Europe Daily News, 06 March 2024 | Mayer Brown

COMPETITION

• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11397 – OJI / Walki)
• Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11419 – Open Pass / Fortenova Group)
• Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11464 – Swiss Life / Digitalbridge / Infrabridge Investors Nile)
• Invitation to express views (Case M.6447 – IAG / BMI) – Candidate case for transfer of the monitoring and enforcement of commitments and remedies pursuant to Article 95(2) of the Withdrawal Agreement
• Public versions of the EC’s decisions to accept referral of the merger review of Adobe’s bid to take over Figma have been released – see Case M.11033
• Meta sees EU publish decision to lift conditions on Kustomer deal – see M.10262
• Report and Working Document from the Commission on Competition Policy 2023
• Romania – Competition Council assesses how single software license holders can influence the participation of distributors at tenders
• Romania – Competition Council approved the takeover of Veoneer Safety Systems HoldCo and Veoneer Safety Systems HoldCo AB, Sweden

STATE AID

• Authorisation for State aid pursuant to Articles 107 and 108 of the TFEU – Cases where the Commission raises no objections – SA.110312
• Commission approves prolongation and amendment of Romanian State aid scheme to support high-efficiency cogeneration of electricity and heat (SA.108102) – Midday Express

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• Agenda for : 4th Meeting of the Commission Expert Group on Outbound Investment – 08 March 2024
• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) …/… correcting Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/2180 of 16 October 2023 amending Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/607 imposing a definitive anti-dumping duty on imports of citric acid originating in the People’s Republic of China as extended to imports of citric acid consigned from Malaysia, whether declared as originating in Malaysia or not, following a new exporter review pursuant to Article 11(4) of Regulation (EU) 2016/1036 of the European Parliament and of the Council
• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/785 of 5 March 2024 making imports of new battery electric vehicles designed for the transport of persons originating in the People’s Republic of China subject to registration
• Regulation (EU) 2024/823 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 February 2024 on exceptional trade measures for countries and territories participating in or linked to the Stabilisation and Association process (codification)
• Commission Decision (EU) 2024/775 of 4 March 2024 on relief from import duties and VAT exemption on importation granted for goods to be distributed or made available free of charge to persons fleeing Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine and to persons in need in Ukraine
• Answer given by Mr Sinkevicius to a MEP written question – Unfair competition from Turkish fisheries and aquaculture
• WTO: EU and certain Member states – Certain measures concerning palm oil and oil palm crop-based biofuels – WT/DS600
• Trade, sustainability and climate: What is at stake 30 years after WTO’s creation?
• Ukraine willing to accept restrictions on EU trade – Kyiv seeks to end dispute with Poland but urges bloc to ban Russian grain imports – Financial Times

INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY

• Agenda for: Working Party on Company Law – Attachés (Due Diligence) – 06 March 2024
• The European harmonised technical standards on the safety of toys should be accessible to EU citizens (See CPR No 41/2024 – Judgment of the Court of Justice in Case C-588/21 – Public.Resource.Org and Right to Know Vs. Commission and Others)
• Draft Council conclusions on Strengthening knowledge valorisation as a tool for a resilient and competitive industry and open strategic autonomy in Europe – Presidency text
• Updated strategy for the maritime sector at the European level – Information from the German, Dutch, Danish and Spanish delegations

DEFENCE

• Joint Communication to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions – A new European Defence Industrial Strategy: Achieving EU readiness through a responsive and resilient European Defence Industry
• Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the European Defence Industry Programme and a framework of measures to ensure the timely availability and supply of defence products (‘EDIP’)

FINANCE

• Agenda for: Att. & Exp. Financial Services and Banking Union (Financial Services) (Retail Investment Package) – 18 & 19 March 2024
• The EBA publishes its final Guidelines on national lists or registers of credit servicers
• The EBA consults on draft technical standards on off-balance sheet items under the standardised approach of credit risk

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

• The prior disclosure of a Puma shoe model by the artist Rihanna results in the invalidity of a registered Community design (See CPR No 43/2024 – Judgment of the General Court in Case T-647/22; Puma Vs. EUIPO – Handelsmaatschappij J. Van Hilst)

