Europe Daily News, 22 May 2025

COMPETITION

• Commission released its decision approving Mondi's acquisition of rival Schumacher in Germany, the Netherlands and the UK - See Case M.11786
• Finland - The FCCA has carried out inspections at the premises of a number of companies active in the asphalt market
• Lithuania - The Competition Council has cleared the acquisition by Saferoad Baltic of Gatas
• Portugal - CIRSA and SFP notify the creation of a Joint Undertaking for the operation of the Figueira da Foz Casino concession
• Portugal - Salvador Caetano notifies the acquisition of stakes corresponding to 75% of the share capital of the Multimoto Group

STATE AID

• Commission Decision (EU) 2025/906 of 22 November 2024 on State aid SA.48580 (2017/C) implemented by Germany for WestSpiel
• Commission approves changed Lithuanian support for the construction of a multifunctional complex in Vilnius (SA.113357) - Midday Express
• Commission approves increase of €78 million for Dutch State aid scheme to reduce nitrogen deposition on nature conservation areas (SA.118864) - Midday Express
• Opinion of Advocate General of 22 May 2025 in Joined Cases C‑416/24 and C‑417/24, On Air Media Professionals SRL Vs. Agenția pentru Întreprinderi Mici și Mijlocii (C‑416/24) and Different Media SRL Vs. Ministerul Antreprenoriatului și Turismului – Agenția pentru Întreprinderi Mici și Mijlocii, Atragere de Investiții și Promovare a Exportului Iași (C‑417/24)
  Re: Reference for a preliminary ruling - State aid - Regulation (EU) No 651/2014 - Exemption of certain categories of aid compatible with the internal market - Translation error in the Romanian language version - Legal effects of the regulation correcting that error - Possibility of the recovery of aid granted prior to the correction on the basis of the version of the regulation containing that error

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Agenda for: Customs Business Group on the management of authorisation process for Centralised Clearance for Import (CCI) - 27 May 2025
• Agenda for: Customs Project Group: EU SWE for Customs - Examination and concretisation of the Business-to-Government (B2G) dimension and functionality - 18 & 19 June 2025
• European Parliament approves new tariffs on Russian and Belarussian agricultural goods - See the EP Resolution & Report by MEP Inese Vaidere
• Joint Minutes of the 5th Meeting of the Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade under the Agreement between the European Union and Japan for an Economic Partnership - 28 January 2025
  
• DG Okonjo-Iweala: MC14 must deliver outcomes on WTO reform
• EU aims to net fresh lobster deal as appetiser for Trump - Bloc looks to extend tariff-free access for US crustaceans as part of agreement to stave off steep levies on exports - Financial Times

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

• Meeting of the Competitiveness Council of 22 & 23 May 2025
  - Mobilising funding for industry and the EU's strategic autonomy, at European and national level - Information from France
  - Call for a swift implementation of the Action Plan for the European automotive industry, including support for the European battery value chain - Information from France 
  - The Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area beyond 2027 - Information from Spain, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece, Croatia, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Portugal and Slovenia
• New digital hub to strengthen Europe's nuclear industry
• EU Commission leads the way in regulatory openness among OECD members - See the Regulatory Policy Outlook 2025
• Civil society and industry demand measures to boost the use of recycled steel in the automotive sector - See the EEB Joint Position Paper

CHEMICAL

• ECHA’s Biocides Committee backs approval of anticoagulant rodenticides - ECHA/NR/25/13
• ECHA launches revamped Classification and Labelling Inventory - ECHA/NR/25/12
  
• The chemicals omnibus should not erase barriers to protect health - HEAL
• HEAL’s key demands for health-protective upgrades to REACH

DEFENCE

• Commissioner Kubilius in London to engage with Europe's defence sector - Midday Express
• European Investment Fund invests €40 million in European defence and security Tech fund under InvestEU
• Answer given by Mr Hoekstra to a MEP written question - The need to develop the steel industry in the context of developing armament programmes

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

• Crisis preparedness: Council and Parliament strike deal on last-resort patent licensing - See the EP Statement
• Commission welcomes political agreement on compulsory licensing to enhance EU crisis resilience
• Counterfeit and Piracy Watch List - See DG Trade Report 
• Protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights in third countries - See DG Trade Report 

