of urban residential housing (SA.102927) - Midday Express
• Commission approves €1.5 billion French scheme to support protection against the insolvency of travel organisers (SA.104022) - IP/23/592
• Commission approves amendment and prolongation of a €183.7 million German risk finance scheme to support small, young and innovative companies (SA.105224) - Midday Express

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Appeal brought on 15 December 2022 by Airoldi Metalli SpA against the order of the General Court of 05 October 2022 in Case T-1/22, Airoldi Metalli SpA Vs. Commission (Case C-764/22 P)
  
• Revised Agenda for: Working Party on Customs Union - 08 February 2023
• Agenda for: Customs Programme - 25th Plenary Meeting of the Customs Laboratories European Network (CLEN) - 09 February 2023
• Agenda for: Joint meeting of the EP AFET, INTA, AFCO Commitee - 9 February 2023
• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/248 of 1 February 2023 concerning the classification of certain goods in the Combined Nomenclature (CN: 0511 99 85)
• EU-India: new Trade and Technology Council to lead on digital transformation, green technologies and trade - IP/23/596 & Joint Statement
• EU deforestation law triggers ire of its trading partners - Indonesia and Malaysia lead criticism of legislation that bans imports of products linked to clearing of forests - Financial Times

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

• Agenda for: Working Party on Competitiveness & Growth (Better Regulation) -15 February 2023
• Council of the EU - Competitiveness & Growth (High Level) - 16 February 2023.
  - Discussion paper: Competitiveness Check
  - Discussion paper: IRA and the European Business Case for Green Industries and Investments
• European Innovation Council Fund injects €331 million of equity into European deep-tech companies - IP/23/564
• InvestEU: €115 million support for the green and digital transition of small and medium-sized businesses in Finland and Sweden - IP/23/603
• ECHA - Completeness check of REACH registration dossiers: what changes in 2023 and how you can prepare - Webinar date - 8 February 2023 11:00
• France and Germany set to push back against US green tech poaching - Bruno Le Maire and Robert Habeck prepare to meet US officials amid tensions over subsidies - Financial Times & Politico.eu

FINANCIAL SERVICES

• Agenda for: Working party on financial services and the banking union (Instant Payments) - 16 February 2023
• EIOPA publishes monthly technical information for Solvency II Relevant Risk Free Interest Rate Term Structures – end-January 2023

TAXATION

• Request for a preliminary ruling from the Rechtbank Gelderland of 31 October 2022 - Gemeente Dinkelland Vs. Ontvanger van de Belastingdienst/Grote ondernemingen, kantoor Zwolle - Case C-674/22
  Re: refund of taxes ; deduction of turnover tax on general costs
• Agenda for: Working Party on Tax Questions (Direct Taxation) - 21 February 2023
• Agenda for: Working Party on Tax Questions (Indirect Taxation - Excise duties/Energy taxation) - 27 February 2023

AGRICULTURE & FISHERIES

• Proposal for a Council Decision amending Council Decision (EU) 2019/1754 on the accession of the European Union to the Geneva Act of the Lisbon Agreement on Appellations of Origin and Geographical Indications
• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) /... amending Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/761 as regards certain technical rules on the management of tariff rate quotas

ENERGY

• ACER consults stakeholder organisations on ENTSO-E’s revised association documents
• EU-India come together to explore innovation collaboration in the Advanced Biofuels Sector
• Recording and presentation available from the webinar on the 7th Benchmarking Report on Quality of Electricity and Gas Supply
• US companies say EU climate goals are deterring new gas deals - Buyers fear long-term supply contracts will conflict with carbon-neutral targets, according to executives - Financial Times

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• Action brought on 17 September 2022 - ClientEarth Vs. Commission (Case T-579/22)
  Re: annulment of the Commission’s Decision, set out in a letter of 6 July 2022 (‘the Decision under Challenge’) by which the Commission rejected a request for internal review dated 3 February 2022 brought by the applicant pursuant to Article 10 of the Aarhus Regulation of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/2139 of 4 June 2021 made pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2020/852 (‘the Taxonomy Regulation’
• Answer given by Executive Vice-President Timmermans to a MEP written question - Climate action and biodiversity plans

