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Image header Agence Europe
Europe Daily Bulletin No. 13838
Contents Publication in full By article 24 / 27
NEWS BRIEFS / Justice

European Public Prosecutor’s Office conducts 18 arrests in Spain in connection with a €32.8 million VAT fraud involving importation of alcohol

27/03/2026 (Agence Europe) – On Friday 27 March, the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) announced the arrest of 18 suspects in Madrid as part of an investigation into VAT fraud estimated at €32.8 million linked to the importation of alcohol. According to the EPPO, the criminal network, which was active between 2019 and 2025, was based on a system of shell companies located in Belgium, Portugal and Spain, and on the use of false invoices to avoid paying the tax. The scheme...

Contents

ECONOMY - FINANCE - BUSINESS
ECONOMY: EU countries invited to take temporary and targeted budgetary measures in response to impact of war in Middle East
CUSTOMS: European Parliament and EU Council decide to reform European Customs Code
FINANCE/CLIMATE: European Economic and Social Committee calls for preserving robustness of EU’s regulatory framework for sustainable finance
SECTORAL POLICIES
AGRICULTURE: Central and Eastern European EU countries advocate for a strong and equitable post-2027 CAP
AGRICULTURE: European ministers will debate ‘Vision’ for agriculture, trade, and dairy crisis on Monday, 30 March
FISHERIES: ministers to call for urgent action to tackle crisis in fisheries and aquaculture sector
ENVIRONMENT: European Commission adopts new guidelines to future-proof Natura 2000 network against climate change
COMPETITIVENESS: complex rules, vagueness over ‘Made in EU’ – EU Member States set out their initial concerns over Industrial Accelerator Act
COMPETITIVENESS: semiconductors – France requests more time to authorise European Commission to bring EU into US Pax Silica initiative
HOME AFFAIRS: Europol fears a sharp slowdown in investigations into online child sexual abuse material following expiry of ePrivacy Directive derogation
EXTERNAL ACTION
AFRICA: “Europe, like the world, is going to become Africanised”, stresses Vice-President of European Parliament, Younous Omarjee
MOLDOVA: on a visit to Chișinău, Michael McGrath welcomes Moldova’s progress and reinforces support for reforms
JAPAN: EU and Tokyo conclude their third strategic dialogue, maintaining united front in face of tensions in China Sea
UNITED STATES: satisfied with vote in European Parliament, US ambassador to EU awaits outcome of forthcoming negotiations with EU Council
TRADE: with Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement, EU supports rules-based trade
INSTITUTIONAL
EU INSTITUTIONS: European Court of Auditors invites European Economic and Social Committee and European Committee of Regions to assess impact of their work
COUNCIL OF EUROPE
CULTURE/MEDIA: nine countries have signed new Council of Europe Convention on co-production of series
NEWS BRIEFS
AGRICULTURE: European Commission approves two new protected geographical indications
HUMANITARIAN AID: 150 tonnes of humanitarian supplies delivered to Lebanon due to three flights coordinated by EU
STATE AID: green light for Luxembourg scheme to support investment in clean technology manufacturing capacity
ENERGY: informal meeting of European energy ministers on 31 March
ENERGY: despite below average gas storage levels, these remain stable, reassures European Commission
IRAN: G7 countries reaffirm “absolute necessity” of restoring freedom of navigation in Strait of Hormuz
JUSTICE: European Public Prosecutor’s Office conducts 18 arrests in Spain in connection with a €32.8 million VAT fraud involving importation of alcohol
MIGRATION: 1.2 million people acquired nationality in EU Member States in 2024 according to Eurostat
TUNISIA: Chair of European Parliament Subcommittee on Human Rights deplores postponement of planned mission to country
CORRIGENDUM
CORRUPTION: details of European Parliament’s adoption of EU anti-corruption directive