On July 16th, 2026, the EU issued two sets of binding specification measures to Google under the Digital Markets Act.

The aim of the first specification measure is to ensure that competitors' Artificial Intelligence (“AI”) services can compete with Google's own AI services, such as Gemini, by having equal access to features on Google's Android devices.

The aim of the second specification measure is to rebalance the playing field by giving third-party search engines access to search data that only Google Search can collect at scale.  

INDEX

• FACTUAL BACKGROUND
• LEGAL BACKGROUND
• THE SPECIFICATION DECISIONS
• INTEROPERABILITY WITH GOOGLE ANDROID
• GOOGLE SEARCH DATA
• IMPORTANCE OF THE DECISIONS: A PATTERN OF ENFORCEMENT

FACTUAL BACKGROUND

Google's relationship with EU competition enforcers did not begin with the Digital Markets Act (“DMA” or the “Act”). By the time the DMA entered into force, the Commission had already spent the better part of a decade building a record of formal antitrust cases against the company, mostly under Article 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union which focuses on the prohibition of abuse of a dominant market position. Google has been fined multiple times over its infringements, with record sanctions including €2.42 billion for favouring Google Shopping in 2017 and €4.34 billion for tying Android to Google's own apps and services in 2019. Said records are part of the reason Google was one of the first companies the Commission had in mind when it began designing a faster, more predictable alternative to case-by-case litigation.

That alternative arrived on 6 September 2023, when the Commission formally designated Alphabet, alongside Amazon, Apple, ByteDance, Meta and Microsoft, as a gatekeeper under Article 3 of the DMA.[1]  The designation was not a discretionary judgement call in Google's case as the company comfortably met the quantitative thresholds set out in Article 3(2) of the Act:  EU revenues above €7.5 billion in each of the preceding three years, a core platform service used by more than 45 million monthly active end users and at least 10,000 business users in the EU, and a presence sustained over three consecutive years. These three margins create a rebuttable presumption of gatekeeper status. Eight of Google's services were swept into the designation as core platform services in their own right: Google Search, Google Play, Google Maps, YouTube, the Android operating system, Chrome, Google Shopping and Google's online advertising services. No other gatekeeper was designated for as many services at once, a reflecting the real importance of Google's various products as gateways between European businesses and European consumers.

The designation triggered a compliance rush. Under Article 3(10) of the DMA, gatekeepers have six months from designation to bring their conduct into line with the Regulation's obligations, meaning Google was required to be fully compliant across all eight designated services from 7 March 2024. It is what happened after that date, or, more precisely, what Brussels considers not to have happened adequately, that sets the stage for the specification proceedings. These proceedings were opened in January 2026, with the preliminary findings and proposed measures published in April 2026, and the final decisions announced in July 2026. It is worth noting that specification proceedings clarify how a DMA obligation should be implemented to ensure compliance. Specification proceedings are distinct from non-compliance investigations, and do not aim to assess the gatekeeper's compliance with the DMA. Therefore, they do not provide for the imposition of fines.[2]

LEGAL BACKGROUND

Regulation (EU) 2022/1925 (the “Regulation”), otherwise known as the Digital Markets Act, entered into force in November 2022 and became applicable in May 2023, following of years of case-by-case antitrust enforcement, which made the Commission unable to keep up with the fast evolution of digital markets. The Google Shopping case was Exhibit A for that concern: a practice identified as harmful in 2017 was not definitively confirmed as unlawful by the courts until 2024, by which time the market it was meant to protect had moved on. The DMA's premise is that, in markets characterised by strong network effects, data-driven advantages and high switching costs, gatekeeper platforms can occupy positions so entrenched that waiting years for an Article 102 case to run its course effectively cedes the market to them in the meantime.[3]

The Regulation imposes a set of ex-ante, largely self-executing obligations directly on companies that meet the gatekeeper definition. It regulates ten categories of "core platform service" (i.e. online intermediation services, search engines, social networks, video-sharing platforms, messaging services, operating systems, web browsers, virtual assistants, cloud computing and online advertising) and designates as a gatekeeper any undertaking that meets the qualitative test of Article 3(1): significant impact on the internal market, control of an important gateway between business users and consumers, and an entrenched and durable position, or the foreseeable emergence of one.  Article 3(2) attaches quantitative thresholds that create a presumption of gatekeeper status, subject to rebuttal, while Article 3(8) allows the Commission to designate a company even where those thresholds are not met, following a dedicated market investigation.

The DMA sets out both obligations and prohibitions to be respected by the designated gatekeepers. As some may be open to broad interpretative approaches, the Commission may elaborate iterative clarifications. For these, the Commission can open a specification proceeding under Article 8(2) to define compliance in dialogue with the company before, or instead of, moving to a finding of infringement.

Enforcement sits exclusively with the Commission, unlike ordinary EU antitrust law, which is enforced in parallel by national competition authorities; this centralisation was itself designed to guarantee consistent, EU-wide application of rules that, being a Regulation rather than a Directive, apply directly in all Member States without national transposition. Penalties for non-compliance can reach 10% of a company's total worldwide annual turnover, rising to 20% for repeat infringements, with periodic penalty payments available to compel compliance and, for systematic non-compliance, the possibility of behavioural or even structural remedies.

Having taken into consideration the legal background of the DMA, the two decisions of 16 July 2026 are not an isolated phenomenon but a case study on how the DMA is meant to function.

THE SPECIFICATION DECISIONS

The two specification proceedings were both opened on 27 January 2026 and ran in parallel, with the final decisions both concluding on 16 July. The decisions include binding measures.

The decisions are connected, as both are about whether Google's control over a foundational layer, the Android operating system in one case, the unprocessed information on what people search for in the other, can be used to entrench its own position in the market that increasingly matters most, artificial intelligence, at the expense of everyone trying to compete with Gemini or with Search itself.

INTEROPERABILITY WITH GOOGLE ANDROID

The first decision concerns Article 6(7) of the DMA, which requires a gatekeeper to provide business users and third-party providers with free and effective interoperability with the hardware and software features of its operating system, provided that interoperability does not compromise security or the integrity of the device. Applied to Android, this obligation had, until now, produced little practical change: rival AI assistants competing with Google's own Gemini could be installed on Android phones, but they lacked access to system-level features that Gemini enjoyed by default, such as being triggered by a wake word in the way "Hey Google" activates Google's assistant, or being able to act on a user's behalf inside other apps. The Commission found that roughly 60% of EU users on Android devices were, in practice, locked into a lesser experience with any assistant other than Google's own.[4] The decision specifies that Google must give competing AI providers equivalent access: EU users should be able to trigger their assistant of choice by voice, delegate tasks such as booking a taxi, receive suggested replies inside messaging apps, or ask their assistant about a place they recently visited, which are all capabilities so far reserved for Gemini. The decision also builds in safeguards intended to preserve user privacy, device integrity and security while opening up access.

