COMPETITION
- Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11255 – Apollo Management / BC Partners / Petsmart)
- Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.11179 – Bridgepoint / Windar)
- Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11262 – Framatome / Naval Group / Jeumont Electric)
- Commission clears acquisition of Constantia by ORC (M.11257) – Midday Express
- UK – The CMA has referred the anticipated joint venture between Arçelik A.Ş. (via Ardutch B.V.) and Whirlpool Corporation (via Whirlpool EMEA Holdings LLC) for an in-depth investigation
- EU scraps competition law exemptions for shipping lines – Clampdown comes at critical time for container companies whose earnings have fallen since the end of lockdown – Financial Times
STATE AID
- Authorisation for State aid pursuant to Articles 107 and 108 of the TFEU – Cases where the Commission raises no objections – SA.109217; SA.107873 & SA.105414
- Commission approves €400 million Bulgarian State aid measure to support Bulgargaz EAD in the context of Russia’s war against Ukraine (SA.107425) – IP/23/4731
TRADE & CUSTOMS
- Agenda for: Working Party on Trade Questions – 17 October 2023
- Agenda for: Meeting of the Economic Tariff Questions Group – 16 November 2023
- Agenda for: Customs programme – CLEN ILIADe PG 2023 meeting – 08 to 10 November 2023
- Agenda for: Trade Policy Committee (Generalised System of Preferences (GSP)) – 17 October 2023
- Notice concerning the application of a system to register Ghanaian exporters for the purpose of making out origin declarations for exports from Ghana to the European Union under the EU-Ghana stepping-stone Economic Partnership Agreement
- Notice to importers – Extended cumulation for certain materials or parts used in the production of bicycles between Cambodia and Vietnam, in accordance with Article 56(1) of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2015/2446, as regards the rules of origin used for the purposes of the scheme of generalized system of preferences pursuant to Delegated Regulation (EU) 2015/2446
- Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the Union Customs Code and the European Union Customs Authority, and repealing Regulation (EU) No 952/2013 [9596/23 – COM(2023)258 final – 2023/0156(COD)] – Opinion on the application of the Principles of Subsidiarity and Proportionality
- Proposal for a Council Decision on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union in the ACP-EU Committee of Ambassadors, with regard to amending Decision No 3/2019 of the ACP EU Committee of Ambassadors of 17 December 2019 to adopt transitional measures pursuant to Article 95(4) of the ACP-EU Partnership Agreement
- Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/2110 of 10 October 2023 fixing the trigger volumes for the years 2024 and 2025 for the purposes of possible application of additional import duties on certain fruit and vegetables
- Monthly information on imports from Ukraine and from all third countries of agricultural products subject to Tariff Rate Quotas applicable to imports from Ukraine under the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement – August 2023 (09.10.2023)
- Kazakhstan: Economic indicators and trade with EU – see the EP Briefing
INTERNAL MARKET & INDUSTRY
- Agenda for: Working Party on Competitiveness and Growth (Internal Market) – 12 October 2023
- Agenda for: Working Party on Competitiveness and Growth (Internal Market – Attachés + Experts) – 16 October 2023
- Commission Recommendation (EU) 2023/2113 of 3 October 2023 on critical technology areas for the EU’s economic security for further risk assessment with Member States
- Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) 2019/1242 as regards strengthening the CO₂ emission performance standards for new heavy-duty vehicles and integrating reporting obligations, and repealing Regulation (EU) 2018/956 – General approach
- EU CO2 regulation for trucks and buses: vehicles are not the bottleneck, it’s all about enabling conditions – see ACEA Statement
- Speech by Commissioner Ivanova on the European Education Area (EEA) midterm review
- Taiwanese semiconductor suppliers target Europe’s next-generation factories – Chemical companies in Asia have cornered cutting-edge chipmaking market as EU supply chain atrophied – Financial Times
CHEMICAL
- ECHA to prepare restriction proposal on chromium (VI) substances
- ECHA – New QSAR assessment framework supports alternatives to animal testing
- Preventable yet everywhere: harmful chemicals found in all kinds of consumer products underline need for stricter EU regulation – See Beuc Statement
FINANCIAL SERVICES
TAXATION
- Answer given by Ms Ferreira to a MEP written question – Double VAT financing in the context of EU Funds
- OECD agrees global treaty targeting tax from digital giants – Draft text marks progress on world tax deal, but several countries remain reluctant to introduce legislation – Financial Times
- Ireland become latest EU country to raise bank levy – Jump from target of €87mn to €200mn follows moves by Italy and Netherlands to tax sector more heavily – Financial Times
ENERGY
- Statement by President von der Leyen on the investigation into the damaged gas pipeline and data cable between Finland and Estonia
- New CEER International Strategy Reflects European Regulators’ Growing Commitment to the Neighbourhood and World
- At a crossroads: what’s next for biofuels? – ePURE/The Parliament