FINANCE

• Opinion of advocate General Campos- Sanchez-Bordona of 22 May 2025 in Case C‑321/24; BC Vs. SCP Attal et Associés
  Re: Preliminary ruling proceedings - Article 63(1) TFEU - Free movement of capital - Restriction - Succession - Declaration of succession - Calculation of notary’s remuneration - Estate consisting of assets situated in two Member States - Article 65(1)(a) TFEU - Tax law provision - Article 65(1)(b) TFEU - Measures to prevent tax infringements and to lay down a procedure for the declaration of capital movements for the purposes of administrative or statistical information
  
• Commission Decisions amending the Annexes to the Monetary Agreement between the European Union and the Vatican City State (2025/898) of 15 May 2025, the Republic of San Marino (2025/918), the Principality of Monaco (2025/923) and the Principality of Andorra (2025/926) of 20 May 2025
• Communication from the Commission pursuant to Article 11(5) of the Monetary Agreement between the European Union and the Principality of Monaco
• Commissioner Albuquerque visits Greece for talks on the Savings and Investments Union, competitiveness and simplification in the finance sector - Midday Express
• ESMA asks input on the retail investor journey as part of simplification and burden reduction efforts
• The EBA observes that EU Deposit Guarantee Scheme funds to protect depositors against bank failures have reached €79bn
• The EBA publishes 2024 Report of its key achievements and activities

TAXATION

• Opinion of the Advocate General Juliane Kokott of 22 May 2025 in Case C-524/23, European Commission v Kingdom of Belgium
  Re: Failure of a Member State to fulfil obligations - Transposition of Directive (EU) 2016/1164 - Rules for combating tax avoidance practices which have a direct impact on the functioning of the internal market - Legislative competence of the Union - Article 115 TFEU - Non-transposition of Article 8(7) of the directive - Minimum harmonisation - Scope of the obligation to transpose
• Opinion of the Advocate General Juliane Kokott of 22 May 2025 in Case C‑234/24, Brose Prievidza, spol. s r. o. Vs. Direktor na Direktsia ‘Obzhalvane i danachno-osiguritelna praktika’ – Sofia
  Re: Reference for a preliminary ruling - Common system of VAT - Directive 2006/112/EC - Refunding of input tax to taxable persons established abroad pursuant to Directive 2008/9/EC - ‘Tooling’ - Taxable or non-taxable supply of a tool which remains on site - Independent transaction or supply ancillary to an exempt intra-Community supply of the components manufactured by that tool - Independent transactions or a single, complex intra-Community supply - Artificial splitting of the transactions - Single intra-Community supply without transportation of that tool?

AGRICULTURE & FISHERIES

• Meeting of the Council (Agriculture & Fisheries) on 26 May 2025
  - Communication on a Vision for Agriculture and Food – Policy debate
• - Market situation, in particular following the invasion of Ukraine and the change to the US tariff policy - Information from the Commission and Member States - Exchange of views 
• Commissioner Hansen visits Croatia and Slovenia to engage with farmers and national authorities - Midday Express
• Copa-Cogeca Statement - EU agriculture and food security risks collapsing like a house of cards without clarity on the CAP budget!

EMPLOYMENT & SOCIAL AFFAIRS

• Decision (EU) 2025/1018 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 May 2025 on the mobilisation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund for Displaced Workers following an application from Belgium – EGF/2024/003 BE/Van Hool
• Freedom of movement: Council adopts a position to reduce red tape for posting of workers
• ETUC welcomes Political Agreement on EWC Directive

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• Agenda for: Meeting of the EP ENVI Committee - 03 & 04 June 2025
• Agenda for: Working Party on International Environment Issues (UNECE Aarhus) - 02 June 2025
• Agenda for: Committee on Ecodesign and Energy Labelling of Energy-related Products - 27 May 2025
• EU advances in nature protection, but bird and insect losses persist - See the JRC Report
• Commission publishes country benchmarking to help fight deforestation worldwide - Midday Express
• European Parliament supports proposals to simplify EU carbon leakage instrument (CBAM)
• Recommendations to strengthen the EU Water Resilience Strategy - see the EEB Joint Paper
• Electric vehicle charging sector adds €15 billion to EU economy in 2024, according to a study by ChargeUp

