Europe Daily News, 21 January 2026

COMPETITION

• Judgment of the General Court of 21 January 2026 in Case T‑93/24, Lantmännen ek för, Lantmännen Biorefineries AB, Vs. European Commission
  Re: Competition - Agreements, decisions and concerted practices - Markets for ethanol and for bioethanol - Decision establishing an infringement of Article 101 TFEU and Article 53 of the EEA Agreement - Staggered ‘hybrid’ procedure - Presumption of innocence - Impartiality
• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.12159 - Nemak / GF Casting Solutions Business)
• Commission clears acquisition of Aligned by GIM and MGX (M.12259) - Midday Express

STATE AID

• Commission opens in-depth investigation into arbitration award ordering Bulgaria to pay compensation to ACF (SA.114457)
• Commission approves €18.2 million Italian State aid to support investments in the dairy sector (SA.119750) - Midday Express

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Agenda for: Working Party on Trade Questions - 21 January 2026
• Revised Agenda for: Working Party on Customs Union - 22 January 2026
• Agenda for: Trade Policy Committee (Services & Investment) - 28 January 2026
• Proposal for a Council Decision on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union in the World Trade Organization’s 14th Ministerial Conference
• Answer given by Mr Šefčovič to a MEP written question - EU customs policy and unequal treatment vis-à-vis Asian low-cost suppliers
• EU moves closer to using its trade bazooka against the US - Capitals are backing a more forceful response to Donald Trump’s tariff threats - Politico.eu
• EU-Mercosur trade deal stalled as MEPs send it for judicial review - Opponents of the Latin American accord prevail, potentially delaying it for up to two years - Politico.eu
• Trump’s tariff threats are ‘wrong’ and EU is ‘prepared to act,’ says von der Leyen - EC chief says trade diversification needed to reduce Brussels’ dependency on the U.S.  - Politico.eu
• Can the EU keep up with Donald Trump in a trade war? - While the US president fires off social media posts increasing tariffs, the bloc has to overcome political divisions to retaliate - Financial Times
• Europe struggles to end reliance on Russian uranium - Western fuel companies say cheap supplies and lack of political will risk locking the continent into strategic dependency - Financial Times

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

• EU competitiveness: MEPs propose new legal framework for innovative companies
• Answer given by by EVP Séjourné to a MEP written question - Extra costs for intra-EU deliveries to island Member States
• Report from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on the status of production expansion of relevant food and feed crops worldwide

CHEMICALS

• Judgment of the General Court of 21 January 2026 in Case T‑174/24, Djchem Chemicals Poland S.A., The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company Vs. European Commission, supported by Federal Republic of Germany, by Kingdom of the Netherlands, and by European Chemicals Agency (ECHA)
  Re: Environment and protection of human health - Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 - Classification, labelling and packaging of certain substances and certain mixtures - Delegated Regulation (EU) 2024/197 - Classification and labelling of 1,4-Benzenediamine, N,N’-mixed Ph and tolyl derivs. - Criteria for classification of a substance in the hazard class reproductive toxicity category 1B - Multi-constituent substance - Relevance of adverse effects in humans - Read-across - Manifest errors of assessment - Equal treatment - Proportionality - Rights of the defence
• Answer given by by EVP Séjourné to a MEP written question - Conflict of interest and regulation of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)

FINANCE

• Commission announces members of third Platform on Sustainable Finance - Midday Express
• Answer given by Ms Albuquerque to a MEP written question - China’s biased conduct towards Lithuanian financial institutions
• Answer given by Ms Albuquerque to a MEP written question - Russian sabotage activities and non-inclusion of Russia on the EU list of high-risk third countries for money laundering and terrorist financing
• ESMA - Public statement on transitional provisions under the BMR review
• ESMA - Statement on Significant benchmarks notified under Article 24(2) of the Benchmark Regulation
• EBA and AMLA complete handover of AML/CFT mandates
• EBA - The Joint Bank Reporting Committee publishes its 2026 Work Programme and recommendations to enhance semantic integration on ESG definitions

