Europe Daily News, 14 May 2024

COMPETITION

• Commission clears creation of joint venture by E.ON and OHB (M.11491) - Midday Express
• Commission clears creation of joint venture by BP and Equinor (M.11213) - Midday Express
• Commission clears creation of joint venture by Baywa and Nufri (M.11492) - Midday Express
  
• Czech Republic - The UOHS revealed and punished another cartel agreement between construction companies (09 May 2024)
• Germany - The Bundeskartellamt has cleared plans by Renesas Electronics Corporation, Japan, to take over Altium Limited, Australia. Renesas
• Greece - Approval of the acquisition of joint control by "STRIX Asset Management LTD" and "Farallon Capital Management L.L.C." on the company 'Euromedica S.A. - Private Medical Services Company - Private Clinics - Private Diagnostics - Private Diagnostics Laboratories - Private Multiproductions'
• Greece - Decision on the Overdue Submission of a Merger Notification
• Poland - The UOKiK has initiated preliminary investigation concerning the Video game market
• Romania - The Competition Council approved the transaction whereby Aquila Part Prod Com SA intends to take over Parmafood Group Distribution SRL and Parmafood Trading SRL.
• Spain - CNMC cleared eight mergers in April
• UK - The CMA considers that there are reasonable grounds for believing that the undertakings offered by the Parties, or a modified version of them, might be accepted by the CMA under the Water Industry Act 1991 (Pennon / Sumisho Osaka Gas Water UK merger inquiry)

STATE AID

• Authorisation for State aid pursuant to Articles 107 and 108 of the TFEU - Cases where the Commission raises no objections – SA.113322
• Commission approves €120 million Spanish State aid scheme to support investments in strategic sectors to foster the transition to a net-zero economy (SA.113231) - Midday Express

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Council Decision (EU) 2024/1303 of 29 April 2024 on the conclusion, on behalf of the Union, of the Protocol amending the Agreement between the EU and Japan for an Economic Partnership
• Protocol amending the Agreement between the European Union and Japan for an economic partnership
• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/1287 of 13 May 2024 extending the definitive anti-dumping duty imposed by Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/1930 on imports of birch plywood originating in Russia to imports of birch plywood consigned from Türkiye and Kazakhstan, whether declared as originating in Türkiye and Kazakhstan or not
• Ukraine and Moldova: Council approves the renewal of EU’s autonomous trade measures
• CCCEU responds to EU's closure of FSR investigations into Chinese companies in Romanian photovoltaic park procurement
• WTO - Lao PDR formally accepts Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies
• WTO - Mauritius formally accepts Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies
• WTO - Trade data reveal changing patterns in electric vehicles market
  
• Chinese solar groups pull out of tender after EU anti-subsidy probe - Two bidders for Romanian photovoltaic park withdraw a month after Brussels launched investigation - Financial Times
• US sharply raises tariffs on Chinese EVs and semiconductor imports - Action designed to protect American jobs as Joe Biden campaigns for votes across rustbelt - Financial Times

TAXATION

• Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2024/1316 of 13 May 2024 on the request for registration, pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2019/788 of the European Parliament and of the Council, of the European citizens’ initiative entitled Save the Planet by shifting taxation from labour to greenhouse gas emissions

HEALTH, FOOD & PRODUCT SAFETY

• Agenda for: Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed
  - Section: "Plant Health"- 22 May 2024
  - Section: "General food law" - 23 May 2024
  - Section: "Controls & import conditions" - 16 May 2024
  - Section: "Animal health & animal welfare" - 16 May 2024
  - Section: "Phytopharmaceuticals - Legislation" - 23 May 2024

EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION & SOCIAL AFFAIRS

• Main results of: Education, Youth, Culture and Sport Council, 13-14 May 2024
  - Greater opportunities to learn and study abroad: Council adopts recommendation
  - Council Recommendation ‘Europe on the Move’ – learning mobility opportunities for everyone
  - Conclusions on promoting evidence-informed policy and practice in education and training to achieve the European Education Area
  - Conclusions of the Council and of the representatives of the governments of the Member States meeting within the Council on inclusive societies for young people
  - Conclusions of the Council and of the representatives of the governments of the Member States meeting within the Council on the European and international policy agendas on children, youth and children’s rights
• Resolution of the Council and of the representatives of the governments of the Member States meeting within the Council on youth work policy in an empowering Europe

AGRICULTURE & FISHERIES

• Agenda for: Working Party on Forestry - 21 May 2024
• Agenda for: Ad Hoc Working Party on Forest Monitoring - 21 & 22 May 2024

