COMPETITION

  • Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.10733 - CMA CGM / Gefco)
  • Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.10697 - Aramco Overseas Company / Lotos SPV 1)
  • Commission clears acquisition of INDUS by Rocky and Centerbridge (M.11097) - Midday Express
  • Commission clears joint venture between BNP Paribas Fortis and Matexi (M.11079) - Midday Express
  • Germany - Bundeskartellamt has approved the Lürssen Group's plan to acquire a 25 per cent stake in Lloyd Werft Bremerhaven (preliminary examination proceedings)
  • Italy - Antitrust: Investigation opened against Apple for alleged abuse of dominant position in the app market
  • Norway - ØB Group's acquisition of Betongvarer vetoed by the Competition Agency
  • The Netherlands - Three egg-product companies fined for illegal price-fixing agreements by the ACM
  • Romania - Competition Council submits to public debate commitments proposed by the company Ostrovit SA
  • Romania - Contract negotiations between retailers and processors have been finalised and the price of milk are seeing reductions averaging 20% in most stores
  • UK - Corporate report - Register of breaches of the CMA's markets and merger remedies - Updated 10 May 2023
  • UK - CMA: Anticipated Acquisition by Viasat, Inc. of Connect Topco Limited - Final report - 9 May 2023
    Politico.eu

STATE AID

  • Commission approves €837 million Spanish scheme to support the production of batteries for electric and connected vehicles to foster the transition to a net-zero economy (SA.107094) - IP/23/2425
  • Statement by Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager following the Court judgment on the Lufthansa and SAS State aid cases
  • Ryanair wins EU court case against Lufthansa’s pandemic aid - Court judgment is major setback for regulators in Brussels - Financial Times
  • Germany plans to subsidise power-hungry industries - Proposal to cover 80% of electricity cost likely to trigger backlash internally and in Europe - Financial Times

TRADE & CUSTOMS

  • Agenda for: Meeting of the Dual Use Goods Working Party - 16 May 2023
  • Agenda for: Council of the European Union (Foreign Affairs/Trade) - 25 May 2023
  • Agenda for: Meeting of the Economic Tariff Questions Group - 11 & 12 May 2023
    - Working document for - Suspensions EP & Quotas EP
  • Agenda for: 4th Civil Society Dialogue meeting on the EU-US Trade and Technology Council - 12 May 2023
  • Agenda for: 244th Meeting of the Tariff & Statistical Nomenclature - Section of the Customs Code Committee (Combined Nomenclature Sector) - 22 May 2023
  • Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) /... imposing a definitive anti-dumping duty on imports of high tenacity yarns of polyesters originating in the People's Republic of China and produced by Zhejiang Hailide New Material Co., Ltd.
  • Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) /... imposing a definitive anti-dumping duty on imports of high tenacity yarns of polyesters originating in the People's Republic of China following an expiry review pursuant to Article 11(2) and a partial interim review pursuant to Article 11(3) of Regulation (EU) 2016/1036 of the European Parliament and of the Council
  • Council Decision establishing the position to be adopted on behalf of the European Union within the Committee on Trade in Civil Aircraft on the accession of Brazil to the Agreement on Trade in Civil Aircraft - Adoption
  • Draft Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the making available on the Union market and the export from the Union of certain commodities and products associated with deforestation and forest degradation and repealing Regulation (EU) No 995/2010 (first reading) - Adoption of the legislative act = Statements
  • Council Decision (EU) 2023/940 of 4 May 2023 on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union in the Specialised Committee on Law Enforcement and Judicial Cooperation established by the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, of the one part, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, of the other part, as regards the establishment of a standard form for requests for mutual assistance referred to in Article 635(1) of that Agreement
  • Latest agri-food trade report: EU agri-food exports and imports remained strong in January 2023
  • EU goods worth at least $1bn vanish in Russia ‘ghost trade’ - Western officials believe nation diverted sensitive exports targeted by sanctions - Financial Times

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

  • Agenda for: Working Party on Competitiveness & Growth (Internal Market) - 17 May 2023
  • Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on machinery
  • Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2023/941 of 2 May 2023 on harmonised standards for personal protective equipment drafted in support of Regulation (EU) 2016/425 of the European Parliament and of the Council
  • Germany: InvestEU - EIB provides €40 million for Wingcopter to scale up electric delivery drones and logistics services
  • Economic and steel market outlook 2023-2024 - Second quarter report - Data up to, and including, fourth quarter 2022 - May 2023
  • The life-or-death fight over car pollution rules - Efforts to delay new EU car emission standards risks worsening the bloc’s pollution problem - Politico.eu

CHEMICAL

  • ECHA removes list of substances not benefitting from reduced information requirements

FINANCIAL SERVICES

TAXATION

  • Agenda for: Working Party on Tax Questions (Indirect Taxation - VAT) - 26 May 2023
  • Judgment of the Court of 11 May 2023 in Case C‑620/21; Momtrade Ruse OOD Vs. Direktor na Direktsia ‘Obzhalvane i danachno-osiguritelna praktika’ Varna pri Tsentralno upravlenie na Natsionalnata agentsia za prihodite
    Re: Reference for a preliminary ruling - VAT Directive - Article 132(1)(g) - Exemption for the supply of services closely linked to welfare and social security work - Body recognised as being devoted to social wellbeing - Member State concerned which recognises the body as being devoted to social wellbeing
  • Judgment of the Court of 11 May 2023 in Joined Cases C-407/22 and C-408/22, Ministre de l'Économie, des Finances et de la Relance Vs. Manitou BF SA (C-407/22), Bricolage Investissement France SA (C-408/22)
    Re: Reference for a preliminary ruling - Taxation - Article 49 TFEU - Freedom of establishment - Corporation tax - Taxation of groups ('fiscal integration' in France) - Exemption for dividends paid by subsidiaries belonging to the integrated tax group - Resident parent company - Capital links with resident and non-resident companies without forming an integrated tax group - Exemption for dividends paid by non-resident subsidiaries - Expenses and charges not deducted from the taxable income of the group Non-deductible costs and charges relating to the holding - No neutralisation of the reintegration of these costs and charges