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• Agenda for: Working Party on International Environment Issues (Int. Chemicals/Synergies) – 12 March 2024
• Directive (EU) 2024/825 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 February 2024 amending Directives 2005/29/EC and 2011/83/EU as regards empowering consumers for the green transition through better protection against unfair practices and through better information
• Answer given by Mr Sinkevicius to a MEP written question – Regulation on Deforestation-Free Products
• Sustainable waste management: what the EU is doing – see the EP Briefing
• The battle against forever chemicals should not become a forever war – The coveted qualities which make these substances resistant to water and oil has also rendered them virtually indestructible – Financial Times

HEALTH, FOOD & PRODUCT SAFETY

• Plant health law: Council and Parliament strike deal to simplify and strengthen current rules
• Commission welcomes political agreement on revised rules to protect plant health in the EU – Midday Express
• EFTA-ESA: Iceland takes necessary steps to comply with EEA rules for fish-oil production
• EFSA – Report for 2022 on the results from the monitoring of veterinary medicinal product residues and other substances in live animals and animal products
• EFSA – Scientific literature review on measuring institutional trust in the domain of food regulation, food safety and public health nutrition
• EFSA – Efficacy of a feed additive consisting of carvacrol (Nimicoat®) for weaned piglets (Techna France Nutrition)
• EFSA – Scientific Opinion – Pest categorisation of Dendrolimus punctatus
• ECDC – Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease – Annual Epidemiological Report for 2021

TRANSPORT & MOBILITY

• Single sky reform: Council and Parliament strike a deal to improve efficiency of air space management in the EU – see the EP Statement
• Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2024/773 of 4 March 2024 amending Decision 2009/992/EU as regards minimum requirements for additional data to be entered in the national electronic register of road transport undertakings
• EFTA-ESA: Norway takes necessary steps to comply with EEA rules regarding maritime safety

DIGITAL & INFORMATION SOCIETY

• Commission welcomes political agreement on Cyber Solidarity Act – IP/24/1332
• Report from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament Annual report on Regulation (EU) 2022/1925 of the European Parliament and of the Council on contestable and fair markets in the digital sector and amending Directives (EU) 2019/1937 and (EU) 2020/1828 (Digital Markets Act)
• Answer given by HR/VP Borrell to a MEP written question – Sanctions against Arab countries violating EU citizens’ fundamental rights

DATA PRIVACY & CYBERSECURITY

• Data processing: Europol and the Member State in which damage has occurred arising from unlawful data processing carried out in the context of cooperation between Europol and that Member State are to be jointly and severally liable for that damage (See CPR No 42/2024 – Judgment of the Court of Justice in Case C-755/21 P; Kočner Vs. EUROPOL)
• Cyber solidarity package: Council and Parliament strike deals to strengthen cyber security capacities in the EU
• Answer given by Ms Johansson to a MEP written question – The Commission’s microtargeting campaign on X about its controversial chat control proposal

AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY & JUSTICE

• Prohibition of semi-automatic weapons: Member States wishing to maintain previous authorisations for those weapons may also provide for this concerning weapons converted to fire blank ammunition (See CPR No 40/2024 – Judgment of the Court of Justice in Case C-234/21; Défense Active des Amateurs d’Armes and Others)

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• ILO Governing Body, 350th session – Mid-term report on the implementation of the ILO Action Plan for Gender Equality 2022-25 – EU Statement
• HRC55 – Interactive Dialogue with the Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism – EU Statement
• Answer given by the Council to a MEP written question – United action by the West to defeat Hamas and delay to EU sanctions
• Answer given by the Council to a MEP written question – Compliance of Member States’ arms exports to Israel with international law and EU rules in the context of current Israeli hostilities in Gaza and the West Bank
• Answer given by HR/VP Borrell to a MEP written question – Sanctions against Arab countries violating EU citizens’ fundamental rights

RUSSIAN INVASION OF UKRAINE

• Statement by the HR/VP on behalf of the EU on the alignment of certain third countries concerning restrictive measures in respect of actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine
• HR/VP’s Statement on behalf of the EU on the alignment of certain third countries concerning restrictive measures in view of Russia’s actions destabilising the situation in Ukraine
• Statement by the HR/VP on behalf of the EU on the alignment of certain third countries concerning restrictive measures in view of Russia’s actions destabilising the situation in Ukraine

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