Europe Daily News, 24 April 2026

20TH SANCTIONS PACKAGE

• EU adopts 20th package of sanctions against Russia - QaA
• Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine: 20th round of stern EU sanctions hits energy revenues, military industrial complex, trade and financial services including crypto
  -  Council Regulation (EU) 2026/511 of 23 April 2026 amending Regulation (EU) No 269/2014 concerning restrictive measures in respect of actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine
  - Council Decision (CFSP) 2026/504 of 23 April 2026 amending Decision 2014/145/CFSP concerning restrictive measures in respect of actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine
  - Council Implementing Decision (CFSP) 2026/503 of 23 April 2026 implementing Decision 2012/642/CFSP concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Belarus and the involvement of Belarus in the Russian aggression against Ukraine
  - Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/505 of 23 April 2026 implementing Article 8a(1) of Regulation (EC) No 765/2006 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Belarus and the involvement of Belarus in the Russian aggression against Ukraine
  - Council Regulation (EU) 2026/513 of 23 April 2026 amending Regulation (EC) No 765/2006 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Belarus and the involvement of Belarus in the Russian aggression against Ukraine
  - Council Decision (CFSP) 2026/512 of 23 April 2026 amending Decision 2012/642/CFSP concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Belarus and the involvement of Belarus in the Russian aggression against Ukraine
  - Council Decision (CFSP) 2026/508 of 23 April 2026 amending Decision 2014/512/CFSP concerning restrictive measures in view of Russia’s actions destabilising the situation in Ukraine
  - Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/509 of 23 April 2026 implementing Regulation (EU) No 269/2014 concerning restrictive measures in respect of actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine

COMPETITION

• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.12379 - Bain Capital / Tingstad Group)
• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.12375 - DAE / MAF)
• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.12311 - Messer / Ambrian Energy / JV)
• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.12377 - Telia Company / Brookfield / Valokuitunen)
• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.12407 - Goldbeck Group / Manfred Zauner / Zauner)
• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.12220 - Capital Maritime / Fortress / Hayfin / United Offshore)
• Commission clears acquisition of Groupe Atlantic by Paloma Rheem (M.12334) - Midday Express
• Commission clears creation of joint venture by Züblin and Geiger (M.12350) - Midday Express
• Greece - Territorial supply constraints are restrictions of competition found in vertical agreements
• Latvia - The Competition Council’s findings on the rise in fuel prices in the first quarter of 2026
• UK - The CMA has cleared the completed acquisitions by Hays Travel Ltd of Polka Dot Travel Ltd and The Independent Travel Company Ltd (trading as Millington Travel)
• UK - The CMA has cleared the anticipated acquisition by LB Group Co., Ltd of TiO2 business-related assets of Venator Materials UK Limited
• UK - Find measures by the Competition and Markets Authority under the digital markets competition regime: Apple & Google

STATE AID

• Authorisation for State aid pursuant to Articles 107 and 108 of the TFEU - Cases where the Commission raises no objections - SA.101951 & SA.119368 

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Agenda for: Working Party on European Free Trade Association (EFTA) - 28 April 2026
• Agenda for: “Economic Tariff Questions Group” meeting (Tariff suspensions for chemical, agricultural products & for microelectronic products; Tariff quotas) - 11 & 12 May 2026
• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) …/... of XXX laying down rules for the application of Regulation (EU) No 952/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards opening and providing for the management of Union tariff quotas for products originating in Mercosur
• Council Decision on the position to be taken on behalf of the EU within the CETA Joint Committee established under the CETA between Canada, of the one part, and the EU and its Member States, of the other part, as regards the adoption of a decision concerning the inclusion of active pharmaceutical ingredients as the medicinal products or drugs listed in paragraph 2 of the Annex 1 to the Protocol on the mutual recognition of the compliance and enforcement programme regarding good manufacturing practices for pharmaceutical products - Adoption
• Amendments of the European Parliament to the Commission proposal - Regulation (EU) 2026/… of the European Parliament and of the Council of … on applying a generalised scheme of tariff preferences and repealing Regulation (EU) No 978/2012
• Answer given by Executive Vice-President Séjourné to a MEP written question - EU origin status for Turkish products
• Answer given by Mr Šefčovič to a MEP written question - Agreement between the EU and Australia: what are the consequences for the EU’s livestock sectors?
• Copa-Cogeca calls for stronger safeguard mechanisms for EU rice market

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

• EU to strengthen regional dimension of research and innovation

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: chromium trioxide: C(2026) 2333; C(2026) 2363 & C(2026) 2437

TAXATION

• Opinion of Advocate General Biondi of 23 April 2026 in Case C‑197/25, A. sp. z o.o. Vs. Dyrektor Izby Administracji Skarbowej w Zielonej Górze, with the participation of: Rzecznik Małych i Średnich Przedsiębiorców (Ombudsman for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, Poland), Prokuratura Krajowa (National Public Prosecutor’s Office, Poland)
  Re: Reference for a preliminary ruling- Directive 2008/7/EC - Indirect taxes on the raising of capital - Conversion of a partnership operating for profit into another partnership operating for profit - Article 2(2) - Certain entities deemed to be capital companies - Article 9 - Possibility for Member States to derogate from regarding such entities as equivalent to capital companies - Scope - Article 5(1)(a) and Article 7(1) - Concept of ‘capital duty’ - Article 3 - Presence of a contribution of capital

