Europe Daily News, 15 May 2023

COMPETITION

• Commission clears acquisition of Diversey by Platinum Equity Group (M.11091) - Midday Express 
• Commission clears joint venture between ADP and Air Liquide (M.11016) - Midday Express 
• Answer given by Mr Gentiloni to a MEP written question - Reverse merger of Ferrovial
• Answer given by EVP Vestager to a written question - Abuses of position by dominant market undertakings
• Germany - Abuse control relating to energy price relief measures: First examination proceedings initiated – further proceedings will follow

STATE AID

• Appeal brought on 22 February 2023 by the Autoridad Portuaria de Bilbao against the judgment of the General Court of 14 December 2022 in Case T-126/20, Autoridad Portuaria de Bilbao v Commission - (Case C-110/23 P)
  Re: infringement of Article 107(1) TFEU; infringement of Article 108 TFEU and Regulation 2015/1589; Biscay Tax Exemption
• Appeal brought on 26 January 2023 by European Commission against the judgment of the General Court of 16 November 2022 in Case T-469/20, Kingdom of the Netherlands Vs. Commission (Case C-40/23 P)
  Re: State Aid SA.54537 (2020/NN) ; State aid within the meaning of Article 107(1) TFEU; Article 4(3) of Regulation 2015/1589
• Commission finds no aid given by Poland to press distributor RUCH (SA.43147) - Midday Express 
• Commission approves €122.6 million Polish scheme to support agricultural producers in the context of Russia's war against Ukraine (SA.107291) - Midday Express 

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Agenda for: 648th meeting of the Export Credits Group - 07 June 2023
• Agenda for: 42nd meeting of the Customs Code Committee - Customs Debt & Guarantees Section (CCC/DEB/42) - 25 May 2023
• Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on temporary trade liberalisation supplementing trade concessions applicable to Ukrainian products under the Association Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community and their Member States, of the one part, and Ukraine, of the other part - Outcome of the European Parliament's first reading (Strasbourg, 8 to 11 May 2023)
• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/953 of 12 May 2023 amending Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/761 as regards the rules governing the tariff rate quota for export of milk powder to the Dominican Republic
• Answer given by Mr Wojciechowski to a MEP written question - Creation of a transit corridor for the transport of Ukrainian cereals
• Trade tensions simmer ahead of EU-India summit - Politico.eu

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

• Agenda for: Technical Harmonisation (Motor Vehicles) - 26 May 2023

CHEMICAL 

• Summary record of the REACH Committee meeting of 26 and 27 April 2023

FINANCIAL SERVICES

• ESAs draw consumers’ attention to how rises in inflation and interest rates might affect their finances
• EU under pressure to extend access to London clearing houses - Bosses warn post-Brexit restrictions from mid-2025 could undermine financial stability - Financial Times

TAXATION

• Directive amending Directive 2011/16/EU on administrative cooperation in the field of taxation (DAC8) - General approach & Statement by Belgium
• Answer given by Mr Gentiloni to a MEP written question - Reforms to VAT rules in relation to clothing rental

EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION & SPORT

• Council of the European Union (Education, Youth, Culture & Sport) - 15 & 16 May 2023
  - The Council has approved conclusions on the social dimension of a sustainable Europe for young people

ENERGY

• Answer given by Ms Simson to a MEP written question - Reactivated coal and oil-fired power stations

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• Communication from the Commission Publication of the total number of allowances in circulation in 2022 for the purposes of the Market Stability Reserve under the EU Emissions Trading System established by Directive 2003/87/EC
• Circular economy and use of raw materials: improved monitoring framework shows faster progress needed to meet EU resource efficiency targets - See the FactSheet - Midday Express
  - Communication on a revised monitoring framework for the circular economy, COM(2023) 306
  - Staff Working Document on Measuring progress towards circular economy in the European Union – Key indicators for a revised monitoring framework, SWD (2023) 306
• EU states back ban on destruction of unsold clothing - Textile industry accounts for a fifth of the bloc’s greenhouse gas emissions - Financial Times

HEALTH, FOOD & PRODUCT SAFETY

• EMA - Meeting highlights from the Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee (PRAC) 10 - 12 May 2023

DIGITAL & INFORMATION SOCIETY

• Commission Notice - Guidelines for the implementation of the single digital gateway Regulation 2023-2024 work programme
• EU rules for intra-EU calls effectively protect citizens from excessive prices - see the Report - Midday Express 

DATA PRIVACY & CYBERSECURITY

• Request for a preliminary ruling from the Bundesarbeitsgericht (Germany) lodged on 8 February 2023 – MK Vs. K GmbH - (Case C-65/23, K GmbH)
  Re: Interpretation of Article 82(1) and of Article 88(1) of Regulation (EU) 2016/679; general preventive character; German Federal Law on data protection, ‘the BDSG’

TRANSPORT & MOBILITY

• Preparation of the Council meeting (Transport, Telecommunications and Energy) on 1st June 2023
  - Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive (EU) 2015/413 facilitating cross-border exchange of information on road-safety-related traffic offences ‒ Progress Report

ECB, EURO & ECONOMY

• Agenda for: Council of the European Union (Economic & Financial Affairs) - 16 May 2023
• Speech by President von der Leyen at the Beyond Growth Conference in the European Parliament
• Spring 2023 Economic Forecast: An improved outlook amid persistent challenges - IP/23/2723, Remarks by Commissioner Gentiloni
• Interview with Luis de Guindos, Vice-President of the ECB, conducted by Isabella Bufacchi
• G7 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors meeting communiqué, Niigata, Japan, 13 May 2023
• ECB - Euro area and national quarterly financial accounts - Quality report 2022
• ECB - A model-based assessment of the macroeconomic impact of the ECB’s monetary policy tightening since December 2021

FUTURE OF EUROPE

• Agenda for: Meeting of the Coreper (Part.1 & Part.2) - 17 May 2023

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• Agenda for: Working Party on Transatlantic Relations (COTRA) - 16 May 2023
• The Council will sign an agreement with Montenegro on cooperation with Frontex to allow joint border management operations.
• Statement by President von der Leyen at the joint press conference with President Michel ahead of the Council of Europe, G7 and EU-Republic of Korea Summits
• President Michel hosted Prime Minister Pashinyan and President Aliyev for a 5th meeting in the Brussels format focusing on progress on the path towards Armenia-Azerbaijan normalization

RUSSIAN INVASION OF UKRAINE

• Action brought on 29 March 2023 - RT France Vs. Council (Case T-169/23)
  Re: annulment of Council Decision (CFSP) 2023/191 of 27 January 2023 amending Decision 2014/512/CFSP concerning restrictive measures in view of Russia’s actions destabilising the situation in Ukraine
• Speech by President von der Leyen on the occasion of the International Charlemagne Prize of Aachen 2023 for H.E. Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine, and the people of Ukraine
• G7 and EU to ban restart of Russian gas pipelines - The curbs would be the first to target Moscow’s pipeline exports since invasion of Ukraine - Financial Times

EU-UK RELATIONS

• Agenda for: Working Party on the United Kingdom - 16 May 2023