Europe Daily News, March 16, 2022 | Insights and Events

EU CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE

HEALTH

ECONOMY

• NOTextGenerationEU: the Commission receives a request for payment from Croatia for €700 million under the Recovery and Resilience Facility – Noon Express
• Prampant crisis and economic trends: the tourism sector in European and EFTA countries

COMPETETION

• Pprior notice of a concentration (Case M.10529 – Heidelbergcement / Thoma Bravo / Command Alkon)
• VSThe Commission approves the acquisition of MGM by Amazon (M.10349) – IP/22/1762
• VSommission carries out unannounced inspections in the automotive sector – IP/22/1765
• VSThe Commission publishes its decision on the acquisition by NN of the Greek and Polish activities of MetLife (M.10447)
• VSThe commission publishes an authorization decision within the framework of the Orange, Telekom Romania Communications agreement (M.10153)
  
• Spain – CNMC examined La Liga’s proposals to market 1st and 2nd division audiovisual rights in Malta, Italy, Portugal and the Netherlands
• youK – The CMA investigation NortonLifeLock Inc.’s planned acquisition of Avast plc.

STATE AID

• VSCommission approves €1.4 billion Czech scheme to compensate energy-intensive companies for indirect costs of emissions (SA.100159) – IP/22/1782
• VSCommission approves €2.9 billion Spanish scheme to compensate energy-intensive companies for indirect emissions costs (SA.100004) – IP/22/1781
• Ato respond donated by EVP Vestager to an MEP written question – Important Projects of Common European Interest (IPCEI)

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• VSdecision of the council on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union in the General Council of the World Trade Organization regarding the adoption of a decision on the review of the Understanding on Quota Administration Arrangements tariffs applicable to agricultural products
• VSCommission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/434 of 15 March 2022 amending Regulation (EU) 2019/159 imposing a definitive safeguard measure against imports of certain steel products
• EU Opposes Steel Subsidies Resulting From Raw Material Export Restrictions and China’s Cross-Border Subsidies – IP/22/1774see regulation (EU) 2022/433
• Eexport of Vaccines against covid-19 EU – Last updated 11 March 2022
• EFTA and Thailand Heads of Delegation continue to discuss the reprise free trade agreement negotiations
• OCO builds up Ability to enforce IPRs for Customs administrations in the Balkan region
• OCO Deputy Secretary General present future trends and current challenges for Customs
• OTO – General Council – Joint Statement on the aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine with the support of Belarus – Communication from Albania; Australia; Canada; European Union; Iceland; Japan; Republic of Korea; Republic of Moldova; Montenegro; New Zealand; North Macedonia; Norway; UK and USA
• Brussels to introduce powers to handicap foreign bids for state contracts – Legislation aimed at unfair competition from countries like China – FinancialTimes

DOMESTIC MARKET & INDUSTRY

• SPresident’s statement von der Leyen on Intel’s announcement of its investment plans in the EU
• Rright to repair: MEPs present their demands ahead of the Commission’s proposal
• VScompanies to be more responsible for their social and environmental impact – See EP Declaration

FINANCIAL SERVICES

• Ffreedom of the press: the disclosure by a journalist of privileged information relating to the forthcoming publication of an article relating rumors concerning companies listed on the stock exchange is lawful when it is necessary for the exercise of a journalistic activity and respects the principle of proportionality (see CPR No. 45/2022Judgment of the Court of Justice in the case C-302/20Financial Markets Authority)
• EEuropean Union – Consolidated Financial penalties List updated on March 15, 2022
• VSDelegate Commission Regulation (EU) …/… of 11.3.2022 supplementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2033 of the European Parliament and of the Council with regard to regulatory technical standards on informing the public about the investment policy of investment firms – Annex 1 & 2
• VSFinancial Markets Union: Commission proposes simpler rules to make regulation in EU financial markets safer and more efficient – IP/22/1729, QaA & Legal texts

TAXATION

• VSCouncil Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/432 of 15 March 2022 amending Implementing Regulation (EU) No 282/2011 as regards the VAT and/or excise duty exemption certificate
• Mcontributions of the expert group on the implementation of the legislative package for the transmission and exchange of payment data in order to combat VAT Fraud from September 15, 2021
• Jthe board hit a general approach on the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) – See the General approach
• Eincluding indirect CBAM emissions? It doesn’t fit – See Eurelectric Declaration