ENERGY

• Commission Recommendation (EU) 2026/917 of 22 April 2026 on removing barriers to the development of power purchase agreements and other energy purchase agreements
• ACER’s updated unit investment indicators show rising energy infrastructure costs that call for closer monitoring
• EU’s “growing dependence” on US LNG raises “geopolitical concerns”, according to the ACER Report

AGRICULTURE & FISHERIES

• Commission allocates exceptional support for Slovak milk and pigmeat sectors following foot-and-mouth disease outbreaks - Midday Express
• Meeting of the “Agriculture and Fisheries” Council on 27 April 2026:
  - The role of peat in achieving EU food security - Information from Latvia and Finland

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• Agenda for: Working Party on International Environment Issues (UNECE and other regional issues) - 30 April 2026
• Minutes of the 1st meeting of the Expert Group on the Soil Monitoring Law - 26 March 2026
• Creating win-win for business and people key to success of circular economy - See the EEA Briefing
• Answer given by Ms Roswall to a MEP written question - The scope of EU competences and the real purpose of establishing an EU forest monitoring framework

HEALTH, FOOD & PRODUCT SAFETY

• Judgment of the Court of 23 April 2026 of Case C-118/24, EG Labo Laboratoires Eurogenerics SAS and Theramex France SAS Vs. ANSM and Biogaran SAS.
  Re: Reference for a preliminary ruling -Directive 2001/83/EC - Medicinal products for human use - Articles 28 and 29 - Decentralised procedure for marketing authorisation for a medicinal product - Article 10 - Generic medicinal product - Abridged procedure for granting a marketing authorisation - Biological medicinal product serving as reference medicinal product for a chemical medicinal product - Jurisdiction of the courts of the Member States concerned to determine whether there is a potential serious risk for public health - Jurisdiction of those courts to review the conditions for granting a marketing authorisation for a generic medicinal product
• Opinion of Advocate General Emiliou of 23 April 2026, in Case C‑456/24, Halozyme, Inc. Vs. Úřad průmyslového vlastnictví
  Re: Reference for a preliminary ruling - Medicinal products for human use - Supplementary protection certificate - Regulation (EC) No 469/2009 - Article 1(b) - Definition of ‘product’ - Active ingredient - Directive 2001/83/EC - Marketing authorisation - Article 1(3a) and (3b) - Active substance - Excipient

TRANSPORT & MOBILITY

• Commission seeks feedback on upcoming EU aviation and aeronautic strategy (Feedback period: 23 April 2026 - 21 May 2026) - Midday Express
• Minutes of the 7th Meeting of the Commission Expert Group on Road Infrastructure Safety (EGRIS) - "Forgiving roadsides and self-explaining and self-enforcing roads" - 26 February 2026

DIGITAL SOCIETY & DATA PRIVACY 

• Agenda for:Meeting of the Antici Group (Simplification: Omnibus IV: Digitalisation and Common Specifications) - 27 April 2026
• Answer given by Mr McGrath to a MEP written question - Israeli restrictions on international NGOs and GDPR adequacy decision
• EDPB - Report on the use of SPE external experts in 2025
• EDPB - Stakeholder event on "competition and data protection": save the date: 29 June 2026
• ENISA Technology and Innovation Radar Methodology -  April 2026
• ENISA - National Capabilities Assessment Framework 2.0 - See the Report
• Digitalisation in Europe – new edition out today - Eurostat

ECB, EURO & ECONOMY

• Council finalises €90 billion support loan to Ukraine - See Council Implementing Decision (EU) 2026/919 & Regulation (EU) 2026/469
• European Business Cycle Indicators: AI at work in Europe: perceived impacts on productivity, quality of work, and job security. 1st Quarter 2026
• Messaging to a public with its own view on central bank confidence - ECB Research Bulletin No.142
• Interview with ECB's Frank Elderson, conducted by Eva Smal on 15 April 2026
• Speech by Philip R. Lane: Expanding the supply of euro safe assets

FUTURE OF EUROPE

• EP President Metsola to EU leaders: “Europe cannot face a new era with an old budget”
• European institutions agree roadmap to achieve 'One Europe, One Market' by end of 2027
• Remarks by President António Costa at the doorstep ahead of the informal meeting of heads of state or government of 23-24 April 2026
  

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• Joint press release: EU and partners sign the Global Green Bond Initiative Fund to mobilise up to €20 billion in investments for sustainable infrastructure
• Joint Statement by President of the European Council António Costa, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, and President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy
• Answer given by HR/VP Kallas to a written question - ‘We’ll go in and take what we need’ – Yevhen Dykyi shocks the EU, but where is the response?
• Answer given by HR/VP Kallas to a written question - Iran’s threat against Europeans