COMPETITION

  • Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.10985 - BMHC / ALD / JV)
  • Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11024 - Geodis International / Trans-Oflex Express)
  • Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11014 - Abu Dhabi Ports Company / Noatum O Holdings)
  • Commission carries out unannounced inspections in the energy drinks sector - IP/23/1802
  • Commission clears creation of joint venture by Mitsubishi Corporation and Mitsubishi HC Capital (M.11045) - Midday Express
  • Commission authorizes the acquisition of joint control of BZ Group by Bunge, SC Frich'Envol and SC One (M.10891) - Midday Express
  • Commission clears acquisition of Luwei Wind Power, Chungwei Wind Power, Tongwei Wind Power, Chinfeng Wind Power, and Anwei Wind Power by Macquarie and wpd (M.11052) - Midday Express
  • Czech Republic - UOHS probes food sector to investigate price hikes
  • France - The Autorité’s General Rapporteur sends statement of objections to three companies in the intra-Caribbean regional air transport sector

STATE AID

  • Commission approves €103 million Romanian scheme under the Recovery and Resilience Facility to support construction of electricity storage facilities (SA.102761)) - Midday Express
  • Commission approves €100 million Irish scheme to support the microelectronics-manufacturing sector in the context of Russia's war against Ukraine (SA.10580) - Midday Express
  • EVP Vestager remarks at the State aid and tax conference: "EU State aid: strong principles, in crisis and in change"

TRADE & CUSTOMS

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

  • Agenda for: Meeting of Space Working Party - 28 March 2023
    - Draft Council conclusions on "Fair and Sustainable Use of Space"
  • Commission supports 151 reform projects in Member States to strengthen resilience and competitiveness - IP/23/1625, QaA & Decision
  • EEA Parliamentarians concerned about Europe’s competitiveness
  • EU industrialists attack Europe’s counter to Biden green bonanza - Net zero Industry Act is not enough to compete with tax incentives offered by US, warn major groups - Financial Times

FINANCIAL SERVICES

  • EBA consults on amendments to the reporting on the "Fundamental Review of the Trading Book"
  • Answer given by Ms McGuinness to a MEP written question - Financial regulations and legislation
  • EU vows to respect bondholders’ rights after Credit Suisse turmoil - Chair of Single Resolution Board adamant Brussels will not take investors in bank debt ‘by surprise’- Financial Times

TAXATION

  • Agenda for: Working Party on Tax Questions (Direct Taxation) - 03 April 2023
  • UN tax resolution- Contribution by the European Union and its Member States
  • Answer given by Mr Gentiloni to a MEP written question –

AGRICULTURE & FISHERIES

  • Protection of plant variety rights: no minimum level of compensation set (See CPR Nº 50/2023, Judgment of the Court of Justice in Case C-522/21 - Saatgut-Treuhandverwaltung (KWS Meridian))
  • Main Results - Agriculture and Fisheries Council - 20 March 2023
  • Answer given by Ms Kyriakides to a MEP written question - Ongoing infringements regarding fruit and vegetable imports from Türkiye
  • Answer given by Mr Wojciechowski to a MEP written question - Commission action to help farmers affected by the increase in imports of cereals from Ukraine

EMPLOYMENT & SOCIAL POLICY

  • Agenda for: Tripartite Social Summit, 22 March 2023
  • Pact for Skills: Launch of large-scale renewable energy skills partnership - Midday Express
  • InvestEU: agreement signed to release 18.7 million euros to support social enterprises in Italy - IP/23/1804 

ENERGY

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

  • Agenda for: Working Party on the Environment - 21 & 23 March 2023
  • Agenda for: 20th meeting of the EUBP Sub Group on Birds and Habitats (NADEG) - 20 April 2023
  • UN Water Conference: EU joins efforts to address the global water crisis and ensure water security for all by 2050 - IP/23/1790
  • Commission welcomes new IPCC climate change report highlighting the urgency of more ambitious climate action - Synthesis Report
  • EU forests: Commission adopts new guidelines to support tree planting actions and to protect old-growth forests
    - Guidelines on "Biodiversity-friendly afforestation, reforestation and tree panting"
    - Guidelines for "Defining, mapping, monitoring and strictly protecting EU primary and old-growth forests"
  • Answer given by Mr Sinkevicius to a MEP written question - Food safety and food waste in the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation
  • Keeping Europe’s forests healthy will require long-term sustainable practices, action on climate change - See EEA Statement
  • Does sustainability require seeing ourselves as part of nature? - See EEA Statement

HEALTH, FOOD & PRODUCT SAFETY

  • Answer given by Ms Kyriakides to a MEP written question - More and more publications and scientific/medical studies suggest a causal link between COVID-19 vaccinations and excess mortality
  • Answer given by Ms Kyriakides to a MEP written question - Addressing unmet medical needs and innovation in the revision of EU pharmaceutical legislation

TRANSPORT & MOBILITY

  • The purchaser of a vehicle equipped with an unlawful defeat device has a right to compensation from the car manufacturer where that device has caused damage to that purchaser (See CPR Nº 51/2023 - Judgment of the Court of Justice in Case C-100/21 Daimler (Responsabilité des constructeurs de véhicules munis de dispositifs d’invalidation)

DATA PRIVACY & CYBERSECURITY

  • Answer given by Mr Reynders to a MEP written question - Insufficient monitoring of GDPR enforcement in the EU
  • Finnish SA: Administrative fine imposed on Suomen Asiakastieto Oy for non-compliance with the supervisory authority’s order

AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY & JUSTICE

  • Minutes 3rd meeting of the European Contact Group on Search and Rescue - 31st January 2023
  • EU, AU and UN push for urgent action to address the pressing needs of migrants and refugees in Libya - IP/23/1798

EURO, ECB & ECONOMY

FUTURE OF EUROPE

  • Agenda for: Meeting of the Coreper (Part.1) - 22 & 24 March 2023

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

  • Main Results - Foreign Affairs Council, 20 March 2023
    - Council conclusions on EU priorities at the OSCE
    - Relations with Iraq - EU's position for the Cooperation Council's 3rd meeting
    - A sustainable future and food security for all: EU countries outline their priorities for the FAO
    - Afghanistan: Council adopts conclusions in view of deteriorating humanitarian and human rights situation
    - Council extends mandate of EU military Operation IRINI in the Mediterranean until 2025 - See Council Decision (CFSP) 2023/65
  • Human rights violations in Iran: EU sanctions additional eight individuals and one entity - See Regulation (EU) 2023/645 & Decision (CFSP) 2023/64
  • Statement by President von der Leyen at the joint press conference with Swedish Prime Minister Kristersson at the International Donors' Conference ‘Together for the people in Türkiye and Syria'
  • Statement by the HR/VP Borrell on behalf of the EU on the alignment of certain third countries with the Council Decision concerning restrictive measures against serious human rights violations and abuses
  • Council Decision (CFSP) 2023/654 of 20 March 2023 in support of the implementation of UNSC Resolution 1540 (2004) on the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery

RUSSIAN INVASION OF UKRAINE

  • Commission pays a further €1.5 billion in macro-financial assistance to Ukraine - See the FactSheet
  • Council note on the delivery and joint procurement of ammunition for Ukraine, as approved by the Foreign Affairs Council on 20 March 2023
  • E.U. Officials agree to supply more artillery Sshells to Ukraine - European leaders adopted a plan to provide Ukraine with badly needed shells, while replenishing their own national stocks - New York Times

BREXIT

  • Agenda for: 2nd Meeting of the Partnership Council under the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement - 24 March 2023
  • Agenda for the Tenth Meeting of the Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee - 24 March 2023