EMPLOYMENT & SOCIAL POLICY

• Commission proposes to support over 250 dismissed workers in Belgium with €1.6 million
• MISSOC releases new update of its database on national social protection systems

ENERGY

• EU Energy and Raw Materials Platform - Hydrogen Mechanism: Phase launched for EU buyers to consult supply offers and express interest

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• Agenda for: Working Party on International Environment Issues (Int. Chemicals/ Synergies) - 22 January 2026
• Ship recycling: New certificate formats to reduce administrative burden
• Commission Implementing Decision on the format of the ready for recycling certificate
• Commission Implementing Decision on the format of the certificate on the inventory of hazardous materials
• Answer given by Ms Roswall to a MEP written question - Exports of chemicals banned in the EU
• Answer given by Ms Roswall to a MEP written question - Inefficiency of the Green Deal: high costs, minimal results
• Answer given by Ms Roswall to a MEP written question - Need for an EU regulation setting a mandatory minimum distance between asbestos landfill sites and population centres
• Answer given by Ms Roswall to a MEP written question - Potential inclusion of Pernambuco in CITES of Wild Fauna and Flora Appendix I and safeguarding European cultural heritage

DIGITAL & INFORMATION SOCIETY

• EU supports digital connectivity with simpler and harmonised rules in Digital Networks Act - see the QaA, the FactSheet and Remarks by EVP Virkkunen 
  - Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on digital networks, amending Regulation (EU) 2015/2120, Directive 2002/58/EC and Decision No 676/2002/EC and repealing Regulation (EU) 2018/1971, Directive (EU) 2018/1972 and Decision No 243/2012/EU (Digital Networks Act) - Summary of impact assessment
  - Report from the Commission to the European Parliament and of the Council: Evaluation of BEREC and the BEREC Office - See also the Commission Staff Working Document
• Commission strengthens EU cybersecurity resilience and capabilities - See the QaA, the FactSheet, and Remarks by EVP Virkkunen
  - The NIS2 targeted amendments & the revised Cybersecurity Act
• EuroHPC Regulation amended to strengthen Europe’s AI and quantum capabilities
• Inside Europe’s digital habits: the latest e-communications Eurobarometer survey

AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY & JUSTICE

• Commission presents new Anti-Racism Strategy to continue building a true Union of Equality
  - Remarks by Commissioner Lahbib on the new Anti-Racism Strategy
• Croatia: Five persons arrested on suspicion of committing the criminal offences of subsidy fraud and document forgery
• Poland: EPPO orders additional arrest in probe into members of religious group suspected of fraudulently selling food destined for refugees and deprived persons
• Italy: EPPO seizes over 230 000 garments and 5.5 million metres of smuggled fabric from China (Evasion of import VAT and custom duties to the amount of €3.6 million)

ECB, EURO & ECONOMY

• Stability and Growth Pact: Council opens excessive deficit procedure for Finland

FUTURE OF EUROPE

• Tentative agenda for forthcoming Commission meeting from 29 January 2026 to 25 March 2026 as of 20 January 2026
• Report by President António Costa to the European Parliament plenary session
• Speech by President von der Leyen at the EP Plenary debate on the conclusions of the European Council meeting of 18 December 2025 and a stronger and more sovereign Europe amid rising geopolitical tensions and continuous threats to the rules-based order

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• Commission announces €1.9 billion humanitarian aid budget for 2026
• Statement by Commissioner Lahbib on the demolition of the UNRWA compound in East Jerusalem

EU/RUSSIA/UKRAINE

• Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the EU on the alignment of certain countries concerning restrictive measures in view of Russia’s actions destabilising the situation in Ukraine
• Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the EU on the alignment of certain countries concerning restrictive measures in view of Russia’s actions destabilising the situation in Ukraine
• Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the EU on the alignment of certain countries concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Belarus and the involvement of Belarus in the Russian aggression against Ukraine
• Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the EU on the alignment of certain countries concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Russia
• Answer given by HR/VP Kallas to a MEP written question - Ensuring the timely establishment and funding of the EU Cyber Defence and Coordination Centre