- Finland investigates potential sabotage to Baltic gas pipeline – Helsinki also reports break in undersea data cable connecting it to Estonia – Financial Times
ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE
- Council (Environment) meeting on 16 October 2023
– National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs) state of play – Information from the Commission
– Implementation of ETS (Directive 2023/959): Issues of concern for the maritime freight transport – Information from the Italian, Greek and Portuguese delegations - Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning urban wastewater treatment (recast) – General approach
- European Business and Nature Summit to launch Charter for businesses committed to halting and reversing nature loss by 2030 – Midday Express
- EVP Šefčovič starts green dialogues with civil society with engagement on empowering consumers in the green transition – Midday Express
- The Commission publishes new tools for predicting and adapting to the sectoral consequences of drought – Midday Express
- Answer given by Mr Breton to a MEP written question – Exemptions from the PFAS restriction proposal for critical sectors
- Museums, libraries and archives in the face of climate change challenges – see the EP Briefing
HEALTH, FOOD & PRODUCT SAFETY
- Agenda for: Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed – Section Plant Health – 17 & 18 October 2023
- Agenda for: Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed – Section Phytopharmaceuticals – Legislation – 12 & 13 October 2023
- Public Consultation – Cancer prevention – reducing the health risks associated with using sunbeds – Recommendation – Feedback period: 09 October 2023 – 19 November 2023
- SCHEER – Final Opinion on the revision of Annexes III and IV of Directive 2010/63/EU on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes
- Limits on exposure to carcinogens and mutagens at work: Fourth proposal – see the EP Briefing
- EFSA – Safety assessment of the process Arcoplastica, based on the Bandera PURe 15 technology, used to recycle post‐consumer PET into food contact materials
- EFSA – Safety evaluation of the food enzyme α‐amylase from the non‐genetically modified Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain LMG‐S 32676
- EFSA – Appethyl® and reduction of body weight: evaluation of a health claim pursuant to Article 13(5) of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006
- Glyphosate – Group of NGOs urges national ministers to convince their governments to vote against extending authorisation in EU – see Heal letter
DIGITAL & INFORMATION SOCIETY
- Minutes of: Twelfth meeting of the Web Accessibility Directive Expert Group (WADEX) – 21 June 2023
- Consultation on electronic communications highlights need for reliable and resilient connectivity infrastructure – see the Summary of the results – Midday Express
- Invitation to a regulatory workshop on the safe coexistence between mobile networks and airborne radio altimeters within the frequency range 3.4-4.4 GHz in the Union, to be held on 26 October 2023
- Answer given by Mr Breton to a MEP written question – Lack of international rules to make implementation of EU digital strategy effective
TRANSPORT & MOBILITY
- Public Consultation – EU Aviation Safety Agency – accreditation system for entities performing oversight activities – Delegated regulation – Feedback period: 09 October 2023 – 06 November 2023
AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY & JUSTICE
- Regulation (EU) 2023/2131 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 4 October 2023 amending Regulation (EU) 2018/1727 of the European Parliament and of the Council and Council Decision 2005/671/JHA, as regards digital information exchange in terrorism cases
- Directive (EU) 2023/2123 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 4 October 2023 amending Council Decision 2005/671/JHA as regards its alignment with Union rules on the protection of personal data
ECB, EURO & ECONOMY
- Commission Notice – Technical guidance on the application of do no significant harm under the Recovery and Resilience Facility Regulation
- EVP Dombrovskis, and Commissioners Gentiloni, McGuinness and Urpilainen participate in 2023 Annual Meetings of the World Bank Group and the IMF in Marrakech – Midday Express
- ECB Consumer Expectations Survey results – August 2023
- The euro area needs better structural policies to support income, employment and fairness – See ECB Blog
- Estimating systemic risk for non-listed euro-area banks – ECB Working Paper Series No.2846
- BEAST: A model for the assessment of system-wide risks and macroprudential policies – ECB Working Paper Series No.2845
FUTURE OF EUROPE
EXTERNAL RELATIONS
- EU and Gulf Cooperation Council want to strengthen their cooperation – See Co-Chairs’ Statement
- Council Regulation (EU) 2023/2147 of 9 October 2023 concerning restrictive measures in view of activities undermining the stability and political transition of Sudan
- Council Decision (CFSP) 2023/2135 of 9 October 2023 concerning restrictive measures in view of activities undermining the stability and political transition of Sudan
- Statement by President von der Leyen on the occasion of the minute of silence held by the College in honour of the victims of the terrorist attacks in Israel, in presence of the ambassador of Israel to the EU
- Brussels blames commissioner for Palestinian aid freeze blunder – European Commission says Olivér Várhelyi acted alone when announcing suspension of funds – Financial Times & Politico.eu