HEALTH, FOOD & PRODUCT SAFETY

• The European Commission hosts Key One Health Meeting
• European Vaccine Hub to enhance health preparedness across EU
• Commission calls on Member States to fully transpose rules on recognition of professional qualifications of nurses trained in Romania - Midday Express
• EFSA - Pest survey card on Byakushincecis eppoi; on Melampsora farlowii and on Coniferiporia sulphurascens and C. weirii
• 2024 EFSA Annual Report Emerging Risks and Horizon Scanning Activities

DIGITAL & INFORMATION SOCIETY

• Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/913 of 20 May 2025 amending Implementing Decision (EU) 2021/1067 as regards an update of technical conditions for the harmonised use of radio spectrum in the 5945–6425 MHz frequency band for the implementation of wireless access systems including radio local area networks (WAS/RLANs)
• Wi-Fi Community calls on EVP Virkkunen to support allocation of upper 6GHz band to license-exempt use - see the DSA Letter
• Driving auto innovation: Data sharing, AI frameworks, and unified data space - See ACEA Position Paper
• Brussels wants AI chips made in Europe, tech chief says - Europe is now heavily reliant on supply from U.S.-based manufacturers such as Nvidia - Politico.eu

DATA PRIVACY & CYBERSECURITY

• Agenda for: 25th meeting of the Committee established under Article 93 of the General Data Protection Regulation - 23 May 2025
• Agenda for: 26th meeting of the Committee established under Article 93 of the General Data Protection Regulation - 05 June 2025
• Opinion 10/2025 on the draft decision of the French Supervisory Authority regarding the Controller Binding Corporate Rules of the Worldline Group
• Opinion 9/2025 on the draft decision of the French Supervisory Authority regarding the Processor Binding Corporate Rules of the Worldline Group
• Opinion 8/2025 on the draft decision of the Norwegian Supervisory Authority regarding the Controller Binding Corporate Rules of the Statkraft Group
• Answer given by EVP Virkkunen to a MEP written question - Review of the EU Cybersecurity Act – timeline and strategic priorities
• Answer given by EVP Virkkunen to a MEP written question - Restoring European AI-driven innovation, competitiveness and investment in the EU by addressing challenges in the GPAI Code of Practice and the implementation of the GDPR

TRANSPORT & MOBILITY 

• Judgment of the Court of 22 May 2025 in Case C-538/23, ÖBB-Infrastruktur AG, WESTbahn Management GmbH Vs. Schienen-Control Kommission
  Re: Preliminary reference - Rail transport - Directive 2012/34/EU - Railway infrastructure charging - Establishment and collection of charges - Article 29 - Exceptions to the charging principles - Article 32 - Surcharges - Method of calculation and publication - Article 56 - Duties of the supervisory body - Procedure for authorising surcharges under national law - Conditions
• Recommendations for Member States to help tackle transport poverty and promote fair, sustainable mobility
• Spain and BEUC unite against unfair hand luggage charges imposed by seven low-cost airlines - See the Letter and the Report

FUTURE OF EUROPE

• Possible items for College agendas 28 May – 23 July 2025

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• European Economic Area: Press release on strengthening the EEA Foreign and Security Policy Cooperation
• 3rd EU-AU Ministerial Meeting, 21 May 2025 - Joint communiqué and Preliminary Monitoring Report
• EU - African Union: press remarks by High Representative Kaja Kallas at the Ministerial meeting
• Kaja Kallas: “Russia is still playing games and has escalated its attacks”
• MEPs visit United Nations human rights bodies in Geneve
• EU pledges €2.3 billion at European Humanitarian Forum 2025
• Answer given by the Council to a MEP written question - Including Mexican drug cartels on the EU list of terrorist organisations
• Answer given by the Council to a MEP written question - Russian shadow fleet and the environmental risk for our European waters and coastal communities – need for more action against the shadow fleet in the 16th sanctions package