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Image header Agence Europe
Europe Daily Bulletin No. 13773
Contents Publication in full By article 23 / 36
ECONOMY - FINANCE - BUSINESS / Competition

European Commission imposes fine of €72 million on manufacturers of starter batteries for cars

On Monday 15 December, the Commission imposed a total fine of around €72 million on three manufacturers of starter batteries for cars and trucks powered by combustion engines - Exide (€30 million), FET and its predecessor Elettra (€21.7 million) and Rombat (€20.2 million) - and on the trade association EUROBAT (€125,000), for taking part in an anti-competitive cartel that lasted more than twelve years.

The EU institution found that the targeted companies were imposing...

Contents

Russian invasion of Ukraine
UKRAINE: discussion on Reparations Loan becoming increasingly complicated, admits Kaja Kallas
RUSSIA: EU adopts sanctions against nine “shadow fleet” enablers and fourteen individuals and entities responsible for cyber attacks and information manipulation
BELARUS: EU Council extends scope of sanctions regime to cover hybrid activities against EU Member States
EXTERNAL ACTION
MERCOSUR: tensions in EU Council over potential signing of EU/Mercosur agreement
CHINA: no European country can match China on its own, acknowledges Kaja Kallas
ENLARGEMENT: in its draft conclusions, EU Council acknowledges different levels of progress and maintains strict conditionality
SECTORAL POLICIES
HEALTH: European Commission presents package on biotechnology, medical devices and cardiovascular diseases
HEALTH: MEPs adopt position on critical medicinal products
TRANSPORT/INDUSTRY: European Commission puts finishing touches to ‘Automotive Omnibus’ proposal aimed at encouraging adoption of electric vehicles
TRANSPORT/INDUSTRY: European manufacturers expect European Commission to take measures to stimulate demand for ‘zero-emission’ heavy-duty vehicles
ENERGY: European Commission defends its proposal for a “top-down” approach to network planning
ENERGY: a number of Member States in favour of a “flexible and pragmatic” implementation of ‘methane’ Regulation
ENERGY: EU Council gives its partial agreement to regulation establishing Connecting Europe Facility
FISHERIES: European ministers reach agreement on 2026 TACs in Atlantic and Mediterranean
ENVIRONMENT: European ministers meet in Council to discuss bioeconomy and priorities for 2030
JUSTICE: European Court of Auditors calls for better monitoring of fraud involving EU funds
DIGITAL: DMA expert group calls for clarification on areas of friction between European regulations and AI framework
FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS - SOCIETAL ISSUES
HOUSING: state aid, European financing platform, overtourism - European Commission deploys new tools to boost affordable housing
HOUSING: ‘European Affordable Housing Plan’ - France and Germany call for specific financing methods for social housing to be respected
ECONOMY - FINANCE - BUSINESS
FINANCE: EU Member States’ ambassadors are asked to confirm EU Council’s position on a new regulatory framework for securitisation
FINANCE: EU countries call for a plan to simplify European regulatory framework for financial services
ECB: EU Member States’ ambassadors about to confirm EU Council’s position on digital euro
COMPETITION: European Commission imposes fine of €72 million on manufacturers of starter batteries for cars
TAXATION: EU Council asks Code of Conduct Group to continue efforts on transparency of beneficial owners
INSTITUTIONAL
GENERAL AFFAIRS: financing for Ukraine, post-2027 EU budget and enlargement on agenda of EU’s European Affairs Ministers
NEWS BRIEFS
MONEY LAUNDERING: MEPs approve appointment of Henrica Verbeek-Kusters as a member of AMLA Executive Board
BELARUS: EU welcomes release of more than one hundred political prisoners
COMPANIES: Omnibus I - several NGOs accuse Jörgen Warborn of conflict of interest in his work on legislative simplification
HAITI: EU sanctions former Haitian president Michel Martelly
MIGRATION: Solidarity Pool under ‘Pact on Migration and Asylum’ - Member States approve launch of written adoption procedure
DRC: security situation in east to be re-examined at next ‘Foreign Affairs’ Council meeting
HEALTH: European Commission invests in innovative diagnostics to combat antimicrobial resistance
HEALTH: cardiovascular disease remains EU’s main health challenge, according to report
SUDAN: EU launches emergency airlift to deliver aid to Darfur
SYRIA: Ursula von der Leyen and António Costa could visit country in mid-January
VENEZUELA: EU extends sanctions until January 2027 against 69 dignitaries of Maduro regime