Europe Daily News, 12 February 2026

COMPETITION

• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.12254 - AAK / KLK / JV)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.12207 - Ardian / FIH / Milione )
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.12190 - Plenitude / SG Investor / JV)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.12239 - Taco / Ichikoh / VLS Chennai)
• Commission clears acquisition of Sealed Air by CD&R (M.12261) - Midday Express
• Commission clears acquisition of Unigestion PE by Sagard UK (M.12215) - Midday Express
• Lithuania - Vehicle spare parts suppliers that pretended to compete in public procurement procedures admit-breaching the law on competition
• Poland - “No such number” – the President of UOKiK brings charges against the company managing Facebook and Instagram
• Slovak Republic - PMÚ uncovered a cartel in a public tender for photovoltaic equipment and imposed fines totaling more than
• UEFA, European Football Clubs and Real Madrid CF reach agreement for the good of European club football

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Council gives final green light to new customs duty rules for small parcels
• Overview of free trade agreements as of 11 February 2026
• Free Trade Agreement table under ratification as of 11 February 2026
• Joint Report of the 12th Meeting - EU-Moldova Association Committee in Trade Configuration - 18 & 19 November 2025
• Answer given by Mr Šefčovič to a MEP written question - Exemptions for the life-science value chain in upcoming EU US trade measures
• Answer given by Mr Šefčovič to a MEP written question - Application of newly adopted safeguard measures on imports of ferro-alloying elements to the Everything But Arms beneficiary countries

CBAM

• Joint call of European & Global industry for the removal of Article 27a of the proposed revision of the CBAM Regulation

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

• Answer given by EVP Séjourné to a MEP written question - Monitoring and data in relation to the EU’s annual consumption of strategic raw materials and the end uses of these materials

EUROPEAN INDUSTRY SUMMIT

• Opening keynote speech by President von der Leyen at the Antwerp European Industry Summit
• Remarks by President António Costa at the doorstep ahead of the informal EU leaders' retreat
• European Container Glass Federation urges EU leaders to act swiftly to safeguard European industry
• Steel industry warns EU high electricity prices threaten Europe’s economic competitiveness - Eurofer Statement
• An ambitious EU competitiveness agenda must place the future of the European agri-food chain at its core - Joint Statement for EU Leaders’ Retreat
• How to deploy ‘Buy European’ rules - They should be a scalpel, not a sledgehammer - Financial Times
• Europeans need to stop the hypocrisy to thrive - Improving competitiveness and strengthening the single market are key - Financial Times
• EU needs a ‘big bang’ on regulation, says top official - European Council president António Costa blames national capitals for inertia that has left economy trailing China - Financial Times

CHEMICALS

• 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(2026)597 - chromium trioxide)
• One in five hazardous mixtures not reported to poison centres - ECHA/NR/26/08

FINANCE

• Property loans: a bank’s obligation to provide information does not require it to disclose to the consumer the details of the methodology of a regulated benchmark used to calculate a variable interest rate (See CPR No.14/2026 - Judgment of the Court in Case C-471/24, PKO BP (Critical benchmark))
• Judgment of the Court of 12 February 2026 in Case C-864/24, GT, Beteiligungen im Baltikum AG, VCI Venture Capital und Immobilien AG Vs. Valora Effekten Handel AG,
  Re: Reference for a preliminary ruling - Directive 2004/109/EC - Harmonisation of transparency requirements concerning information on issuers whose securities are admitted to trading on a regulated market established or operating in a Member State - Notification of the acquisition of substantial shareholdings in companies - Acquisition of such shareholdings by persons acting in concert - Article 3(1a), fourth subparagraph - Concept of ‘stricter requirements’ - Legislative, regulatory or administrative provisions adopted with regard to takeover bids, mergers and other transactions affecting the ownership and control of undertakings
• Public consultation: Listing Act and Prospectus Regulation – alleviated prospectus and supervisory convergence (delegated act) - Delegated regulation - Feedback period: 11 February 2026 - 11 March 2026
• Commission launches public consultation on EU banking - Midday Express

TAXATION

• Opinion of Advocate General Kokott of 12 February 2026 in Case C‑837/24, Nova Iberomoldes - SGPS, S.A. Vs. Autoridade Tributária e Aduaneira
  Re: Request for a preliminary ruling - Indirect taxes on the raising of capital - Contribution of shares to a company - Compatibility of a tax on transfers of immovable property with Directive 2008/7 - Transfer duty - Indirect transfer of immovable property by way of a transfer of at least 75% of the share capital in a company that owns immovable property
• Answer given by Mr Hoekstra to a MEP written question - Evaluation of the Council Directive on administrative cooperation in the field of taxation (DAC)
• Answer given by Mr Hoekstra to a MEP written question - Simplification for energy and tax

AGRICULTURE & FISHERIES

• New rules to protect farmers against unfair trading practices -  See the EPRS Briefing
• Commissioner Hansen participates in the world's largest fair for organic products and engages with young farmers - Midday Express

