COMPETITION
- The General Court must rule once more on the lawfulness of the Commission’s prohibition of the acquisition of Telefónica Europe (‘O2’) by Hutchison 3G UK (‘Three’) (See CPR Nº 120/2023 – Judgment of the Court of Justice in Case C-376/20; Commission Vs. CK Telecoms UK Investments)
- Judgment of the Court of 13 July 2023 in Case C‑757/21 P, Nichicon Corporation, European Commission
Re: Appeal – Authentication of a judgment by the General Court – Article 118 of the Rules of Procedure of the General Court – Copy of the judgment to be served – Signature of the judges – Agreements, decisions and concerted practices – Article 101 TFEU – Market for tantalum and aluminium electrolytic capacitors – Agreements and concerted practices in respect of several elements of pricing – Concept of infringement ‘by object’ – European Commission’s burden of proof – Statements of undertakings – Reliability – Geographic scope of anticompetitive conduct – Single and continuous infringement – Fine – Calculation of the basic amount – Sales to be taken into account – Mitigating circumstances – Unlimited jurisdiction - Judgment of the Court of 13 July 2023 in Case C‑759/21 P, Nippon Chemi-Con Corporation, Vs. European Commission
Re: Appeal – Authentication of a judgment by the General Court – Article 118 of the Rules of Procedure of the General Court – Copy of the judgment to be served – Signature of the judges – Agreements, decisions and concerted practices – Article 101 TFEU – Market for tantalum and aluminium electrolytic capacitors – Agreements and concerted practices in respect of several elements of the pricing – Concept of infringement ‘by object’ – European Commission’s burden of proof – Geographic scope of anticompetitive conduct – Single and continuous infringement – Fine – Calculation of the basic amount – Sales to be taken into account – Mitigating circumstances – Unlimited jurisdiction - Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.10792 – Philip Morris International / Swedish Match)
- Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11172 – PLD / NBIM / Veghel)
- Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11188 – Octopus Energy / Legal & General Capital Investments / Kensa Group)
- Commission closes antitrust investigations into AgeCore and Coopernic – Midday Express
- Italy – Antitrust: fine of approximately €760,000 on Tim and more than €7 million on Dazn for agreement on TV rights to the 2021-2024 Serie A football championship
STATE AID
- Judgment of the Court 13 July 2023 in Joined Cases C‑73/22 P and C‑77/22 P, Grupa Azoty S.A., Azomureș SA, Lipasmata Kavalas LTD Ypokatastima Allodapis, in Case C‑73/22 P, European Commission, and Advansa Manufacturing GmbH, Beaulieu International Group NV, Brilen SA, Cordenka GmbH & Co. KG, Dolan GmbH, Enka International GmbH & Co. KG, Glanzstoff Longlaville SAS, Infinited Fiber Company Oy, Kelheim Fibres GmbH, Nurel SA, PHP Fibers GmbH, Teijin Aramid BV, Thrace Nonwovens & Geosynthetics monoprosopi AVEE mi yfanton yfasmaton kai geosynthetikon proïonton S.A., e, Trevira GmbH, appellants in Case C‑77/22 P, Vs. Dralon GmbH, European Commission
Re: Appeal – State aid – Guidelines on certain State aid measures in the context of the system for greenhouse gas emission allowance trading – Eligible economic sectors – Exclusion of the nitrogen compounds and fertilisers sector – Action for annulment – Admissibility – Right of natural or legal persons to institute proceedings – Fourth paragraph of Article 263 TFEU – Condition that the applicant must be directly concerned - Communication from the Commission – Communication pursuant to Articles 4(2), 8(1), 15, 17(2) and 25 of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/1441 on detailed arrangements for the conduct of proceedings by the Commission pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2022/2560 of the European Parliament and of the Council on foreign subsidies distorting the internal market
- EFTA Surveillance Authority – State aid – Decision to raise no objections
- EFTA Surveillance Authority – State aid – Decision to raise no objections
- Commission approves €204 million Czech measure to support construction of multifunctional hall in Brno (SA.58891) – Midday Express
TRADE & CUSTOMS
- Agenda for: Trade Policy Committee (Experts – Services & Investment) – 19 July 2023
- Agenda for: Trade Policy Committee (Generalised System of Preferences (GSP)) – 20 July 2023
- Minutes of the meetings of the Customs Union Performance Expert Group – 06 & 07 June 2023
- Proposal for a Council Decision on the signing and on the conclusion, on behalf of the Union, of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire on forest law enforcement, governance and trade in timber and timber products to the European Union (FLEGT)
- WTO – The fourth review of the trade policies and practices of Honduras takes place on 12 and 14 July 2023
- WTO – Gabon formally accepts Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies
- Notice of the impending expiry of certain anti-dumping measures (Certain tube and pipe fittings – The Russian Federation; The Republic of Korea; Malaysia – Anti-dumping duty – Regulation (EU) 2019/566 – 11.4.2024)
INTERNAL MARKET, INDUSTRY & RESEARCH
- Advocate General Ćapeta: An international agreement that is denied direct effect due to its specific nature cannot have interpretative effect either (See CPR No.122/23 – Advocate General’s Opinion in Case C-382/21 P, EUIPO Vs. The KaiKai Company Jaeger Wichmann)
- Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a framework of measures for strengthening Europe’s semiconductor ecosystem (Chips Act) – Outcome of the European Parliament’s first reading (Strasbourg, 10 – 13 July 2023)
- Innovation Fund: EU invests €3.6 billion of emissions trading revenues in innovative clean tech projects – IP/23/3787
- New initiatives to empower research careers and to strengthen the European Research Area – IP/23/3807
FINANCIAL SERVICES
- Judgment of the Court 13 July 2023 in Case C-106/22, Xella Magyarország Építőanyagipari Kft. v Innovációs és Technológiai Miniszter, intervener: : “JANES ÉS TÁRSA” Szállítmányozó, Kereskedelmi és Vendéglátó Kft.