GOOGLE SEARCH DATA

The second decision concerns Article 6(11), which obliges a gatekeeper operating a search engine to give rival search providers access, on fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory terms, to anonymised ranking, query, click and view data that it generates from users' interactions with its own search engine. Google had already made some data available by the March 2024 compliance deadline, but the Commission concluded that the implemented changes were not as effective as mandated by the DMA: the scope of data was too narrow and the anonymisation approach was contested. However,  it was unclear whether AI chatbots with search functionality even qualified as eligible recipients. The new decision resolves each of those points. First, it confirms that AI chatbots offering search-like functionality are entitled to receive the data. Second, it requires Google, once the data is anonymised, to share broadly the same information it uses to optimise its own search results. Third, it lays down a multi-layered anonymisation methodology developed with internal and external privacy experts, designed to align with the draft joint guidelines the Commission and the European Data Protection Board are preparing on how the DMA and the GDPR interact.[5] Google retains the ability to assess, before sharing data with a specific recipient, whether doing so would pose a serious cybersecurity or data-protection risk, and the Commission has left itself room to revisit the anonymisation requirements as the market and independent evaluations develop. The decision also sets a formula for pricing the data and a transparent process for requesting access to it.

IMPORTANCE OF THE DECISIONS: A PATTERN OF ENFORCEMENT

This is not the first time that Google finds itself on the wrong side of an EU procedure over data access, self-preferencing or Android control. Three prior enforcement procedures are worth setting alongside the July 2026 decisions.

The first is the long antitrust history under ordinary competition law, rather than the DMA. The 2017 Google Shopping decision, which fined Google €2.42 billion for systematically favouring its own comparison-shopping service in search results, was upheld in full by the European Court of Justice in September 2024, closing a case that had run for the better part of a decade from opening to final judgment. The 2018 Android decision, which fined Google roughly €4.34 billion (later reduced to about €4.1 billion) for bundling Search and Chrome into Android licences and paying manufacturers to keep rival operating systems off their devices, faced the same sanctioning trend on 2 July 2026, when the Court of Justice dismissed Google's final appeal and made the fine definitive. A third case, the 2019 AdSense decision fining Google €1.49 billion over exclusivity clauses that shut out rival search advertising brokers, took a different path: the General Court annulled it in September 2024, the Commission has appealed to the Court of Justice, and the matter remains pending. Most recently, in September 2025, the Commission fined Google €2.95 billion under ordinary antitrust rules for favouring its own ad exchange within the adtech supply chain.[6][7] Read together, these cases describe a single recurring concern: Google using control over a chokepoint, whether search results, Android licensing or the ad stack, to favour outcomes toward its own products.

The second trend is the DMA's own enforcement record. The Commission opened its first non-compliance investigations under the Act in March 2024, a few weeks after the compliance deadline took effect, targeting Apple's and Google's steering rules and Google's self-preferencing in Search under Article 6(5), among others.[8] On 19 March 2025, the Commission sent Google preliminary findings that its search results continued to give Google's own vertical services, such as Google Shopping, Google Flights and Google Hotels, more favourable formatting and placement than rival comparison services, in a manner it considered incompatible with Article 6(5)'s non-discrimination requirement. That case has moved slowly by the DMA's own fast-track standards[9] and, at the time of writing, a formal non-compliance decision, reportedly to include a substantial fine alongside a parallel finding on Google Play's anti-steering rules, is expected imminently, though the Commission has not yet confirmed either the figure or the date. Whatever the outcome, it would follow the template set by the DMA's first-ever sanctions, issued on 23 April 2025, when the Commission fined Apple €500 million for restricting app developers' ability to steer users to purchase options outside the App Store, and fined Meta €200 million for its "consent-or-pay" advertising model. Those two decisions established that the Commission was prepared to use its fining powers early in the DMA's life, not only its power to specify compliance.

The last trend regards the specification-proceeding mechanism used for the July 2026 decisions themselves. The Commission opened the interoperability and search-data proceedings on 27 January 2026 explicitly to "assist" Google in complying with obligations it had already been subject to for nearly two years, language that reflects the DMA's stated preference for dialogue over immediate punishment. That six-month proceeding produced the binding measures now in force. It is a reminder that specification decisions and non-compliance fines are two different enforcement tracks running in parallel against the same company, over conduct that is, at bottom, the same recurring pattern: gatekeeping a chokepoint in ways that keep rivals a step behind.

The argument can be made that the Commission is working double-time to keep up with the changes pushed by the rapidly growing AI digital infrastructure. This pattern of enforcement, coupled with other groundbreaking efforts (see our previous article on the imposition of AI-related interim measures on Meta in June 2026[10]) show a clear strategized effort on behalf of the Commission to keep up, to regulate and to protect both the AI companies as well as the end consumer.  

[1]  Regulation (EU) 2022/1925 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 September 2022 on contestable and fair markets in the digital sector and amending Directives (EU) 2019/1937 and (EU) 2020/1828 (Digital Markets Act), available under the followinglink.

[2] Summary of Commission Decision of 19 March 2025 relating to a decision pursuant to Article 8(2) of Regulation (EU) 2022/1925 (Case DMA.100203 – Article 6(7) – Apple – iOS – SP – Features for Connected Physical Devices) (notified under document number C(2025) 3000), available under the following link.

[3] European Commission, the Digital Markets Act, available under the following link.

[4] European Commission: Commission provides guidance to Google for AI interoperability on Android and sharing of Google Search data under the Digital Markets Act, available under the following link.

[5] Ibid.

[6] This decision is currently being contested by Google.

[7] European Commission, "Commission fines Google €2.95 billion over abusive practices in online advertising technology," Press release IP/25/1992, September 2025, available under the following link.

[8] Digital Markets Act (DMA) portal, "Commission finds Apple and Meta in breach of the Digital Markets Act," 23 April 2025, available under the following link.

[9] The Act was designed to produce findings within roughly a year.

[10] INSERT LINK TO PREVIOUS META ARTICLE

GA‑Alliance, studio legale e fiscale internazionale presente in 80 paesi con oltre 2.600 professionisti, annuncia l’ingresso di Roberto Mastroianni in qualità di of counsel, a partire dal 15 marzo 2026. Questa nomina rafforza la capacità dello studio di affrontare contenziosi europei complessi e questioni antitrust con una prospettiva istituzionale e tecnica di alto livello.

Profilo professionale e accademico

Roberto Mastroianni è professore ordinario di Diritto dell’Unione Europea presso l’Università di Napoli Federico II. La sua carriera combina esperienza accademica internazionale e ruoli istituzionali di rilievo: è stato giudice e presidente di sezione del Tribunale dell’Unione Europea a Lussemburgo (2019–2025) e ha svolto funzioni come referendario alla Corte di Giustizia dell’Unione Europea e Consigliere per gli affari legislativi presso il Dipartimento per gli Affari Europei della Presidenza del Consiglio dei Ministri.

La formazione accademica include la laurea a Firenze (1987), un LL.M. alla Penn State University (1990) e il dottorato a Bologna (1992), con perfezionamenti presso istituzioni come l’Università di Ginevra, l’Università di Amsterdam e la New York Law School. Ha insegnato in numerose università italiane e straniere, tra cui LUISS, Paris 2 Pantheon‑Assas e American University.

Competenze distintive e ambiti di intervento

Nel corso della sua carriera, il Prof. Mastroianni ha mantenuto anche l’attività forense, abilitato al patrocinio davanti alle giurisdizioni superiori italiane e alle corti europee per oltre venticinque anni. La sua esperienza è particolarmente rilevante nel diritto della concorrenza applicato ai settori Media e TMT, nonché nelle questioni regolatorie legate al mercato unico digitale.

Grazie al suo background, Mastroianni porta a GA‑Alliance una combinazione rara: la visione del decisore giudiziario unita all’esperienza pratica del consulente, utile per assistere clienti in procedimenti antitrust, contenziosi transfrontalieri e questioni complesse di diritto europeo.

Impatto per lo studio

L’ingresso di Mastroianni consente a GA‑Alliance di offrire ai clienti una consulenza che integra competenza tecnica, esperienza istituzionale e capacità strategica nei contenziosi europei. Questo rafforzamento è strategico in un contesto regolatorio sempre più complesso, dove la comprensione delle dinamiche del mercato unico e delle procedure giudiziarie comunitarie è cruciale per la gestione del rischio legale e per la definizione di strategie difensive e regolatorie efficaci.

La dichiarazione del managing partner

Francesco Sciaudone, managing partner di GA‑Alliance, ha sottolineato come l’arrivo di Mastroianni confermi il percorso di crescita dello studio e la sua capacità di attrarre figure di eccellenza nel panorama giuridico nazionale e internazionale. Secondo Sciaudone, l’esperienza maturata al Tribunale dell’Unione Europea offre ai clienti dello studio una profondità di visione tecnica e istituzionale che rappresenta un valore competitivo significativo.

Conclusione e prospettive

La nomina di Roberto Mastroianni come of counsel segna un passo importante per GA‑Alliance nella costruzione di un’offerta integrata per contenziosi europei e questioni antitrust ad alto profilo. Per i clienti che operano nei settori regolamentati e digitali, la presenza di una figura con esperienza giudiziaria e accademica di primo piano rappresenta un elemento di sicurezza e di vantaggio strategico.

GA‑Alliance Shares Key Takeaways on the EU–Mercosur Agreement
3 February 2026

GA‑Alliance – Global Legal and Tax Advisors presents the latest developments on the EU–Mercosur Agreement following its international webinar “The EU–Mercosur Agreement and the Future of Transatlantic Business”, held on 22 January 2026. The discussion brought together experts from Europe and Latin America to assess the agreement’s practical impact on companies, trade flows, and regulatory frameworks across both regions.

Signed on 17 January 2026, the EU–Mercosur Partnership Agreement introduces wide‑ranging commitments, from significant tariff reductions to strengthened sustainability, SPS and intellectual‑property provisions, as outlined by GA Alliance. Speakers highlighted the geopolitical relevance of the agreement, its potential to diversify EU supply chains, and the opportunities it creates in sectors such as energy, agribusiness, industrial production, and services.

GA‑Alliance continues to monitor the institutional process, including the pending review before the European Court of Justice, and provides integrated guidance to businesses navigating the evolving regulatory landscape.

A detailed briefing with country‑specific insights and legal analysis is available here: click to access the full document.

EU-MERCOSUR AGREEMENT: The future of transatlantic business

Table of Content

• Executive Summary
• State of the Agreement and Institutional Process
• Strategic relevance of the agreement for the EU
• Legal, trade and sustainability aspects
• Country perspective and sectorial implications
• Conclusions

Executive Summary

This document provides an update on the status of the EU–Mercosur Association Agreement following the seminar organized by GA-Alliance – Global Legal and Tax Advisors together with its partners in South America, held during the webinar on 22 January 2026 entitled “The EU–Mercosur Agreement and the Future of Transatlantic Business.”

The webinar event brought together GA Alliance professionals from Europe and Latin America, confirming the Alliance’s role as an international platform capable of connecting the two continents and offering an integrated analysis of the main developments in international trade, regulation, and tax strategy. The panel — made up of experts from Italy, Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Venezuela, and Colombia — discussed the practical significance of the agreement for European and Latin American businesses, examining commercial, regulatory, and operational implications.

The webinar also highlighted that the agreement, politically concluded after more than 25 years of negotiations, represents far more than a tariff deal: it introduces new sustainability standards, rules on intellectual property, procurement opportunities, and a regulatory framework that will reshape the economic axis between the EU and Mercosur. The gradual elimination of over 90% of customs duties could generate significant benefits for European and Italian exports, estimated at more than €14 billion.

GA Alliance, leveraging its global presence in over 80 countries and a multidisciplinary team of more than 2,600 professionals, continues to monitor developments in the agreement, offering an integrated perspective on the impacts for economic operators and investors, and translating a complex debate into concrete guidance for international stakeholders.

State of the Agreement and Institutional Process

The EU-Mercosur negotiation process began in 2000, following earlier exploratory dialogues and cooperation frameworks dating back to the 1990s. After years of intermittent negotiations, the parties reached a political agreement on 6 December 2024 on a comprehensive Partnership Agreement (EU-Mercosur Partnership Agreement, or “EMPA”), covering trade, political dialogue, cooperation and sustainable development.

Subsequently, on 3 September 2025, the European Commission adopted proposals for the Council to authorise the signature and conclusion of two parallel legal instruments: the EMPA and an Interim Trade Agreement (“iTA”), designed to allow trade commitments to be applied ahead of the full EMPA’s entry into force.

On 9 January 2026, the Council of the European Union formally adopted the decisions authorising the signature of both the EMPA and the iTA.

The agreements were signed on 17 January 2026 by representatives of the EU and the Mercosur countries (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay) in Asunción, Paraguay.

At this stage, the EMPA and the iTA are concluded instruments. However, their entry into force depends on further procedures: the EMPA must be ratified by all EU Member States and Mercosur legislatures, while the iTA will enter into force once the European Parliament gives its consent and the Council concludes it.

Currently, EU ratification of the agreement is suspended pending review by the European Court of Justice following a referral by the European Parliament in January 2026 over questions related to legal competence, the precautionary principle, and the structure of the agreement, a process that may take up to approximately 18-24 months.

Strategic relevance of the agreement for the EU

From the perspective emerging during the seminar, the EU-Mercosur Agreement was presented as a legal, political and institutional instrument with clear geopolitical relevance, capable of reshaping long-term economic leadership through rule-based cooperation.

Beyond trade liberalisation, the agreement was framed as a tool to reinforce the EU’s strategic presence in South America at a time of mounting global fragmentation and intensified competition from China. In an increasingly unstable geopolitical environment, the EU must diversify not only its export markets but also its sources of imports, while establishing solid contractual ties with reliable partners.

The Mercosur region comprises approximately 300 million inhabitants and represents a major trading area. The EU is Mercosur’s second-largest trading partner, while Mercosur is the EU’s tenth-largest trading partner. Historically, the EU remains the largest investor in the region, with European companies operating in Brazil and Argentina for over a century. In 2024, the EU accounted for 16.8% of Mercosur’s total trade. EU exports to Mercosur amounted to €53.3 billion, while Mercosur exports to the EU totalled €57 billion.

Mercosur’s main exports to the EU consisted primarily of agricultural products (42.7%), mineral products (30.5%), and pulp and paper (6.8%), whereas EU exports were dominated by machinery (28.1%), chemicals and pharmaceuticals (25%), and transport equipment (12.1%). In the services sector, in 2023 the EU exported €28.5 billion to Mercosur, while Mercosur exported €13.1 billion to the EU.

The agreement is structured around four main pillars (trade, investment, sustainability and cooperation) and is expected to generate estimated tariff savings of around USD 4 billion per year. The schedule of commitments reflects an asymmetric and gradual approach, with Mercosur granted up to 15 years to dismantle tariffs on around 90% of imports, while the EU would liberalise approximately 93% of imports from Mercosur within 10 years.

Over the long term, the agreement is expected to support industrial production, facilitate access to capital goods, enable accumulation of origin between the two blocs and foster intra-bloc trade, with positive GDP effects projected towards 2040.

Legal, trade and sustainability aspects

Food safety and sanitary and phytosanitary (“SPS”) controls are integrated into the agreement’s operational framework.

The EU already imports beef and other products from Mercosur countries, and the agreement maintains existing EU sanitary legislation while intensifying border checks. Only authorised slaughterhouses may export to the EU, subject to 100% documentary controls, supported by a rapid alert system among Member States and bilateral safeguard clauses to prevent sudden import surges or price collapses. The EU has also doubled available crisis funds for the agricultural sector.

Legal certainty is reinforced through references to the precautionary principle and WTO-aligned SPS measures, while the rebalancing mechanism (modeled on GATT framework) provides a structured dispute resolution pathway, allowing a party to request compensation if measures nullify expected benefits. These mechanisms underpin both predictability and enforceability, contributing to the robustness of the agreement.

Sustainability commitments are central, including legally binding obligations to halt deforestation and align with the Paris Agreement, Sustainable Development Goals, and Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration on Forests. The agreement also provides a platform for dialogue on the EU Deforestation Regulation and wider environmental initiatives.

Country perspective and sectorial implications

While the EU-Mercosur agreement sets a common framework, its economic and regulatory impact varies significantly across the member countries, reflecting differences in population size, industrial structure, and trade policies. Understanding these national perspectives is essential to grasp the practical implications of the agreement and the opportunities it creates for trade, investment, and sustainability initiatives.

• Paraguay benefits from extensive differentiated treatment designed to bolster its domestic processing and service sectors. The agreement grants an exclusive 10,000-tonne quota for organic sugar at a zero-percent tariff, alongside preferential 5% duties for critical auto part designations. To ensure stability, the framework provides extended timelines for trade defense and sanitary measures, including a two-year extension of the Generalised Scheme of Preferences (“SGP”) conditions for key exports like corn and yerba mate. By preserving national policy space for public procurement and amplifying service exclusions, the agreement facilitates integrated value chains in biofuels, honey, and oilseeds while fostering a robust market for sustainability certification services.

Argentina is positioned as a relevant dual energy partner for Europe, offering immediate and long-term solutions to the continent’s energy needs. In the short term, the country is set to supply natural gas and LNG from the Vaca Muerta formation under stable, long-term contractual arrangements. Looking ahead, the focus shifts to the renewable energy sector and green hydrogen, underpinned by the extraction of critical minerals such as lithium and copper. These initiatives are closely aligned with Europe’s decarbonisation agenda and are supported by the “Global Gateway” initiative. This framework facilitates technology transfer and attracts European investment into projects that strictly adhere to Environmental, Social, and Governance (“ESG”) standards.

Brazil, with over 210 million inhabitants, represents most of the Mercosur’s population and a leading global agricultural exporter. The agreement is broadly compatible with existing practices among large companies already aligned with EU standards, though smaller firms may need to adjust. Key improvements include the simplification and digitalisation of customs procedures, the mutual recognition of certifications, and a potential reduction of the “custo Brasil.” by mitigating the structural and bureaucratic burdens that historically inflate the cost of operations in the country. Additionally, the agreement fosters enhanced competitiveness through interactions with the current VAT reform. The analysis also covered consumer prices and investment decisions across sectors such as machinery, vehicles, fertilisers, and food and beverages.

Conclusions

GA-Alliance’s seminar showcased the value of practitioner-led, cross-regional analysis in breaking down the legal and economic complexities of the EU-Mercosur agreement. By providing a bridge between policy and practice, the discussion translated high-level trade objectives into concrete opportunities for the private and public sectors.

• The EU-Mercosur agreement constitutes a strategically significant instrument to reinforce the EU’s global competitiveness, diversify trade and supply chains, and secure access to critical resources and energy supplies.
• The agreement establishes robust legal, trade and sustainability mechanisms, including precautionary and SPS measures, rebalancing provisions, and enforceable climate and deforestation commitments.
• Differentiated treatment for specific Mercosur countries, combined with sectoral and investment provisions, supports agribusiness, energy transition, industrial production, and integrated value chains across the region.
• The agreement offers measurable long-term economic benefits, including tariff reductions, market access, investment opportunities, and enhanced cooperation on environmental and sustainability objectives.

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3 February 2026

Bruxelles

Cross Border Investment in Latin America

Lo scorso 12 agosto è stato pubblicato nella Gazzetta Ufficiale dell’Unione europea il Regolamento (UE) 2024/2019 del Parlamento europeo e del Consiglio dell’11 aprile 2024 (“Regolamento”) recante una serie di modifiche sostanziali e/o procedurali al protocollo n. 3 sullo statuto della Corte di giustizia dell’Unione europea (“Statuto” e “Corte di giustizia”).

Si riporta di seguito una sintesi delle modifiche introdotte dal Regolamento.

1. Attribuzione al Tribunale della competenza pregiudiziale in materie specifiche

Il Regolamento introduce l’art. 50-ter al fine di attribuire al Tribunale dell’Unione europea (“Tribunale”) la competenza a conoscere delle domande di pronuncia pregiudiziale di cui all’art. 267 del TFUE rientranti in una o più delle seguenti materie:

1. il sistema comune di imposta sul valore aggiunto;
2. i diritti di accisa;
3. il codice doganale;
4. la classificazione tariffaria delle merci nella nomenclatura combinata;
5. la compensazione pecuniaria e l’assistenza dei passeggeri in caso di negato imbarco o di ritardo o cancellazione di servizi di trasporto; e
6. il sistema di scambio di quote di emissione di gas a effetto serra.

Con riferimento ai punti da (a) a (d), il considerando 9 del Regolamento chiarisce che “Tali materie riguardano, al momento dell’adozione del presente regolamento, questioni quali la determinazione della base imponibile dell’imposta sul valore aggiunto o le condizioni per l’esenzione dal pagamento di tale imposta; l’interpretazione del regime generale delle accise e del quadro relativo alle accise sull’alcool, sulle bevande alcoliche, sul tabacco, sui prodotti energetici e sull’elettricità; gli elementi in base ai quali i dazi all’importazione o all’esportazione sono applicati nell’ambito degli scambi di merci, quali la tariffa doganale comune, l’origine e il valore in dogana delle merci; le procedure di importazione ed esportazione, comprese l’insorgenza, la determinazione e l’estinzione di un’obbligazione doganale; regimi doganali specifici; il regime di franchigie doganali, nonché l’interpretazione di voci tariffarie specifiche e i criteri per la classificazione di talune merci nella nomenclatura combinata di cui all’allegato I del regolamento (CEE) n. 2658/87 del Consiglio”.

Con riferimento al punto (e), il considerando 10 del Regolamento chiarisce che tali materie “riguardano questioni che, al momento dell’adozione del presente regolamento, sono disciplinate dai regolamenti (CE) n. 261/2004 [trasporto aereo], (UE) n. 1177/2010 [trasporto marittimo], (UE) n. 181/2011 [trasporto con autobus] e (UE) 2021/782 [trasporto ferroviario] del Parlamento europeo e del Consiglio”.

Con riferimento al punto (f), il considerando 10 del Regolamento chiarisce che tale sistema “al momento dell’adozione del presente regolamento, è disciplinato dalla direttiva n. 2003/87/CE del Parlamento europeo e del Consiglio e dagli atti adottati sulla base di tale direttiva”.

Fermo quanto precede, ai sensi del comma 2 del nuovo art. 50-ter, la Corte di giustizia conserverà la competenza a conoscere delle domande di pronuncia pregiudiziale che sollevino “questioni indipendenti di interpretazione del diritto primario, del diritto internazionale pubblico, dei principi generali del diritto o della Carta dei diritti fondamentali dell’Unione europea”.

In ogni caso, ai sensi del comma 3 della nuova disposizione, le domande di pronuncia pregiudiziale di cui all’art. 267 andranno presentate dinanzi alla Corte di giustizia. Sarà quest’ultima – “quanto prima possibile” e secondo le modalità previste dal proprio regolamento di procedura – a valutare se la domanda rientri esclusivamente in una o più materie attribuite alla competenza del Tribunale e, di conseguenza, a trasmetterla al Tribunale.

2. Partecipazione al procedimento da parte del Parlamento europeo, del Consiglio e della Banca Centrale Europea

Il Regolamento modifica l’art. 23 dello Statuto al fine di prevedere che, nel caso in cui sia sollevata una questione pregiudiziale, la decisione del giudice nazionale che sospende il procedimento debba essere notificata dalla cancelleria della Corte – oltre che alle parti in causa, agli Stati membri, alla Commissione, nonché all’istituzione/organo/organismo dell’Unione che abbia adottato l’atto di cui si contesta la validità o l’interpretazione, come già previsto dall’art. 23 – anche al Parlamento europeo, al Consiglio e alla Banca centrale europea.

Ai sensi del nuovo comma 2, qualora ritengano di avere “un interesse particolare nelle questioni sollevate dalla domanda di pronuncia pregiudiziale”, entro 2 mesi dalla notifica il Parlamento europeo, il Consiglio e la Banca centrale europea potranno presentare memorie od osservazioni scritte.

Ai sensi del nuovo comma 3, le memorie o le osservazioni scritte presentate da un interessato saranno pubblicate sul sito Internet della Corte di giustizia “entro un termine ragionevole” successivamente alla chiusura del caso, a meno che tale interessato non si opponga alla pubblicazione delle proprie memorie od osservazioni scritte.

3. Elezione di avvocati generali per il trattamento delle domande di pronuncia pregiudiziale devolute alla competenza del Tribunale

Il Regolamento introduce l’art. 49-bis dello Statuto al fine di prevedere che, nel trattamento delle domande di pronuncia pregiudiziale, il Tribunale sarà assistito da uno o più avvocati generali, eletti per un periodo di 3 anni – rinnovabile una volta – tra i giudici del Tribunale.

4. Istituzione della sezione intermedia del Tribunale

Il Regolamento modifica l’art. 50 dello Statuto al fine di prevedere, con riferimento alla composizione del Tribunale, l’istituzione di una sezione intermedia tra le sezioni composte da cinque giudici e la grande sezione.

Alla luce della formulazione del nuovo art. 50, il Tribunale si riunirà in: (a) sezioni composte da 3 o 5 giudici; (b) sezione intermedia; e (c) grande sezione. Inoltre, in coerenza con l’attuale formulazione, in alcuni casi il Tribunale potrà statuire nella persona di un giudice unico.

La nuova disposizione prevede che, nei procedimenti aventi ad oggetto una questione pregiudiziale, il Tribunale si riunirà in sezione intermedia su richiesta di uno Stato membro o di un’istituzione dell’Unione che sia parte del procedimento.

5. Rinvio della causa pregiudiziale alla Corte di giustizia o al Tribunale

Il Regolamento modifica l’art. 50 dello Statuto al fine di prevedere che, in linea con quanto previsto in relazione alla trattazione dei ricorsi:

• quando il Tribunale constata di essere incompetente a conoscere di una domanda di pronuncia pregiudiziale, questo dovrà rinviare la causa alla Corte di giustizia;
• quando la Corte di giustizia constata di essere incompetente a conoscere di una domanda di pronuncia pregiudiziale, questa dovrà rinviare la domanda al Tribunale, che in tale ipotesi non potrà declinare la propria competenza.

In relazione al suddetto meccanismo di rinvio, il considerando 18 del Regolamento chiarisce inoltre che “il Tribunale può, a norma dell’articolo 256, paragrafo 3, secondo comma, TFUE, rinviare alla Corte di giustizia una causa che rientra nella sua competenza, ma che richiede una decisione di principio che potrebbe compromettere l’unità o la coerenza del diritto dell’Unione”.

6. Estensione della procedura di ammissione preventiva delle impugnazioni

Il Regolamento sostituisce l’art. 58-bis al fine di estendere la procedura di ammissione preventiva delle impugnazioni da parte della Corte di giustizia:

• alle impugnazioni relative a una pronuncia del Tribunale avente ad oggetto la decisione di una commissione di ricorso indipendente di un organo o di un organismo dell’Unione che, alla data del 1° maggio 2019, disponeva di tale commissione di ricorso ma non risultava espressamente previsto dall’art. 58-bis nella sua attuale formulazione.

Trattasi dei seguenti organi/organismi dell’Unione: (a) Agenzia dell’Unione europea per la cooperazione fra i regolatori nazionali dell’energia; (b) Comitato di risoluzione unico; (c) Autorità bancaria europea; (d) Autorità europea degli strumenti finanziari e dei mercati; (e) Autorità europea delle assicurazioni e delle pensioni aziendali e professionali; e (f) Agenzia dell’Unione europea per le ferrovie; e

• al contenzioso relativo all’esecuzione di contratti contenenti una clausola compromissoria.

7. Introduzione della procedura di consultazione in vista della presentazione di una domanda o di una proposta di modifica dello Statuto

Il Regolamento introduce l’art. 62-quinquies al fine di prevedere che, prima di presentare una domanda o una proposta di modifica dello Statuto, la Corte di giustizia o, se del caso, la Commissione debba procedere allo svolgimento di “ampie consultazioni”.

Il Regolamento entrerà in vigore il 1° settembre 2024 e prevede un regime transitorio in forza del quale:

• le domande di pronuncia pregiudiziale pendenti dinanzi alla Corte di giustizia al 1° ottobre 2024 saranno in ogni caso trattate dalla Corte di giustizia medesima;
• le impugnazioni avverso:
  • le decisioni del Tribunale vertenti su una decisione di una commissione di ricorso di uno degli organi / organismi dell’Unione di cui alle lettere da (a) a (e) del precedente punto 6, nonché
  • le decisioni relative all’esecuzione di un contratto contenente una clausola compromissoria

di cui la Corte di giustizia risulti investita al 1° settembre 2024 non saranno soggette alla suddetta procedura di ammissione preventiva delle impugnazioni.

Entro il 2 settembre 2025, la Corte di giustizia pubblicherà e aggiornerà un elenco di esempi che illustrano l’applicazione del suddetto art. 50-ter dello Statuto.

Entro il 2 settembre 2028, la Corte di giustizia trasmetterà al Parlamento europeo, al Consiglio e alla Commissione una relazione sull’attuazione del Regolamento, eventualmente corredata da una proposta di atto legislativo di modifica dello Statuto, in particolare al fine di rivedere l’elenco delle materie specifiche devolute alla competenza pregiudiziale del Tribunale.

This newsletter provides a selection of opinions and analysis from our EU legal experts on interesting policy developments, recent case law and new regulatory directions of major industry practices. It is released biweekly and covers areas such as: Competition Law, Sanctions, Trade, Energy, Finance, EU funds, Data IP and Privacy, Life Sciences, Transport and Court of Justice of the European Union news.

The aim is to provide an up–to–date tool for quick and easy consultation on the most current and important topics at EU level.

• Competition Law and State Aid
• Sanctions
• Trade
• Energy and Green Deal
• Banking & Finance
• EU Funds
• Life Sciences
• Transport and Electric Vehicles
• Data, IP and Privacy
• Consultions and Calls

EUROPEAN COMMISSION (EC)

Lithuania: the European Commission approves 122 million euro State aid measure to support AB Achema decarbonise its fertiliser production (12.07.2024) – The European Commission has approved, under EU State aid rules, a 122 million euro Lithuanian measure to support AB Achema in decarbonising its fertiliser production processes. The measure will contribute to the achievement of the EU Hydrogen Strategy, the European Green Deal and the Green Deal Industrial Plan targets, while helping to end dependence on Russian fossil fuels in line with the REPowerEU Plan. The aid will take form of a direct grant to support the installation a 171 MW alkaline electrolyser at AB Achema's production site in the Kaunas region of Lithuania. Currently, AB Achema uses natural gas-based hydrogen to produce ammonia, a key input in the production of fertilisers. The electrolyser will produce renewable and low-carbon hydrogen that will be used to produce ammonia. The hydrogen produced by the electrolyser will replace 30% of the hydrogen currently produced from natural gas, thereby reducing carbon dioxide (‘CO2') emissions and demand for natural gas. The electrolyser is envisaged to start operating in 2026. Once completed, the project is expected to avoid the release of at least 5.8 million tonnes of CO2 over the 19 years of expected operation of the electrolyser. AB Achema committed to actively share the experience and technical know-how gained as a result of the project through publications and conferences to contribute to the deployment of clean technologies in the fertilisers industry.

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The European Commission accepts commitments by Apple opening access to 'tap and go' technology on iPhones (11.07.2024) – The European Commission has made commitments offered by Apple legally binding under EU antitrust rules. The commitments address the Commission's competition concerns relating to Apple's refusal to grant rivals access to a standard technology used for contactless payments with iPhones in stores. Apple Pay is Apple's own mobile wallet used to allow iPhone users to pay with their devices in stores and online. Apple's iPhones run exclusively on Apple's operating system ‘iOS'. Apple controls every aspect of its ecosystem, including access conditions for mobile wallet developers. The Commission preliminarily found that Apple has significant market power in the market for smart mobile devices and a dominant position on the in-store mobile wallet market on iOS. Apple Pay is the only mobile wallet that may access the NFC hardware and software (‘NFC input') on iOS to make payments in stores, as Apple does not make it available to third-party mobile wallet developers. In its investigation, the Commission preliminarily concluded that Apple abused its dominant position by refusing to supply the NFC input on iOS to competing mobile wallet developers, while reserving such access only to Apple Pay. The Commission's preliminary view is that Apple's refusal excluded Apple Pay's rivals from the market and led to less innovation and choice for iPhone mobile wallets users. Such behaviour may breach Article 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (‘TFEU'), which prohibits the abuse of a dominant position.

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Slovakia: the European Commission opens in-depth State aid investigation into support to NAJPI for setting up a glass sand extraction sit (09.07.2024) – The European Commission has opened an in-depth investigation to assess whether public support granted to the Slovak company NAJPI a.s. (‘NAJPI') for setting up a glass sand extraction site is in line with EU State aid rules. The Commission will assess in particular whether, at the time of granting of aid, NAJPI could be qualified as an SME. The Commission will also assess whether, at the time of granting of aid, the conditions laid down in the GBER, in particular, concerning economic difficulties were fulfilled, as in such circumstances NAJPI would not qualify for regional aid. Should the Commission conclude that the Slovak support could not benefit from an exemption based on the GBER, it would assess whether the conditions of the 2007-2013 RAG were met.

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Germany: the European Commission opens in-depth State aid investigation into 6 billion euro support measure to recapitalise Lufthansa in the context of coronavirus pandemic (08.07.2024) – The European Commission has opened an in-depth investigation to assess whether a German recapitalisation measure of 6 billion euro in favour of Deutsche Lufthansa AG (“Lufthansa”) is in line with EU State aid rules. The German aid measure consisted of an equity component of 306 million euro and two hybrid instrument components, namely, Silent Participation I of 4.7 billion euro with features of a non-convertible equity instrument, and Silent Participation II 1 billion euro with features of a convertible debt instrument. The Commission found the measure to be compatible with EU State aid rules, but the General Court annulled the Commission's decision. The Commission will now carry out a more in-depth investigation to assess further the recapitalisation measure. In that regard, the Commission will focus on the following points: (i)the eligibility of Lufthansa for the aid; (ii) the need for a so-called “step-up” or similar mechanism to incentivise the exit of the State from the capital;(iii) the price of the shares at the time of a potential conversion of Silent Participation II into equity; (iv) the existence of Significant Market Power at airports other than Frankfurt and Munich, at least at Dusseldorf and Vienna airports;(v) certain aspects of the structural commitments imposed on Lufthansa.

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Italy: the European Commission leers Italian public support for Caremar ferry service (08.07.2024) – The European Commission has concluded that the public service compensation granted from 01.01.2009 to 31-07.2012 to Caremar SpA (‘Caremar') for the operation of ferry services in Italy is in line with EU State aid rules. The same applies to the compensation granted to Caremar under the public service contract concluded for the period between 16.07.2015 and 15.07.2024, after Caremar was acquired by the temporary association of companies SNAV/Rifim Srl (‘SNAV/Rifim'). Following a series of complaints, the Commission launched in October 2011 an in-depth investigation into several public support measures in favour of companies of the former Tirrenia Group and their respective acquirers. In November 2012, the Commission extended the scope of this investigation to include additional measures.

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France: the European Commission approves 10.82 billion euro State aid scheme to support offshore wind energy to foster the transition to a net-zero economy (03.07.2024) – The European Commission has approved a 10.82 billion euro French scheme to support the deployment of offshore wind energy, which will help foster the transition towards a net-zero economy. In particular, the measure will support the construction and operation of two bottom-fixed offshore wind farms: one in the South Atlantic zone and another in the Centre Manche 2 zone in Normandy. The South Atlantic wind farm is expected to have a capacity of 1000 to 1200 MW and to generate at least 3,9 TWh of renewable electricity per year. The Normandy wind farm is expected to have a capacity of 1400 to 1600 MW and to generate at least 6,1 TWh of renewable electricity per year. The aid will be granted on the basis of transparent and non-discriminatory bidding processes, which will be organised to select one beneficiary per offshore zone. Under this scheme, the aid will take the form of a monthly variable premium under a two-way contract for difference (‘CfD'), which will be calculated by comparing a reference price, determined in the tender offer of the beneficiary (‘pay as bid'), to the market price for electricity.

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The European Commission clears proposed acquisition of stake in ITA Airways by Lufthansa, subject to conditions (03.07.2024) – The European Commission has approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, the proposed acquisition of joint control of ITA Airways (‘ITA') by Deutsche Lufthansa AG (‘Lufthansa') and the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance (‘MEF'). The approval is conditional upon full compliance with the remedies offered by Lufthansa and the MEF. Pursuant to the commitments proposed, Lufthansa and the MEF can only implement the transaction following the Commission's approval of suitable remedy takers for each of the short-haul, long-haul and Milan Linate commitments. The Commission will assess the suitability of remedy takers in the context of a separate buyer approval procedure. These commitments fully address the competition concerns identified by the Commission. Therefore, the Commission concluded that the transaction, as modified by the commitments, would no longer raise competition concerns. The decision is conditional upon full compliance with the commitments. Under supervision of the Commission, an independent trustee will monitor their implementation.

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Sweden: the European Commission approves 3 billion euro State aid scheme to support the roll-out of biogenic carbon dioxide capture and storage (02.07.2024) – The European Commission has approved, under EU State aid rules, a 3 billion euro Swedish scheme to support carbon capture and storage (‘CCS') aimed at reducing carbon dioxide (‘CO2') released during the combustion or processing of biomass (‘biogenic CO2'). The measure will contribute to the achievement of Sweden's climate targets and the EU's strategic objectives under the European Green Deal, in particular the 2050 climate neutrality goal. Under the scheme, the aid will be awarded through a competitive bidding process, with the first auction expected in 2024. Auctions will be open to companies that (i) carry out an activity in Sweden, emitting biogenic CO2, and (ii) implement projects with a capacity to capture and store at least 50,000 tonnes of biogenic CO2 per year. Under 15-year long contracts, beneficiaries will receive a grant per tonne of biogenic CO2 that is permanently stored. The aid received will be adjusted taking into account possible revenues that might stem from the projects (e.g., thanks to voluntary carbon removal certificates), as well as other public support received for the same project. The scheme will run until 31.12.2028.