ENERGY

• Executive Vice-President Šefčovič announces €400 million Team Europe contribution at International Energy Agency's Clean Cooking in Africa Summit
• ACER’s latest REMIT Quarterly is out
• ACER approves the European Resource Adequacy Assessment (ERAA), marking a milestone for the security of electricity supply across EU Member States

DIGITAL & INFORMATION SOCIETY

• Regulation (EU) 2024/1307 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2024 amending Regulation (EU) 2021/1232 on a temporary derogation from certain provisions of Directive 2002/58/EC as regards the use of technologies by providers of number-independent interpersonal communications services for the processing of personal and other data for the purpose of combating online child sexual abuse
• Information to the Council and request for endorsement to sign on behalf of the EU the AI Seoul Summit Leaders’ Declaration, the Ministers’Statement, as well as the Statement of Intent toward International Cooperation on AI Safety Science for the AI Seoul Summit organised by the Republic of Korea and the United Kingdom (21 & 22 May 2024) - Approval of a non-binding instrument
• Influencers in the EU: Council calls for increased support to encourage positive impact
• Answer given by Mr Breton to a MEP written question - Digital Markets Act compliance and changes to search results leading to an imbalance in traffic between market players
• In European tech, regulation vs innovation is a spurious debate Premium content - The rulebooks that matter most to success in tech innovation probably are not regulatory ones - Financial Times

TRANSPORT & MOBILITY

• Council Decision (EU) 2024/1293 of 29 April 2024 authorising the opening of negotiations on amendments to the Agreement between the European Union and Ukraine on the carriage of freight by road
• Commission adopts reasoned opinion in case brought by Italy against Austria on road transport - Midday Express

AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY & JUSTICE

• Judgment of the Court of 14 May 2024 in Case C-15/24 PPU [Stachev] (i), CH in the presence of: Sofyiska rayonna prokuratura
  Re: Reference for a preliminary ruling - Judicial cooperation in criminal matters - Directive 2013/48/EU - Right of access to a lawyer in criminal proceedings - Article 3(6)(b) - Temporary derogation from the right of access to a lawyer in exceptional circumstances - Article 9 - Waiver of the presence or assistance of a lawyer - Conditions - Article 12, (2) - Respect for the rights of the defence and fairness of proceedings - Admissibility of evidence - Article 47 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU - Written waiver by an illiterate suspect of his right of access to a lawyer - Lack of explanation of the possible consequences of the waiver of that right - Implications for subsequent investigative acts - Decision on an appropriate security measure - Assessment of evidence obtained in breach of the right of access to a lawyer
  
• Commission Recommendation (EU) 2024/1238 of 23 April 2024 on developing and strengthening integrated child protection systems in the best interests of the child
• EU boosts readiness to combat 2024 wildfire season - IP/24/2487
• The Council adopts the EU's pact on migration and asylum

ECB, EURO & ECONOMY

• Main results of: Eurogroup - 13 May 2024; Remarks by Paschal Donohoe & Commissioner Gentiloni
• Macroeconomic dialogue with the social partners on 13 May 2024
• EVP Dombrovskis takes part in the 2024 Annual Meeting of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in Armenia - Midday Express
• European leaders need to wake up; the world has changed - Germany in particular has been slow to come to terms with significant geopolitical and economic shifts - Financial Times

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• Council Decision (CFSP) 2024/1339 of 13 May 2024 amending Decision (CFSP) 2017/2074 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Venezuela
• Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/1340 of 13 May 2024 implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/2063 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Venezuela
• Mozambique: Council extends the mandate of the EU training mission until 2026 and paves the way for its evolution into a EU Military Assistance Mission
• Iran: Council broadens EU restrictive measures in view of Iran military support of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and armed groups in the Middle East and Red Sea region
• Statement by the HR/VP Borrell on behalf of the EU on the alignment of certain countries with Council Decision (CFSP) 2024/1250 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Myanmar/Burma
• Answer given by HR/VP Borrell to a MEP written question - Sanctions against Iran following the missile attack on Israel
• An ominous stand-off in Georgia - Tbilisi government is set to pass a law that could derail the country’s EU hopes - Financial Times
• Moldova defies Moscow with EU security pact - Ukraine’s neighbour set to join bloc’s military drills and jointly obtain weapons - Financial Times

RUSSIAN INVASION OF UKRAINE

• Ukraine Plan: Council greenlights regular payments under the Ukraine Facility
• EUAM Ukraine: Council extends the mandate of the EU Advisory Mission for Civilian Security Sector Reform until 2027