Europe Daily News, 24 June 2025

COMPETITION

• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11825 - Verbund / SW Münster / JV)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11954 - Solina / Portobello / Eurocebollas)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.12008 - Reitan Retail / Norwegian / Strawberry / Spenn)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11996 - EMIF II Holding / AC / AC Logistics Holdings Corporation)
• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11959 - Thermo Fisher Scientific / Solventum (Purification & Filtration Business))
• Commission has published its decision approving the acquisition of the Dairy Food Group by A-Ware dairy & Cream (M.11699)
• Commission clears acquisition of Karafun Group by Vendis and Verlinvest (M.12024) - Midday Express
• Commission approves the acquisition of Dorna by Liberty Media without conditions (M.11539)
• Denmark - The Competition and Consumer Authority takes a closer look at the broadband market
• Italy - AGCM fines totalling over €32 million imposed on Novamont and its parent company Eni for abuse of dominant position
• Switzerland - COMCO investigates relative market power of Nivea products

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Agenda for: Trade Policy Committee (Experts - Services and Investment) - 02 July 2025
• Notice of initiation of an expiry review of the anti-subsidy measures applicable to imports of continuous Filament Glass Fibre Products (CN codes 7019 11 00, ex 7019 12 00, 7019 14 00 and 7019 15 00) originating in Egypt 
• Explanatory notes to the Combined Nomenclature of the European Union (‘ 9505 90 00 Other)
• Proposal for a Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on the adoption by the Union of the Agreement on the interpretation and application of the Energy Charter Treaty between the European Union, the European Atomic Energy Community and their Member States - Outcome of the European Parliament's first reading (Strasbourg, 16 to 19 June 2025)
• WTO - Panels established to review Canadian surtaxes, Chinese duties on farm and fish products

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

• Agenda for: Meeting of the Antici Group (Simplification) - 25 June 2025
• Simplification: Council agrees position on sustainability reporting and due diligence requirements to boost EU competitiveness
• Commission launches AI tools on online platform for researchers and industry - Midday Express
• Europe’s plan to finally make its single market work - Three decades after it was launched, hundreds of barriers still persist within the EU. In an era of trade wars, Brussels has made it a key priority - Financial Times

DEFENCE INDUSTRY

• European Defence Industry Programme: Council ready to start negotiations with the European Parliament
• Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world - Norms are eroding and old certainties are being challenged — we must act accordingly - Financial Times

CHEMICAL

• Summary of European Commission Decisions on authorisations for the placing on the market for the use and/or for use of substances listed in Annex XIV to Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning the REACH (C(2025) 3765 - potassium dichromate)

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• Agenda for: 3rd Meeting of Expert Group on the Nature Restoration Regulation - 01 July 2025
• Directive (EU) 2025/1237 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 June 2025 amending Council Directive 92/43/EEC as regards the protection status of the wolf (Canis lupus)
• Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters (Aarhus Convention) Twenty-ninth meeting of the Working Group of the Parties (WGP 29) (Geneva, 2 - 4 July 2025) - First EU coordination
• Commission threatens to kill forest protection law - Threatening to kill green legislation is becoming a habit in Brussels - See the Statement by the Commission - Politico.eu
• Ribera fought Commission plan to nix greenwashing rules - The vice president of the EU executive pressured the environment commissioner over several days to preserve the law - Politico.eu

DATA PRIVACY & CYBERSECURITY

• Agenda for: Working Party on Data Protection - 25 June 2025
• Commission presents Roadmap for effective and lawful access to data for law enforcement 
• Commission extends the free and safe flow of data with the UK by six months - see  Midday Express
  - Technical extension of the UK Data Adequacy Decision on the LED
  - Technical extension of the UK Data Adequacy Decision on the GDPR
• Proposal for a Council Implementing Decision on Authorising Support from the EU Cybersecurity Reserve for Moldova
• ENISA - Annual Report - Trust Services Security Incidents 2024
• Ireland - Inquiry into City of Dublin Education and Training Board (CDETB)

AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY & JUSTICE

• Mobile EU citizens: Council strengthens rules on right to vote and stand as a candidate in elections to the European Parliament

ECB, EURO & ECONOMY

• The European Commission to issue €70 billion in EU-Bonds in the second half of 2025
• Commission Annual Tax Report shows fall in EU tax revenues, amid stable tax mix and growing reform efforts
• ECB publishes consolidated banking data for end-December 2024
• Speech by Christine Lagarde, President of the ECB, at the Hearing of the EP ECOFIN Committee

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• Main results: Meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council - 23 June 2025 - Remarks by HR Kaja Kallas
  - EU imposes restrictive measures on five Syrian individuals associated with the former Assad regime for supporting crimes against humanity and for fueling sectarian violence - See Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1256 & Council Decision (CFSP) 2025/1255
  - 80th UN General Assembly: Council approves conclusions on EU priorities
  - Syria: Council approves conclusions
• Council Decision (CFSP) 2025/1252 of 23 June 2025 appointing the European Union Special Representative for Human Rights
• Statement by the HR on behalf of the European Union on the alignment of certain countries concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Guatemala (Decision (CFSP) 2025/1199)
• Joint read-out from the meeting between President von der Leyen and Prime Minister Luxon (New Zealand)

EU-CANADA SUMMIT

• EU and Canada sign security and defence partnership at the joint 20th Summit
• Remarks by President António Costa at the press conference following the EU-Canada summit
• Joint Statement following the European Union - Canada 2025 Summit: Enduring Partnership, Ambitious Agenda
• Statement by President von der Leyen at the joint press conference with President Costa and Prime Minister Carney of Canada

EU/UKRAINE/RUSSIA

• Action brought on 10 March 2025 - Belyavtseva Vs. Council (Case T-176/25)
  Re: annulment of Council Decision (CFSP) 2024/3174 & Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/318
• FAQs on sanctions against Russia and Belarus, with focus on the following provision: Article 3s of Council Regulation 833/2014 - Targeted Vessels
• Consolidated version of the FAQs on sanctions against Russia and Belarus