Europe Daily News, 03 July 2025

COMPETITION

• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.12027 - ICG / Capiton / DEC)
• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.12031 - Investcorp / PSP / Crosscountry)
• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11988 - AAS / Sinopec / FPCL / Gulei II JV)
• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.12021 - PIC / Wanhua / Wanhua Petrochemical)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11874 - Frasers / XXL)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11918 - Saeme / ID Logistics / ID Logistics Polska 4)
• Belgium - The Competition Authority publishes its 2024 Annual Report
• Belgium - Decision in Case 25-CC-25-AUD : ACB Group NV / Lacom NV
• Belgium - Notification MEDE-CCS-25/0022 : Ghent Transport & Storage NV / Cargill NV – JV Ghent Renewables NV
• Denmark - The competition watchdog said it had carried out unannounced inspections in the robotic lawnmower industry
• Germany - Bundeskartellamt - Quarterly report of the Market Transparency Unit for Fuels - 02 July 2025
• Italy - The AGCM has opened talks with the EU regulator over airfares’ opaque algorithmic pricing

STATE AID

• Judgment of the Court of 03 July 2025 in Case C-653/23, “TOODE” SIA Vs. Valsts ieņēmumu dienests
  Re: Reference for a preliminary ruling - State aid - Article 107(1) TFEU - Aid scheme authorised by the European Commission - Support for the economy in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic - Refusal by the competent authority to grant aid - Action for an order that the court seised adopt a favourable administrative act ex nunc - Expiry, in the course of the court proceedings, of the period prescribed for the grant of the aid - Date on which the aid is deemed to have been granted - Article 47 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union - Right to an effective judicial remedy - Regulation (EU) 2015/1589 - Article 1 - Existing aid
• Judgment of the Court of 03 July 2025 in Case C-628/24 P,  Communauté d'Agglomération du Boulonnais Vs. European Commission
  Re: Appeal - State aid - Tax exemption for operators of French ports - Successive complaints - Concept of “interested party” - Concept of 'purely confirmatory act
• Commission Recommendation on tax incentives to support the Clean Industrial Deal and in light of the Clean Industrial Deal State aid Framework

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Agenda for: Meeting of the EP INTA Committee - 14 & 15 July 2025
• Agenda for: Meeting of the Market Access Advisory Committee - 09 July 2025
• Public Consultation: Commission Implementing Regulation for goods brought to the exclusive economic zone of Member States - Implementing regulation - Feedback period: 02 July 2025 - 30 July 2025
• Agenda for: 271st Meeting of the Tariff and Statistical Nomenclature - Section of the Customs Code Committee (Sub-Section Combined Nomenclature) - 03 July 2025
• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1309 of 2 July 2025 imposing a definitive anti-dumping duty on imports of certain tube and pipe fittings originating in the Republic of Korea, Malaysia and the Russian Federation following an expiry review pursuant to Article 11(2) of the Regulation (EU) 2016/1036 of the European Parliament and of the Council
• Remove TRIPS+ demands from the EFTA-Malaysia Free-Trade Agreement
• EU splits weaken its hand in crunch trade talks with Trump - European capitals are pulling in different directions ahead of a decisive round of trade talks in Washington - Politico.eu

EU/UK TCA

• Council Decision (EU) 2025/1300 of 17 June 2025 establishing the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union in the Partnership Council 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 decision No 1/2025 of the Partnership Council
• Council Decision (EU) 2025/1301 of 17 June 2025 establishing the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union in a Specialised Committee 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 a decision of that Specialised Committee
• Council Decision (EU) 2025/1302 of 17 June 2025 establishing the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union in the Partnership Council 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 decision No 2/2025 of the Partnership Council

EU-MERCOSUR

• Assess-EU-Mercosur 2.0: Assessing the final agreement text of the Association Agreement between the EU and Mercosur - See the Report
• United call by EU Farmers' and Agricultural Workers' Organisations to oppose the EU-Mercosur Trade Agreement

CBAM

• CBAM: Commission announces plan to mitigate carbon leakage risk for exporters
• Amending Regulation (EU) 2023/956 as regards simplifying and strengthening the carbon border adjustment mechanism - Consolidated text as adopted by the EP ENVI Committee

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

• Public Consultation: EU Design Implementing Regulation - Implementing regulation - Feedback period: 02 July 2025 - 30 July 2025
• Product safety and regulatory compliance in e-commerce and non-EU imports - See the Report by Salvatore De Meo MEP & EP Briefing
• Report by MEP Hildegard Bentele on the future of the EU biotechnology and biomanufacturing sector: leveraging research, boosting innovation and enhancing competitiveness

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) 3880 - chromium trioxide) 

