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Europe Daily Bulletin No. 11956

8 February 2018
Contents Publication in full By article 23 / 30
COURT OF JUSTICE OF THE EU / Competition
Card payment scheme used by American Express can be subject to same interchange fee limits as schemes used by Visa or Mastercard
Brussels, 07/02/2018 (Agence Europe)

In two rulings (C-304/16 and C-643/16) delivered on Wednesday 7 February, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) decided that a three party card scheme involving a co-branding partner or an agent - as used by American Express and Diners Club - is subject to the same restrictions as those applicable to four party schemes with respect to interchange fees introduced by Visa and MasterCard.

In the context of card payments, two models exist: 1) Four party schemes involve the participation of four...

Contents

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT PLENARY
EP2019: MEPs reject idea of transnational lists for European elections 2019
EP2019: MEPs step up pressure regarding Spitzenkandidaten principle
PARLIAMENT: Ryszard Czarnecki loses title of European Parliament vice-president
LAUNDERING: Tunisia, Sri Lanka and Trinidad and Tobago are added to black list of countries with laundering risk
ROMANIA: Judiciary and counter-corruption situation divides European Parliament's political groups
SOCIAL: European Parliament divided in its assessment of increasing socio-economic inequalities in Europe and what appropriate responses should be
NUCLEAR: ICAN calls on EU to spearhead abolition of nuclear weapons
ECONOMY - FINANCE - BUSINESS
ECONOMY: Growth at highest level for ten years in Eurozone and EU
BANKS: Non-performing loans and Brexit top of the ECB's priority list for 2018
ECB: Luis de Guindos and Philip Lane are officially candidates for post of ECB vice-president
STATE AID: Commission gives green light to capacity mechanisms in Germany, Belgium, France, Greece, Italy and Poland
TAXATION: Independent call for global CCCTB
INSTITUTIONAL
UNITED KINGDOM: Commission wants to pre-empt all foul play by London during transition period
GERMANY: Future grand coalition's programme announces 'new boost for Europe'
SECTORAL POLICIES
ENVIRONMENT: S&D MEP to be designated on 20 February to chair Parliament's special 'PEST' committee
ENERGY: EIB approves €1.5 billion loan for Trans-Adriatic pipeline project
TRANSPORT: 10 companies qualify for European Startup Prize for Mobility final
EXTERNAL ACTION
TURKEY: Dinner in Varna between EU leaders and Turkey's President Erdoğan on 26 March
ALBANIA: Tirana says Western Balkans strategy is clear sign of revival of enlargement policy
PALESTINE: Hahn says EU will release funds for UNRWA in advance but will not compensate for cut in US aid
BURMA/MYANMAR: ECA says EU development aid should be more targeted and its monitoring more rigorous
CHILE: Publication of EU textual proposals for trade section of revised association agreement
COURT OF JUSTICE OF THE EU
COMPETITION: Card payment scheme used by American Express can be subject to same interchange fee limits as schemes used by Visa or Mastercard
STATE AID: Court annuls Commission decision on Slovakian health insurance system
NEWS BRIEFS
CAMEROON: EU condemns deadly violence and calls for dialogue to exit crisis
TRADE: New procedural phase initiated for adoption of new EU rules on trade defence
TAXATION: VAT cooperation agreement signed with Norway
INDUSTRY: European Commission launches public consultation on definition of SMEs
MALDIVES: Head of EU delegation will be in Maldives in coming hours
REGIONS: More than half of all financial instruments envelope was utilised at the end of 2016