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Europe Daily Bulletin No. 12876

26 January 2022
Contents Publication in full By article 22 / 34
ECONOMY - FINANCE - BUSINESS / Competition
European Commission fines Telefónica and Pharol (again) €79 million for entering into non-compete agreement
Brussels, 25/01/2022 (Agence Europe)

On Tuesday 25 January, the European Commission re-adopted a decision against Telefónica and Pharol (formerly Portugal Telecom) and decided to impose a fine of €66,894,000 on Telefónica and €12,146,000 on Pharol for entering into a non-compete agreement, in violation of EU rules.

In January 2013, the Commission fined Telefónica and Portugal Telecom for agreeing not to compete with each other on the Iberian telecommunications markets. This was in violation of Article 101 of the...

Contents

EU RESPONSE TO COVID-19
HOME AFFAIRS: EU European Affairs Ministers agree to approximate Member States' practices regarding intra-EU travel
HEALTH: Member States take stock of anti-Covid-19 health measures and international solidarity
FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS - SOCIETAL ISSUES
DEMOCRACY: European political party funding, many Member States express concern about foreign interference
SECURITY - DEFENCE
DEFENCE: EU to propose coordinated maritime presence in Indo-Pacific at end of February
SPACE: Thierry Breton launches idea of a European space command
EXTERNAL ACTION
UKRAINE: Le Drian welcomes technical meeting in Normandy format
WESTERN BALKANS: European perspective of countries in region is not in doubt, according to Mr Le Drian
SERBIA: EU calls for continued reform efforts
MALI: security of country is not a matter between France and Mali, but between Europeans and Sahel countries, says Jean-Yves Le Drian
UNITED KINGDOM: unity, transparency and fair cooperation, EU’s European Affairs Ministers reaffirm their principles in discussions with London
TRADE: MEPs want clarification on future proposal on sustainable corporate governance
TRADE: MEPs say Commission is not moving fast enough on trade and sustainable development
TRADE: differences persist among MEPs over Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism
SECTORAL POLICIES
AGRICULTURE: Julien Denormandie defends his priorities on reciprocity of standards and soil carbon storage to MEPs
AGRICULTURE: MEPs call in vain on European Commission to support pork sector
ENERGY: French Presidency of EU Council sounds out Member States on revision of ‘RED II’ Directive
CLIMATE: ‘Social Climate Fund’, MEP Beata Szydło wants to take more into account Member States’ different starting points
DIGITAL: artificial intelligence, surveillance issue debated in European Parliament committee
DIGITAL: DMA, Andreas Schwab insists on importance of confidentiality in interinstitutional negotiations
COHESION: European Commission and European Committee of Regions sign joint comprehensive plan of action for next seven years
ECONOMY - FINANCE - BUSINESS
EU2022FR: Bruno Le Maire reviews economic and financial priorities of French Presidency of EU Council at European Parliament
COMPETITION: European Commission fines Telefónica and Pharol (again) €79 million for entering into non-compete agreement
COMPETITION: conditional green light for Prince’s acquisition of Ferro
INSTITUTIONAL
BUDGET: France stands ready to organise debates in EU Council on ‘rule of law’ procedures, if necessary, says Clément Beaune
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: Robert Biedroń to chair European Parliament’s Committee on Women’s Rights
COURT OF JUSTICE OF THE EU
ENVIRONMENT: management of electrical and electronic waste, Court invalidates part of ‘WEEE’ directive for undue retroactive passing on of costs to producers
STATE AID: EU General Court wrong to deny European Commission’s competence over events preceding Romania’s accession to EU
SOCIAL AFFAIRS
SOCIAL: European Parliament committee unanimously supports interinstitutional agreement on ‘carcinogens or mutagens’ directive
COUNCIL OF EUROPE
RUSSIA: “Alexei Navalny’s poisoning in Russia is proven”, says Jacques Maire, rapporteur for Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
NEWS BRIEFS
TRADE: EU extends anti-dumping duty on Chinese iron and steel tube and pipe fittings
IRAN: Mr Le Drian says JCPOA is in state of critical emergency
WTO: US will comply with WTO panel ruling on dispute with EU over Spanish olives
SOCIAL: social issues back on agenda in 2021, according to ETUI and OSE
TRANSPORT: despite an improvement in 2021, air passenger traffic remains down compared to pre-pandemic period