ENERGY

• Opinion of Advocate General Kokott of 12 February 2026in Joined Cases C‑722/24 and C‑756/24, SIA ‘Elektro bizness’, Other party: Sabiedrisko pakalpojumu regulēšanas komisija (C‑722/24) and Sabiedrisko pakalpojumu regulēšanas komisija, Other party: SIA ‘Jelgavas autobusu Parks’ (C‑756/24)
  Re: References for a preliminary ruling - Internal market for electricity - Directive (EU) 2019/944 - Article 2(41) - Concept of direct line - Customer’s freedom to choose - Complete disconnection from the network - Connection of a customer to an existing electricity line - Connection of multiple customers
• Strategic partnership between the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria and the European Union in the field of energy: High-Level Annual Meeting

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• European Union's 7th National Report to the Convention on Biological Diversity on progress in the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework

DIGITAL & INFORMATION SOCIETY

• Agenda for: Horizontal Working Party on Cyber Issues - 16 February 2026
  
• Agenda for: Meeting of the Antici Group (Simplification: Omnibus VII: Digital (AI) & Omnibus IV: Digitalisation and Common Specifications) - 18 February 2026
  
• Digital Omnibus: EDPB and EDPS support simplification and competitiveness while raising key concerns - See the Joint opinion 2/2026
• The fading hopes of Europe’s telcos - Sector companies are struggling to win Brussels’ backing for consolidation - Financial Times

TRANSPORT & MOBILITY

• Advocate General Campos Sánchez-Bordona: An annual passenger limit imposed by a planning authority may be taken into account when allocating slots at an airport with capacity problems (See CPR No.17/2026 - Advocate General's Opinion in Case C-857/24, daa and Others)

AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY & JUSTICE

• EPPO: Council appoints new prosecutors for Belgium (Jennifer Vanderputten) and Czechia (Pavel Zeman)
• The obligation imposed by Lithuanian law on a private international school to review whether its staff meet a requirement for proficiency in the Lithuanian language potentially fails to have regard to freedom of establishment (See CPR No.13/2026 - Judgment of the Court in Case C-48/24, Vilniaus tarptautinė mokykla)
• Advocate General Kokott: Hungary infringed EU law by adopting the Law on the protection of national sovereignty (See CPR No.16/2026 - Advocate General’s Opinion in Case C-829/24, Commission Vs. Hungary (Protection against foreign political interference))
• Advocate General Tamara Ćapeta proposes that the Court of Justice annul the Commission’s decision lifting the suspension on the disbursement of funds to Hungary (See CPR No.15/2026 - Advocate General’s Opinion in Case C-225/24, Parliament Vs. Commission)
• Call for evidence: 3rd Report on the implementation of the Directive on the fight against fraud to the Union’s financial interests - Report - Feedback period: 12 February 2026 - 12 March 2026

ECB, EURO & ECONOMY

• ECB and ESRB issue joint report analysing financial stability risks from linkages between banks and the non-bank financial intermediation sector
• New data release: ECB wage tracker continues to suggest normalisation of negotiated wage pressures in 2026
• ECB appoints Thomas Broeng Jorgensen as Director General Specialised Institutions and Less Significant Institutions
• Speech by Piero Cipollone: "Europe and monetary sovereignty"
• Financial stability risks from linkages between banks and the non-bank financial intermediation sector
• Margins as canaries in the coal mine - ECB Working Paper Series - No.3187
• Fiscal monitoring with VARs - ECB Working Paper Series - No.3186
• Why is Europe lagging behind in high tech sectors? The role of institutional and regulatory quality - ECB Working Paper Series - No.3185
• Climate change, catastrophes, insurance and the macroeconomy - ECB Working Paper Series - No.3184
• ECB staff opinion on the revised European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS) 

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• EU-Maldives: Joint Press release on the First Partnership Dialogue
• Human rights violations in Iran, Türkiye and Uganda - See the EP Statement
• President von der Leyen participates in the 2026 Munich Security Conference - Midday Express
• Joint Statement by the European Commission, African Union Commission, and UN on the International Day against the Use of Child Soldiers

FOREIGN AFFAIRS COUNCIL

• Main Results of the Foreign Affairs Council (Defence)
• Press remarks by High Representative Kaja Kallas upon arrival
• SAFE: Council clears path for financial assistance to eight member states and concluding the Canada agreement
• EU Special Representatives: Council extends the mandates of the EUSRs for Human Rights and the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue

EU/RUSSIA/UKRAINE

• Judgment of the Court of 12 February 2026 in Case C-313/24, Opera Laboratori Fiorentini SpA Vs. Ministero della Cultura, Gallerie degli Uffizi, A.L.E.S. - Arte Lavoro e Servizi SpA, in the presence of: Scudieri International Srl
  Re: Reference for a preliminary ruling - CFSP - Restrictive measures taken in view of actions by Russia destabilizing the situation in Ukraine - Regulation (EU) No 833/2014 -Article 5 duodecies(1)(c) - Prohibition on awarding and continuing the performance of any public contract or concession contract to or with a natural or legal person, entity or body acting ‘on behalf of or under the instructions’ of an ‘entity referred to in point (a) or (b) of this paragraph’ - Award of a public contract by the authorities of a Member State to a resident company of which two three members of its board of directors are Russian nationals, and one of them, chairman and managing director of that same board, is also the sole director of the parent company of the company in question.
• Commissioner Lahbib visits Ukraine to reiterate EU support - Midday Express