EMPLOYMENT & SOCIAL POLICY

ENERGY

• Jhe Court declares inapplicable the provisions of Regulation 2017/459 relating to the process of creating additional gas transmission capacity (See RPC No. 46/2022 – Judgment of the General Court in joined cases T-684/19, T-704/19, MEKH v. ACER)
• JJudgment of the Court of 16 March 2022 in the case T-113/20Brome Science Environmental Forum (BSEF) Vs. European Commission
  D: Energy – Directive 2009/125/EC – Ecodesign requirements for electronic screens – Regulation (EU) 2019/2021 – Prohibition of halogenated flame retardants in the housing and support of electronic screens – Competence of the author of the act – Manifest error of assessment – Legal certainty – Proportionality – Equal treatment

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• Agenda for: CEG/Multi-stakeholder platform on Protect and Restore the world’s forests, including the EU Timber Regulation and the FLEGT Regulation of March 16, 2022
• Ppublic consultation – Chemicals – making the most of EU agencies to streamline scientific assessments – Settlement proposal – Feedback period: March 15, 2022 – April 12, 2022
• Ppublic consultation – Environmental protection – LIFE program 2014-2020 (evaluation) – Evaluation – Feedback period: March 16, 2022 – April 13, 2022
• ‘F‘Free Europe’: Commission decides to register new European Citizens’ Initiative on EU fur ban – IP/22/1753
• Manifesto for a green, fair and democratic European economy by EEB
• ‘Ddo not discriminate with biofuels in terms of taxation” – See ePure Declaration

HEALTH, FOOD AND PRODUCT SAFETY

• SAPPLAUD – Agenda of the 1st plenary meeting of March 25, 2022
• SCCS – Minutes of the meeting of the working group on methodologies of March 4, 2022
• Aagenda for: PAFF committee meeting, section plant health March 17 and 18, 2022
• Main Results of the informal meeting of health ministers, see Commissioner’s remarks Kyriaks
• EFSA – Assessment of listing and categorization of animal diseases under the Animal Health Act (Regulation (EU) No 2016/429): antimicrobial resistant Brachyspira hyodysenteriae in the pig
• EFSA – Result of the public consultation on the draft scientific guidance on soil photo‐transformation products in groundwater – consideration, parameterization and simulation in the exposure assessment of plant protection products
• EFSA – Scientific advice on soil photo-transformation products in groundwater – consideration, parameterization and simulation in the exposure assessment of plant protection products
• EFSA – Safety Assessment of 2-methyloxolane as a food extraction solvent

DIGITAL & INFORMATION SOCIETY

• VSomission invite citizens and organizations to share their views on the European Cyber ​​Resilience Act – Noon Express
• Ppublic consultation – European chip package – regulation – Settlement proposal – Feedback period: March 14, 2022 – May 09, 2022
• Ppublic consultation – Data Protection Act & amended rules on the legal protection of databases – Settlement proposal – Feedback period: March 14, 2022 – May 11, 2022

ECB, EURO & ECONOMY

FOREIGN RELATIONS

• JJudgment of the Court of 16 March 2022 in the case T-249/20Abdelkader Sabra Vs. Council of the European Union
  D: Common foreign and security policy – Restrictive measures taken against Syria – Freezing of funds – Errors of assessment – Criterion of prominent businessman operating in Syria – Presumption of link with the Syrian regime – Rebuttal presumption

RUSSIAN-UKRAINE WAR

• Four third package of sanctions due to Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine: 15 additional persons and 9 entities subject to EU restrictive measures – see the QaA
  – Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/427 & Council Decision (CFSP) 2022/429 – To see the Opinion
  – Council Regulation (EU) 2022/428 & Council Decision (CFSP) 2022/430 – To see the Opinion
• Ddeclaration by the HR on behalf of the EU on the alignment of certain third countries on restrictive measures in view of the situation in Belarus and the involvement of Belarus in the Russian aggression against Ukraine
• Ddeclaration of the High Representative on behalf of the EU on the alignment of certain third countries on restrictive measures with regard to actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine
• Ddeclaration by the High Representative on behalf of the EU on the alignment of certain third countries on restrictive measures in view of Russia’s actions destabilizing the situation in Ukraine