Europe Daily News, March 16, 2022 | Perspectives & Events

EU CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE

HEALTH

ECONOMY

• nextGenerationEU: Commission receives payment request from Croatia for EUR 700 million under the Recovery and Resilience Facility – Midday Express
• PAndemic crisis and economic trends: the tourism sector in European and EFTA countries

COMPETITION

• PPre-notification of a merger (Az. M.10529 – Heidelbergcement / Thoma Bravo / Command Alkon)
• CCommission clears acquisition of MGM by Amazon (M.10349) – IP/22/1762
• CCommission conducts unannounced inspections in the automotive sector – IP/22/1765
• CCommission publishes decision on NN’s acquisition of MetLife’s Greek and Polish companies (M.10447)
• CCommission issues clearance notice in deal between Orange and Telekom Romania Communications (M.10153)
  
• SPain – CNMC is examining La Liga’s proposals to market La Liga 1 and 2 audiovisual rights in Malta, Italy, Portugal and the Netherlands
• uK – The CMA is investigating the anticipated acquisition of Avast plc by NortonLifeLock Inc.

STATE AID

• CCommission approves Czech €1.4 billion program to compensate energy-intensive companies for indirect emissions costs (SA.100159) – IP/22/1782
• CCommission approves €2.9 billion Spanish scheme to compensate energy-intensive companies for indirect emissions costs (SA.100004) – IP/22/1781
• AEPP Vestager’s reply to a written question by the MEP – Important Projects of Common European Interest (IPCEI)

TRADE & CUSTOMS

• CCouncil decision on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union in the General Council of the World Trade Organization with regard to the adoption of a decision on the review of the agreement on the provisions for the administration of tariff quotas for agricultural products
• COmission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/434 of March 15, 2022 amending Regulation (EU) 2019/159 introducing a definitive safeguard measure against the import of certain steel products
• EU fights steel subsidies due to export restrictions on raw materials and transnational subsidies from China – IP/22/1774, see Regulation (EU) 2022/433
• EExport of COVID-19 vaccines from the EU – Last updated on 11 March 2022
• EFTA and Thailand heads of delegation continue to discuss resuming FTA negotiations
• WCO builds IPR enforcement capacity for customs administrations in Balkan region
• WCO Deputy Secretary General presents future trends and current challenges for customs
• WTO – General Council – Joint statement on the aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine with the support of Belarus – notification from Albania; Australia; Canada; European Union; Iceland; Japan; Republic of Korea; Republic of Moldova; Montenegro; New Zealand; North Macedonia; Norway; United Kingdom and United States
• Brussels to seek powers to hamper foreign bids for government contracts – legislation aimed at unfair competition from countries like China – Financial Times

DOMESTIC MARKET & INDUSTRY

• SStatement by President von der Leyen on the announcement of Intel’s investment plans in the EU
• RRight to repair: MEPs formulate their demands ahead of the Commission proposal
• CBusinesses should take more responsibility for their social and environmental impacts – see EP statement

FINANCIAL SERVICES

• fRights of the press: The disclosure of inside information by a journalist in connection with the forthcoming publication of an article reporting rumors about public companies is lawful if necessary for the exercise of journalistic activity and respects the principle of proportionality ( see CPR No. 45/2022, judgment of the Court of Justice in case C-302/20, Autorité des marchés financiers)
• EEuropean Union Consolidated List of Financial Sanctions updated 15 March 2022
• Comission Delegated Regulation (EU) …/… of March 11, 2022 supplementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2033 of the European Parliament and of the Council with regard to regulatory technical standards for the disclosure of the investment policies of investment firms – Annex 1 & 2
• CCapital Markets Union: Commission proposes simpler rules to make settlement in EU financial markets safer and more efficient – IP/22/1729, QaA & Legal Texts

TAXATION

• CCouncil Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/432 of March 15, 2022 amending Implementing Regulation (EU) No. 282/2011 as regards the VAT and/or Excise Duty Exemption Certificate
• mOpinions of the expert group on the implementation of the legislative package on the transmission and exchange of payment data to combat VAT fraud of September 15, 2021
• TThe Council agreed on a general approach on the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) – see general approach
• Ewithout indirect emissions from CBAM? It doesn’t add up – see Eurelectric statement

