Europe Daily News, 26 May 2025

COMPETITION

• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11825 - Verbund / SW Münster / JV)
• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11990 - Clearlake/ Dun & Bradstreet)
• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11954 - Solina / Portobello / Eurocebollas)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11931 - Lone Star / Radici)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11980 - PSPIB / CPPIB / Cintra/ 407)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11927 - IK Partners / Sagard / Sterimed)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11970 - TPG / Mavco / PJ / Cobra Opco)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11935 - Carllke / SK Capital Partners / Bluebird)
• Commission clears acquisition of TIMETOACT by H.I.G. EU MM (M.11913) - Midday Express 

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Agenda for: Trade Policy Committee (Deputies) - 28 May 2025
• Proposal for a Regulation amending Regulation (EU) 2023/956 as regards simplifying and strengthening the carbon border adjustment mechanism - General approach
• Proposal for a Council Decision on the position to be taken on behalf of the EU in the WCO Council in relation to a WCO Article 16 Recommendation amending the Harmonised System
• Proposal for a Council Decision establishing the position to be adopted on the Union’s behalf with regard to the Decision of the Participants to the Arrangement on Officially Supported Export Credits to integrate the provisions of the Agreement on Untied ODA Credits Transparency into the OECD Arrangement on Officially Supported Export Credits
• Proposal for a Council Decision on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union regarding the envisaged decision of the Participants to the Arrangement on Officially Supported Export Credits on interest rate provisions
• Proposal for a Council Decision establishing the position to be adopted on the Union’s behalf in the written procedure by the Participants to the Arrangement on Officially Supported Export Credits in relation to the common line to grant tied aid eligibility to Ukraine
• Joint statement to the Civil Society Dialogue Forum: 7th meeting of the Republic of Moldova - European Union – Sub-Committee on Trade & Sustainable Development - 22 May 2025
• WTO - Members consider China’s request for panel to examine Canadian surtax measures

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

• Agenda for: Working Party on Competitiveness & Growth (Industry) - 06 June 2025

• Agenda for: Working Party on Competitiveness & Growth (Internal Market); Working Party on Technical Harmonisation (Attachés); Working Party on Competitiveness & Growth (Industry) - 11 June 2025
• Commissioner Kubilius in Rome to promote Europe's space policy - Midday Express
• Roadworthiness package: a) Directive on periodic roadworthiness tests (amending Directive 2014/45/EU) and on technical roadside inspection (amending Directive 2014/47/EU) and b) Directive on vehicle registration documents and vehicle registration data (repealing Directive 1999/37/EC) - Presentation by the Commission - Exchange of view

RESEARCH

• Council endorses the European research area policy agenda for the next three years
• Council calls for an inclusive, ethical, sustainable and human-centric strategy for the uptake of AI in science

NET ZERO INDUSTRY

• Net-Zero Industry Act to further accelerate decarbonisation technologies manufacturing in the EU
  - Components primarily used for net-zero technologies under the NZIA
  - Rules on non-price criteria in renewable energy auctions
  - Main specific components relevant for the NZIA access to markets chapter
  - Communication on shares of Union supply
  - Common criteria on strategic project selection
• Commission launches "calls for feedback" on Net-Zero Industry Act secondary legislation

FINANCE

• Agenda for: Meeting of the Expert Group on Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing - 02 June 2025
  
• Commissioner Albuquerque visits Spain for talks on the Savings and Investments Union, banking and regulatory simplification - Midday Express
• Submission of the final draft implementing technical standards on Resolution Planning Reporting - letter from the European Banking Authority (EBA)
• United Arab Emirates: Eighth EU-UAE Structural Dialogue on Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Concludes in Abu Dhabi

AGRICULTURE & FISHERIES

• Meeting of the "Agriculture and Fisheries" Council of 26 May 2025
  - The proposed ban on lead in ammunition and fishing tackle under the REACH - Information from Czechia and Slovakia
  -  Simplification of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR): difficulties in implementing the EUDR and the need for substantial simplification - Information from Luxembourg and Austria, supported by Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Finland, Italy, Latvia, Portugal, Romania and Slovenia

EMPLOYMENT & SOCIAL AFFAIRS

• European Labour Authority supports fair labour mobility in the EU - See the Report & the Working Document

ENERGY

• Call for evidence: Energy efficiency – ecodesign requirements for refrigerating appliances – revision - Regulation - Feedback period: 25 May 2025 - 22 June 2025
• Call for evidence: Energy efficiency – EU energy labelling rules for refrigerating appliances – revision - Delegated regulation - Feedback period: 25 May 2025 - 22 June 2025
• Call for evidence: Energy efficiency – ecodesign requirements for refrigerating appliances with a direct sales function – revision - Regulation - Feedback period: 25 May 2025 - 22 June 2025
• Call for evidence: Energy efficiency – EU energy labelling for refrigerating appliances with a direct sales function – revision - Delegated regulation - Feedback period: 25 May 2025 - 22 June 2025

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• Agenda for: Working Party on the Environment - 27 May 2025
• Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on Soil Monitoring and Resilience (Soil Monitoring Law) - Analysis of the final compromise text with a view to agreement
• EU organises firefighting teams and fleet of aircraft to support wildfire-hit countries

DIGITAL & INFORMATION SOCIETY

• Agenda for: Meeting of the RSC Radio Spectrum Committee - Decision n° 676/2002/EC - 02 July 2025
• Meeting of the TTE (Telecommunications) Council on 6 June 2025
  - Strengthening cooperation between the European Union and the International Telecommunications Union - main outcomes from the workshop "Brussels-Geneva Interlinks : Strengthening EU in the ITU" - Information from the Presidency
• Commission seeks views on the use of data to develop Artificial Intelligence

AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY & JUSTICE

• Commission and national authorities urge SHEIN to respect EU consumer protection laws
• Commissioner Brunner travels to Lithuania to discuss internal security and the situation on the EU Eastern border - Midday Express
• Call for evidence: Digital Justice strategy for 2025-2030 - Communication - Feedback period: 26 May 2025 - 23 June 2025

EURO, ECB & ECONOMY

• G7 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors’ Communiqué, Banff, Alberta, 20-22 May 2025
• Account of the monetary policy meeting of the Governing Council of the European Central Bank held in Frankfurt am Main on 16-17 April 2025

FUTURE OF EUROPE

• Agenda for: Meeting of the Coreper (Part.1 & Part.2) - 28 May 2025
• Commissioner McGrath attends the meeting of the General Affairs Council in Brussels - Midday Express

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• Foreign Affairs Council (Development) -  26 May 2025
  - Press remarks by High Representative Kaja Kallas upon arrival
  - Pathways to progress: maximising impact for sustainable development and global prosperity - Council conclusions ahead of the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development (26 May 2025)
  
• 2024 Annual Report on the implementation of the European Union's External Action Instruments in 2023 - Council conclusions (26 May 2025)
• EU-Brazil relations: President Costa to travel to Brazil to strengthen partnership and launch investment dialogue
• Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the EU on the alignment of certain countries with Council Decision concerning restrictive measures against cyber-attacks threatening the Union or its Member States
• Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the EU on the alignment of certain countries with Council Decision concerning restrictive measures against cyber-attacks threatening the Union or its Member States
• Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the EU on the alignment of certain countries with Council Decision concerning restrictive measures in respect of actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine