EURACTIV.com with Reuters
Google to charge licensing fee for Google Play in Europe
U.S. tech giant Google will charge smartphone makers a licensing fee for using its popular Google Play app store and also allow them to use rival versions of its Android mobile operating system to comply with an EU antitrust order.
Deutsche Telekom CEO optimistic about EU okay for Tele2 Dutch deal
Deutsche Telekom is confident it will secure EU antitrust approval to buy Tele2’s Dutch business, the German company’s chief executive said, adding that the deal was necessary to help the companies compete with bigger rivals.
Salvini condemned for moving migrants from ‘model’ town
Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini on Sunday (14 October) defended his decision to move hundreds of migrants out of a southern Italian town widely seen as a model of successful integration as opposition groups accused him of racism.
Brexit talks stall before midweek EU summit
The stubborn problem of Britain’s land border with Ireland thwarted a drive to clinch a Brexit deal before a European Union summit this week, as negotiators admitted defeat after marathon talks and pressed pause for the coming days.
Luxembourg election delivers uncertain outcome, greens score high
Luxembourg voters delivered an uncertain outcome in an election on Sunday (14 October), leaving the liberal-led coalition with just enough seats to stay in government and the traditionally dominant centre-right also capable of returning to power.
Italy resists EU push to impose sanctions over cyberattacks
Italy is resisting a European Union push to impose sanctions on states who carry out cyberattacks, a move that appears in line with Rome’s calls to de-escalate tensions with Russia but that could alienate Italy from its EU allies.
German minister: Rescue package for Italy won’t be necessary
German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz said on Thursday (11 October) he did not expect Italy to need aid to deal with its debt pile. Any intervention by the European Central Bank would require Italy to formally apply for a rescue programme, sources said.
Italy coalition chiefs defiant on budget, forecast GDP growth
The leaders of Italy's ruling parties said on Tuesday (9 October) they would permit no change to the government's 2019 budget plan, despite financial market pressure and criticism from the country's central bank and the parliamentary fiscal watchdog.
EU privacy chief expects first round of fines under new law by year-end
Regulators are set to exercise their new powers by handing out fines and even temporary bans on companies that breach a new EU privacy law, with the first round of sanctions expected by the end of the year, the bloc’s privacy chief said.
Dutch climate change ambition is insufficient, court confirms
A Dutch appeals court on Tuesday (9 October) instructed the government to cut greenhouse gas emissions at a faster rate than planned, meaning they will have to be 25% below 1990 levels by the end of this decade.
EU nations divided on 2030 CO2 curbs for cars, vans
European Union environment ministers will seek a compromise on Tuesday (9 October) over how tough to be on curbing carbon dioxide emissions from cars and vans, with Germany warning too tough targets could harm industry and cost jobs.
Cambodia’s Hun Sen defiant despite EU trade threat
Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Sen has taken a defiant stance following a European Union announcement last week that it would ramp up trade pressure on Cambodia over human rights concerns.
Czech president defends assertion that most Roma don’t work
The Czech president refused on Sunday (7 October) to back down from comments slamming what he called a 90% unemployment rate among the country's Roma, earning a rebuke from campaigners and rights activists.
Romanians boycott the ‘referendum of hate’
A referendum to change Romania’s constitution to prevent same sex couples from securing the right to marry failed to draw enough voters to validate the result on Sunday (7 October), after a campaign that led to a rise in hate speech against the gay community.
Dissatisfied Latvians put pro-Russia party first in parliamentary election
Dissatisfied Latvians rejected the right-of-centre ruling coalition in Saturday's (6 October) parliamentary election but suspicion of the left-leaning pro-Russia party makes it likely the next government will be another formation of ethnic Latvian parties to the right.
Nationalist Serb, Bosniak leaders win Bosnia’s presidential vote
Bosnian Serb nationalist leader Milorad Dodik and Šefik Džaferović, the candidate of the largest Muslim Bosniak party, have won the Serb and Bosniak seats in Bosnia's triumvirate presidency, the election commission said early Monday (8 October).
EU negotiators see Brexit deal ‘very close’
The European Union’s Brexit negotiators told national diplomats in Brussels late on Thursday (4 October) that a divorce deal with Britain was “very close”, according to two sources present at the meeting.
US says it cannot support some of EU’s ideas for WTO reform
The United States gave the first hint on Thursday (4 October) of its view of attempts to reform the World Trade Organization, rejecting some proposals put forward by the European Union to resolve a crisis at the home of world trade in Geneva.
Apple, Amazon deny Bloomberg report on Chinese hardware attack
Apple Inc and Amazon.com Inc denied a Bloomberg Businessweek report on Thursday that said their systems had been infiltrated by malicious computer chips inserted by Chinese intelligence agents.
Italy dismisses concern the EU will reject its budget plan
The Italian government on Thursday (4 October) dismissed concerns that the European Commission would reject its plan to raise deficit spending next year and signalled that it would not backtrack, even under market pressure.
Erdogan says he will consider referendum on Turkey’s EU bid
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Thursday (4 October) he would consider putting Turkey's long-stalled bid to join the European Union to a referendum, signalling exasperation with a process he says has been waylaid by prejudice against Muslims.
Hungary, Poland challenge EU’s posted workers reform in court
Hungary and Poland said on Thursday (4 October) they have gone to the European Court of Justice to challenge tighter European Union rules on the employment of workers from low-pay EU states.
Tusk slams UK slurs on EU, urges ‘Canada +++’ Brexit deal
European Council President Donald Tusk sharply criticised what he called "emotional" and "insulting" statements about the EU by British ministers and urged London on Thursday 94 October) to accept an offer of very close post-Brexit ties.