HEALTH, FOOD & PRODUCT SAFETY

• SCCS - Request for a scientific Opinion on water-soluble Zinc salts used in oral products (Submission II)
• SCCS - Final Opinion on the safety of alpha-arbutin and beta-arbutin in cosmetic products
• SCCS - Final Opinion on the safety of aluminium in cosmetic products - Submission III
• Answer given by Ms Kyriakides to a MEP written question - Stronger and more effective cooperation between public health systems of EU Member States
• Answer given by Ms Kyriakides to a MEP written question - Addressing obesity as a chronic disease

DIGITAL & INFORMATION SOCIETY

• Synergies between DIGITAL and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) programmes
• ETNO - New Study: Despite record investment, Europe stays behind on gigabit connectivity objectives
• ETNO - Roaming for Ukraine: European operators renew support to keep Ukrainian refugees connected
• BEREC supports new statement signed that prolongs voluntary measures for affordable connectivity to Ukrainian refugees

TRANSPORT MOBILITY

• Commission communication concerning the procedure laid down by Article 1, paragraph 4 of Council Directive 96/67/EC
• Maritime transport: supporting industry by reducing the administrative burden, see the Delegated Regulation and the Implementing Regulation
• Public workshop on creating a common European mobility data space (EMDS) - 16 February 2023
• Commission tables extension to EU-Ukraine road transport agreement
• Multimodal Passenger Mobility Forum – "final report"
• Answer given by Ms Valean to a MEP written question - European road safety

AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY & JUSTICE

• Commissioner Johansson visits the port of Antwerp to discuss the fight against drug trafficking - Midday Express

ECB, EURO & ECONOMY

• Estimating the impact of quality adjustment on consumer price inflation - ECB Working Paper Series - No.2773
• Optimal monetary policy with the risk-taking channel - ECB Working Paper Series - No.2772
• The ECB Survey of Monetary Analysts (SMA), February 2023, Aggregated Results

FUTURE OF EUROPE

• Agenda for: Meeting of the Coreper (Part.1 & Part.2) - 08 February 2023

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• Agenda for: 7th EU-Republic of Moldova Association Council - 7 February 2023
• West and Central Africa: EU allocates €181.5 million for humanitarian aid in 2023 - IP/23/581
• Türkiye and Syria: Statement on the earthquake by High Representative Borrell and Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarčič
• The Council extended the mandates of the EU Special Representatives for the Middle East Peace Process (MEPP), Central Asia and for Human Rights
• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) /... amending for the 333rd 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
• Moldova PM calls for more EU help in curbing Ukraine war smuggling - Natalia Gavrilița reports a rise in trafficking of arms, people and goods - Financial Times

RUSSIAN INVASION OF UKRAINE

• Main Results of the 24th EU-Ukraine summit - 3 February 2023 - See the Joint statement & Remarks by President Charles Michel
• Ukraine: EU and G7 partners agree price cap on Russian petroleum products - IP/23/602
• Guidance on oil price cap adopted following Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine
• FAQs concerning sanctions adopted following Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine and Belarus' involvement in it (Oil Imports)
• FAQs (Consolidated version) concerning sanctions adopted following Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine and Belarus' involvement in it
• EU agrees on level of price caps for Russian petroleum products
  - Council Regulation (EU) 2023/250 of 4 February 2023 amending Regulation (EU) No 833/2014 concerning restrictive measures in view of Russia’s actions destabilising the situation in Ukraine
  - Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/251 of 4 February 2023 amending Council Regulation (EU) No 833/2014 concerning restrictive measures in view of Russia’s actions destabilising the situation in Ukraine
  - Council Decision (CFSP) 2023/252 of 4 February 2023 amending Decision 2014/512/CFSP concerning restrictive measures in view of Russia’s actions destabilising the situation in Ukraine
• The delayed impact of the EU’s wartime sanctions on Russia - During the first nine months of Vladimir Putin’s war on Ukraine, the bloc sent more cash to Moscow than before the conflict - Politico.eu