EMPLOYMENT & SOCIAL POLICY

ENERGY

• TThe Court declares inapplicable the provisions of Regulation 2017/459 relating to the procedure for creating additional capacity for gas transport (see CPR No. 46/2022 – Judgment of the Court in joined cases T-684/19, T-704 /19, MEKH vs. ACER)
• JJudgment of the Court of Justice of 16 March 2022 in Case T-113/20 Bromine Science Environnemental Forum (BSEF) Vs. European Commission
  Regarding: Energy – Directive 2009/125/EC – Ecodesign requirements for electronic displays – Regulation (EU) 2019/2021 – Ban on halogenated flame retardants in housings and bases of electronic displays – Competence of the author of the law – Manifest error of assessment – Legal certainty – Proportionality – Equal treatment

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

• Agenda for: CEG/Multi-stakeholder platform to protect and restore the world’s forests, including the EU Timber Regulation and the FLEGT Regulation of 16 March 2022
• PPublic consultation – Chemicals – Best use of EU agencies to streamline scientific assessments – Proposal for a regulation – Feedback period: 15 March 2022 – 12 April 2022
• PPublic consultation – Environment – LIFE program 2014-2020 (evaluation) – Evaluation – Feedback period: 16 March 2022 – 13 April 2022
• ‘Fur Free Europe’: The Commission decides to register a new European citizens’ initiative to ban fur in the EU – IP/22/1753
• mManifesto for a green, fair and democratic European economy by EEB
• ‘Dno discrimination against biofuels in taxation” – See ePure statement

HEALTH, FOOD AND PRODUCT SAFETY

• SCHEER – Agenda of the 1st Plenary Session of March 25, 2022
• SCCS – Minutes of the Methodologies Working Group meeting of 4 March 2022
• Agenda for: Meeting of the PAFF Committee, Plant Health Section on 17 and 18 March 2022
• main Outcomes of the informal meeting of health ministers, see comments by Commissioner Kyriakides
• EFSA – Assessment of the listing and categorization of animal diseases under the Animal Health Act (Regulation (EU) No. 2016/429): Antimicrobial resistant Brachyspira hyodysenteriae in pigs
• EFSA – Outcome of public consultation on draft scientific guidance on soil phototransformation products in groundwater – Consideration, parameterization and simulation in crop protection product exposure assessment
• EFSA – Scientific guidance on soil phototransformation products in groundwater – Consideration, parameterization and simulation in crop protection product exposure assessment
• EFSA – Safety assessment of 2‐methyloxolane as a food extraction solvent

DIGITAL & INFORMATION SOCIETY

• Commission invites citizens and organizations to share their views on the European Cyber ​​​​Resilience Act – Midday Express
• PPublic Consultation – European Chip Law Package – Regulation – Proposal for a Regulation – Feedback period: 14 March 2022 – 09 May 2022
• PPublic Hearing – Data Act & Amended Regulations Legally Protecting Databases – Proposal for a Regulation – Feedback Period: 14 March 2022 – 11 May 2022

ECB, EURO & ECONOMY

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• JJudgment of the Court of Justice of 16 March 2022 in Case T-249/20 Abdelkader Sabra Vs Council of the European Union
  Regarding: Common foreign and security policy – Restrictive measures adopted against Syria – Freezing of funds – Error of assessment – Criterion of a leading entrepreneur operating in Syria – Presumption of connection with the Syrian regime – Presumption rebutted

RUSSIA – UKRAINE WAR

• fOur fourth package of sanctions over Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine: 15 additional individuals and 9 entities subject to EU restrictive measures – see QaA
  – Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/427 and Council Decision (CFSP) 2022/429 – see the notices
  – Council Regulation (EU) 2022/428 and Council Decision (CFSP) 2022/430 – see the notices
• DStatement by the High Representative on behalf of the EU on the adjustment of certain third countries to restrictive measures in view of the situation in Belarus and Belarus’ involvement in the Russian aggression against Ukraine
• DStatement by the High Representative on behalf of the EU on the approximation of certain third countries to restrictive measures in relation to activities that undermine or threaten the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine
• DStatement by the High Representative on behalf of the EU on the adjustment of certain third countries to restrictive measures in the face of Russia’s actions which are destabilizing the situation in Ukraine