EMPLOYMENT & SOCIAL POLICY

  • Iceland must end certain restrictions on the retention of unemployment benefits during temporary stays in other EEA States
  • ESA urges Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway to fully implement the Enforcement Directive on Posting of Workers 

ENERGY

  • Agenda for: Meeting of the Ecodesign and Energy Labelling Committee (local space heaters) - 30 May 2023
  • Commission launches a large-scale skills partnership for energy-intensive industries
  • Answer given by Ms Simson to a MEP written question - nergas plant in Manfredonia – in conflict with EU law?
  • Europe’s energy majors have a black box problem - Trading profits are bolstering returns but doing little to narrow the valuation gap with US peers - Financial Times

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

  • Parliament backs new rules for sustainable, durable products and no greenwashing
  • Digitalisation can support shifting to more sustainable transport in Europe - See EEA’s ‘Transport and environment report’

HEALTH, FOOD & PRODUCT SAFETY

  • Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/937 of 10 May 2023 correcting Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/2470 as regards the inclusion of ‘Phosphated distarch phosphate produced from wheat starch’ in the Union list of novel foods
  • Iceland in breach of EEA rules on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes as regards the blood collection from pregnant mares
  • EFSA - Scientific Opinion - Pest categorisation of Neoscytalidium dimidiatum

DIGITAL & INFORMATION SOCIETY

  • Agenda for: Working Party on Telecommunication & Information Society - 16 May 2023
  • Commission opens new calls to invest over €122 million in digital technologies and competences (Deadline: 26 September 2023) - 
  • Data intermediaries & data altruism organisations recognised in the Union – common logos - Implementing regulation - Feedback period: 10 May 2023 - 07 June 2023

DATA PRIVACY & CYBERSECURITY

  • Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Decision 2009/917/JHA, as regards its alignment with Union rules on the protection of personal data

TRANSPORT & MOBILITY

  • The cancellation of a flight due to the unexpected death of the co-pilot does not exempt the airline from its obligation to compensate passengers (See CPR No 78/2023 - Judgment of the Court of Justice in Joined Cases C-156/22, C-157/22, C-158/22; TAP Portugal (Décès du copilote)) - Politico.eu
  • A road transport undertaking cannot discharge its responsibility for compliance with the driving times and rest periods of drivers by transferring it to a third person. (See CPR No 77/2023 - Judgment of the Court of Justice in Case C-155/22, Bezirkshauptmannschaft Lilienfeld)
  • Iceland in breach of EEA rules on preparedness for aircraft accident investigations
  • EFTA/ESA: Iceland in breach of EEA law for restricting market access for foreign bus operators
  • Answer given by Ms Vălean to a MEP written question - Road safety package - review of the directive on driving licences

AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY & JUSTICE

  • Rule of law: the body in charge of disciplinary proceedings against judges must be independent and impartial (See CPR No 76/2023 - Judgment of the Court of Justice in Case C-817/21 Inspecţia Judiciară)
  • Combating violence against women: MEPs back EU accession to Istanbul Convention
  • Drug precursors - EU legislation (revised rules) - Proposal for a regulation - Feedback period: 10 May 2023 - 07 June 2023
  • Vice-President Jourova in Berlin to discuss defence of democracy, media freedom and fight against disinformation - Midday Express
  • MEPs endorsed new transparency and risk-management rules for AI systems - See the Draft Compromise Amendments on the Draft report

ECB, EURO & ECONOMY

  • Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on European green bonds - Letter to the Chair of the E P ECON Committee
  • Draft Joint Conclusions of the Economic and Financial Dialogue between the EU and the Western Balkans and Türkiye 2023
  • Progress report on the action plan on economic, monetary and financial statistics for the Western Balkans and Türkiye 2023
  • EU revenue: a new start for EU finances, a new start for Europe
  • Repaying the recovery plan: 2024 EU budget under pressure
  • EIB Global reports outline record 2022 investment up 50% with major financing in Ukraine and Africa
  • ECB Consumer Expectations Survey results - March 2023
  • Nowcasting employment in the euro area - ECB Working Paper Series - No.2815
  • Investor-driven corporate finance: evidence from insurance markets - ECB Working Paper Series - No.2816

FUTURE OF EUROPE

  • Portugal’s President urges EU to face post-war challenges with determination - See the Video

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

  • Agenda for: Informal meeting of foreign affairs ministers - Gymnich - 12 & 13 May 2023
  • Agenda for: European Union Military Committee (EUMC), EU Chiefs of Defence, 11 May 2023
  • Humanitarian aid: EU releases €8 million for the Philippines, Nepal and South-East Asia - IP/23/2625
  • MEPs call on Kosovo and Serbia to normalise relations
  • The European Parliament adopted three resolutions on the respect for human rights in Algeria, Belarus and Myanmar
  • Answer given by HR/VP Borrell to a MEP written question - Girls poisoned in Iran

RUSSIAN INVASION OF UKRAINE

Related Capabilities

Industries –
Key Issues –

Latest Perspectives

View More