Re: Reference for a preliminary ruling – Free movement of capital – Freedom of establishment – Regulation (EU) 2019/452 – Legislation of a Member State establishing a mechanism for screening foreign investment in resident undertakings regarded as ‘strategic’ – Decision taken on the basis of that legislation prohibiting the acquisition by a resident company of all the shares in another resident company – Acquired undertaking regarded as ‘strategic’ on the ground that its principal activity concerns the mining of certain basic raw materials such as gravel, sand and clay – Acquiring company considered to be a ‘foreign investor’ on the ground that it forms part of a group of companies the parent company of which is established in a third country – Infringement or risk of infringement of an interest of the State, public security or public policy of the Member State – Objective of guaranteeing security of supply of basic raw materials for the construction sector, in particular at regional level - ESMA – National regulators strengthen their supervision of the compliance function
- EU/EEA banking sector shows rising profitability, but asset quality and profitability related risks are looming
- EBA encourages timely preparatory steps towards the application of MiCAR to asset-referenced and electronic money tokens
- EBA consults on draft technical standards on EU market access of issuers of asset-referenced tokens under the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation
EMPLOYMENT & SOCIAL POLICY
- Collective redundancies: the employer’s obligation to communicate information to the authorities at an early stage of such a project is not intended to confer individual protection on workers (See CPR Nº 121/2023 – Judgment of the Court of Justice in Case C-134/22, G GmbH)
- Commissioner Schmit participates in informal meeting of EU employment and social affairs ministers in Spain – Midday Express
ENERGY
- Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on energy efficiency (recast) – Outcome of the EP’s first reading (Strasbourg, 10 to 13 July 2023)
- Remarks by Commissioner Simson at the press conference closing the informal meeting of environment and energy Ministers
- Remarks by Vice-President Šefčovič on the Second gas tender results of the EU Energy Platform
- Answer given by Ms Simson to a MEP written question – French Academy of Technologies publication on EU energy policy
ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE
- Agenda for: Working Party on the Environment – 19 July 2023
- Circular economy: improving design and end-of-life management of cars for more resource-efficient automotive sector – IP/23/3819, QaA, FactShet & Proposal
- Nature restoration law: MEPs adopt position for negotiations with Council
- EU Day for Victims of the Global Climate Crisis: EVP Timmermans to sign inter-institutional declaration with Parliament and Council – Midday Express
- EU rewilding plan survives centre-right challenge – Key pillar of Green Deal approved after members from Ursula von der Leyen’s EPP rebel against move to veto bill – Financial Times
HEALTH, FOOD & PRODUCT SAFETY
- Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) /… repealing Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/1533 imposing special conditions governing the import of feed and food originating in or dispatched from Japan following the accident at the Fukushima nuclear power station
- COVID-19: Parliament adopts roadmap to better prepare for future health crises
TRANSPORT & MOBILITY
- Agenda for: Meeting of the Committee on Road Transport – 26 July 2023
- Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the deployment of alternative fuels infrastructure, and repealing Directive 2014/94/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council – Outcome of the EP’s first reading (Strasbourg, 10 to 13 July 2023)
- Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the use of renewable and low-carbon fuels in maritime transport and amending Directive 2009/16/EC – Outcome of the EP’s first reading (Strasbourg, 10 to 13 July 2023)
- see the EP Study
DIGITAL & INFORMATION SOCIETY
- Commissioner Didier Reynders travels to US for meetings with technology sector leaders and US officials – Midday Express
DATA PRIVACY & CYBERSECURITY
- Minutes of the 20th meeting of the Article 93 Committee (GDPR) – 22 June 2023
- Minutes of the 21th meeting of the Article 93 Committee (GDPR) – 29 June 2023
- Google releases chatbot in Europe after addressing privacy concerns – US tech giant delayed its initial Bard launch to improve transparency to comply with regulators – Financial Times
AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY & JUSTICE
- EU ethics body: Commission’s proposal “unsatisfactory”, MEPs say
- Bulgaria and Romania should be in Schengen by end of 2023, says Parliament
ECB, EURO & ECONOMY
EXTERNAL RELATIONS
- Agenda for: Meeting of Foreign Relations Counsellors – 13 July 2023
- Syria: Statement by HR/VP Borrell and Commissioner Lenarčič on the cross-border humanitarian deliveries
- European Commission and UN leaders to discuss closer cooperation at High-level dialogue in Brussels – Midday Express
- Human rights breaches in Venezuela, Kyrgyzstan and India
- Why Japan is the EU’s best friend in Asia – Financial Times
- The EU is late to rediscover Latin America – Brussels risks being marginalised in a region crucial to the global energy transition – Financial Times
RUSSAIN INVASION OF UKRAINE
- G7: Joint declaration of support for Ukraine
- Answer given by the Council to a MEP written question – Austrian decision to invite Russian delegates to an OSCE meeting – legal consequences and reputational risks
- Answer given by the Council to a MEP written question – The need for sanctions against individuals on Alexei Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation’s list and Russian organisations
- Answer given by Ms Johansson to a MEP written question – Spanish authorities continue issuing ‘golden visas’ to Russian nationals through the investor residence scheme