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Bulgaria: the European Commission approves 25.51 million euro restructuring State aid for Bulgarian Posts (02.07.2024) – The European Commission has approved, under EU State aid rules, Bulgaria's plans to grant postal operator Bulgarian Posts restructuring aid for up to 25.51 million euro. The measure will enable the company to restore its long-term viability while minimising competition distortions. The restructuring plan sets out a package of measures for streamlining Bulgarian Post's operations, optimising its network and reducing costs. In parallel, Bulgarian Posts will develop or provide services such as telemedicine or administration through its ubiquitous network on behalf of other public entities, bringing such services closer to citizens in remote areas not well served.

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The European Commission approves 1.3 billion euro restructuring State aid for airline SAS (28.06.2024) – The European Commission has approved, under EU State aid rules, Denmark and Sweden's plans to grant Scandinavian Airlines System AB (‘SAS') restructuring aid for up to 1.3 billion euro. The measure will enable the company to restore its long-term viability while minimising competition distortions. The plan sets out a package of measures for streamlining SAS' fleet, optimising its network, reducing costs, financial burdens and increasing revenues. The plan, which is supported with new aid from Sweden and Denmark through various instruments and different amounts, is necessary to make SAS viable again, following the slower than expected recovery of the air travel demand since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic and the adverse effects of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

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This newsletter provides a selection of opinions and analysis from our EU legal experts on interesting policy developments, recent case law and new regulatory directions of major industry practices. It is released biweekly and covers areas such as: Competition Law, Sanctions, Trade, Energy, Finance, EU funds, Data IP and Privacy, Life Sciences, Transport and Court of Justice of the European Union news.

The aim is to provide an up–to–date tool for quick and easy consultation on the most current and important topics at EU level.

• Competition Law and State Aid
• Sanctions
• Trade
• Energy and Green Deal
• Banking & Finance
• EU Funds
• Life Sciences
• Transport and Electric Vehicles
• Data, IP and Privacy
• Consultions and Calls

EUROPEAN COMMISSION (EC)

The European Commission launches consultation on Trade in e-waste & amendments to the Basel Convention annexes (03.07.2024) – The fifteenth Conference of the Parties to the Basel Convention amended the Basel Convention's Annexes II, III and VIII to bring all imports and exports of electrical and electronic waste under the scope of that Convention. The amendments will enter into force from 01.01.2025 and will apply to all Parties to the Convention, including the EU and its Member States. This initiative incorporates these changes into EU law (EU Waste Shipment Regulation), which is due for publication in April 2024.

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The European Commission launches consultation on Tariff quotas – amended rules on reference quantity requirement (03.07.2024) – Regulation (EU) 2020/760 lays down rules for EU importers to apply for import licences. Importers can apply for licenses for up to the average annual quantity of products with the same origin released for free circulation in the EU in the past 2 years. This initiative adjusts the rules on reference quantity to avoid any risk of market distortions posed by recent market developments in some sensitive sectors.

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The European Commission launches EU environmental law – 2025 implementation review (05.07.2024) – The environmental implementation review is a regular cycle of analysis, dialogue and collaboration to improve the implementation of EU environmental policy and law in EU countries. This initiative identifies the main implementation gaps in EU countries and addresses their root causes, proposes solutions, provides technical assistance and facilitates the exchange of good practices, raises awareness and makes it easier for everyone involved to find information on implementing these policies.

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The European Commission launches consultation on Cooperation on direct taxation (07.07.2024) – Directive 2011/16/EU (directive on administrative cooperation - DAC) establishes a system for secure administrative cooperation between the national tax authorities of EU countries and lays down rules and procedures for exchanging information. This evaluation will assess the effectiveness, efficiency and continued relevance of the DAC and its amendments (DAC2 to DAC6), as well as its coherence with other policy initiatives & priorities and the EU added value.

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The European Commission launches consultation on energy labelling requirements for computers (18.07.2024) – The Regulation aims to help consumers choose the most energy-efficient computers by using a scale from A (most efficient) to G (least efficient). The energy label will also provide other useful information on durability and reparability. The consultation covers both the ecodesign and energy labelling initiatives. This consultation covers both the Eco-design and Energy labelling interlinked initiatives. You just need to provide feedback once.

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The European Commission launches consultation on Trade in seal products – fitness check of EU rules (07.08.2024) – Seals are hunted in parts of the world for commercial, subsistence and cultural reasons. In 1983, following people's concerns about animal welfare, the EU banned the import of certain seal pup skins. In 2009, a general ban on placing seal products on the EU market was introduced, with two exceptions. This initiative will assess if the rules in place remain fit for purpose, focusing on their socio-economic impact and their impact on seal populations.

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The European Commission launches a call for evidence on Energy efficiency – Ecodesign requirements for air heating and cooling products (review) (31.08.2024)- In 2016, an Ecodesign measure on air heating products, cooling products, high-temperature process chillers and fan coil units set minimum energy-efficiency requirements, taking effect in 2018 and in 2021. The EU is now reviewing the Ecodesign measure considering technological progress and circular-economy objectives. 

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The European Commission launches consultation on Commercial vehicles – weights and dimensions (evaluation) (05.09.2024)- Under current EU rules, commercial vehicles in the EU carrying goods or passengers by road must meet the allowable weights and dimensions. This initiative will evaluate if the rules: ensure the smooth functioning of the single market improve the environmental performance of these vehicles while safeguarding road safety. Based on these findings, the Commission will assess options to address any identified regulatory and market failures. 

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The European Commission launches consultation on EU Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (“EMFAF”) 2021-2027 – midterm evaluation (13.09.2024) - This midterm evaluation assesses the state of implementation of the EMFAF for the 2021-2027 programming period. It examines the Fund’s effectiveness and efficiency, coherence with other policies relevance EU added value.

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The European Commission launches consultation on Taking car rentals into other EU countries (23.09.2024)- National rules for using car rentals in other countries make car hire expensive and inefficient for the EU population. Rental companies also suffer, and inefficient rules for returning cars may lead to unnecessary greenhouse gas emissions. This initiative aims to make it easier to take private car rentals into other EU countries by setting minimum EU rules on registration, cross-border use and returning cars.

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