TAXATION

• Judgment of the Court of 03 July 2025 in Case C-605/23, “Ati-19” EOOD Vs. Nachalnik na otdel “Operativni deynosti” - Sofia Vs. Glavna direktsia “Fiskalen kontrol” pri Tsentralno upravlenie na Natsionalna agentsia za prihodite
  Re: Reference for a preliminary ruling - Common system of VAT - Directive 2006/112/EC - Article 273 - First paragraph of Article 47 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union - Right to an effective remedy - Coercive administrative measure sealing up business premises - Application for suspension - Limited judicial review
• Judgment of the Court of 03 July 2025 in Case C-808/23, Högkullen AB Vs. Skatteverket,
  Re: Reference for a preliminary ruling - Taxation - Common system of VAT - Directive 2006/112/EC - Article 72 - Normal value - Article 80 - Reassessment of the taxable amount - Parent company providing services to its subsidiaries in connection with the active management of those subsidiaries - Determination of the normal value
• Opinion of Advocate General Kokott of 03 July 2025 in Case C‑796/23, Česká síť s. r. o. Vs. Odvolací finanční ředitelství
  Re: Request for a preliminary ruling - Tax legislation - VAT - Directive 2006/112/EC - Article 9(1) - Concept of taxable person - Legal capacity - Allocation of turnover to a taxable person - Joint action by several persons as members of a ‘society’ that does not have legal personality - Determination of thE person liable for payment of the tax 

ENERGY

• Investment of €3.66 billion from EU emissions trading revenues in cleaner energy systems
• Report by MEP Beata Szydlo on the "security of energy supply" in the European Union
• New EU Energy and Raw Materials Platform to support the competitiveness and decarbonisation of European industry
• Commission continues action to lower energy bills with new guidance on renewables, grids infrastructure and network tariffs
• Public Consultation: Energy labelling of low temperature heat emitters - Delegated regulation - Feedback period/ 01 July 2025 - 29 July 2025
• Commission Recommendation on innovative technologies and forms of renewable energy deployment, on the establishment of areas for grid and storage infrastructure necessary to integrate renewable energy into the electricity system in accordance with Article15(e) of revised Directive (EU) 2018/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council, and on future proof network charges to reduce energy system costs
• ACER’s 2024 performance fostered integration of EU energy markets

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• Minutes of the 88th Standing Committee on Biocidal Products - 20 June 2025
• EU fights forest fires as summer heat intensifies - Midday Express
• Public Consultation: Green-listing certain waste for the purposes of shipments to recovery between Member States - Delegated regulation - Feedback period: 02 July 2025 - 31 October 2025
• Remarks by Executive Vice-President Ribera and Commissioner Hoekstra at the press conference on the proposal for an EU climate target for 2040

DIGITAL & INFORMATION SOCIETY

• Commission seeks feedback on the review of the Digital Markets Act (until 24 September 2025) - Midday Express
• Commission launches strategy to make "Europe Quantum" leader by 2030 - See the QaA, the FactSheet & Remarks by EVP Virkkunen
• European CEOs urge Brussels to halt landmark AI Act - The heads of Airbus and BNP Paribas join intense lobbying effort against new regulations - Financial Times
• America must not defang Europe’s new tech law - The EU’s DMA is the world’s most potent tool to curtail monopolistic self-dealing by US Big Tech - Financial Times
• Digital sovereignty can’t be bargained away - The European Commission has tools, public support and a mandate to act on Big Tech. Trading that away for short-term calm would be a costly mistake - Politico.eu

DATA PRIVACY

• EDPB -The Helsinki Statement on enhanced clarity, support and engagement
• EDPB - Irish SA announces conclusion of investigation into use of facial matching technology in connection with the Public Services Card by the Irish Department of Social Protection
• EDPB - Irish SA imposes €125,000 Administrative fine following Inquiry into City of Dublin Education and Training Board (CDETB)
• EDPB - The Norwegian SA issues one administrative fine and five reprimands for unlawful sharing of personal information through tracking pixels

TRANSPORT & MOBILITY

• Agenda for: Commission Expert Group on the technical pillar of the 4th Railway Package - 04 July 2025
• Agenda for: Commission Expert Group established to support the enforcement of Road Safety related traffic rules - 18 July 2025
• EU invests €2.8 billion in 94 transport projects to boost sustainable and connected mobility across Europe

AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY & JUSTICE

• International protection: Greek legislation obliging an applicant for international protection to appear in person at the hearing to examine his or her appeal and providing for a presumption that an appeal has been improperly brought in the event of non-compliance with that obligation is contrary to EU law (See CPR Nº 82/2025 - Judgment of the Court of Justice in Case C-610/23, Al Nasiria)
• Bankrupt consumer: the bankruptcy court must be able to examine exofficio whether contractual terms are unfair (See CPR Nº 83/2025 - Judgment of the Court of Justice in Case C-582/23, Wiszkier)
• How to protect yourself from cybercrime: seven tips to be safe online - See the EP Briefing

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• Judgment of the Court of 3 July 2025 in Case C‑326/24 P, Grodno Azot AAT, Khimvolokno Plant Vs. Council of the European Union
  Re: Appeal - Restrictive measures taken in view of the situation in Belarus as regards democracy, the rule of law and human rights - Lists of persons, entities and bodies subject to the freezing of funds and economic resources - Inclusion and maintenance on those lists of Belarusian undertakings almost wholly owned by the State - Listing criterion related to ‘support to the Lukashenko regime’ - Obligation imposed on certain Belarusian undertakings owned or controlled by the State to pay part of their profits to the State pursuant to a mandatory State measure
• China: High Representative/Vice-President Kaja Kallas holds EU-China Strategic Dialogue with Foreign Minister Wang Yi