Competition
Gazprom offices targeted in EU antitrust raids
Russian gas company Gazprom's offices in Germany were raided by EU antitrust regulators, people familiar with the matter said on Wednesday (30 March), as the EU watchdog ramped up its investigation into the company's gas supplies to Europe.
French presidential election: consensus among candidates on European tech protectionism
"Buy European Act" or not, the presidential candidates agree on the need to direct more public procurement towards European digital actors in order to be able, one day maybe, to fight on equal terms against the American or Chinese giants.
The end of European naivety
The COVID pandemic has brought home the reality of the need for Europe to strengthen its industrial and technological base, write Raül Blanco and Maria Trallero.
EU Lawmakers vote “European Super League” is a threat
The “European Super League” project is considered a threat to European solidarity and inclusiveness in sport following a resolution adopted by the European Parliament today.
Firms must be exposed to competition, says Vestager in blow to ‘EU champions’
EU Competition chief, Margrethe Vestager argued on Thursday (18 November) that strong businesses would not emerge by shielding them from competition, but by exposing them to it, as she presented the bloc's competition policy review.
Vestager tries to keep Illumina and GRAIL apart during merger investigation
After two US biotech companies, Illumina and GRAIL, defied the EU’s competition authority by closing a merger without waiting for the results of the EU’s investigation, the European Commission adopted on Friday (29 October) interim measures to ensure that the companies continue to be run as separate entities.
Illumina/GRAIL: Testing Vestager’s effort to expand EU merger control
The controversial $7.1 billion acquisition of GRAIL by Illumina is developing into a test of the European Commission’s new guidance on merger control, but also of the EU's competition chief Margrethe Vestager's resolve to expand the bloc's supervision of such mergers.
Defending Europe starts with defending and strengthening European competitiveness
As EU leaders looks towards economy recovery in the wake of the pandemic, they need to give businesses the environment needed to thrive, writes Stefano Mallia.
EU bolsters probe into Facebook buyout of Kustomer
The EU on Monday (2 August) deepened its probe into Facebook's acquisition of Kustomer over concerns the social network giant could restrict the US start-ups' rivals' use of its WhatsApp and Instagram platforms.
EU gives Google 2 months to improve hotel, flight search results
Alphabet unit Google has two months to improve the way it presents internet search results for flights and hotels and explain how it ranks these or face possible sanctions, the European Commission and EU consumer authorities said.
Commission to ease state aid straitjacket as recovery fund kicks in
The European Commission will present in the second half of this year a wide-ranging review of its state aid rules to facilitate public funding to strategic areas, as member states await the first transfers of the EU's recovery funds.
Google to change global advertising practices in landmark antitrust deal
Google said it would make changes to its global advertising business to ensure it did not abuse its dominance, bowing to antitrust pressure for the first time in a landmark settlement with French authorities.
Manufacturers urged to remove pre-installed apps on new phones
As the EU debates its Digital Markets Act, calls have grown louder for manufacturers to remove all applications pre-installed on new phones in order to combat the oligopoly of "gatekeepers" such as Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon and Microsoft. EURACTIV France reports.
Amazon wins court fight against €250 million EU tax order
Amazon won on Wednesday (12 May) its fight against an EU order to pay about €250 million euros in back taxes to Luxembourg, as Europe's second-highest court dealt a blow to the bloc's efforts to make multinational corporations pay more taxes.
Commission bolsters toolbox against disruptive foreign subsidies
Companies subsidised by foreign governments will have to win EU authorities' green light to acquire European firms or to bid in public procurements, according to a European Commission proposal published on Wednesday (5 May).
Czech lawmakers reject quotas on domestic goods in supermarkets to avert EU clash
Czech lawmakers rejected plans to require supermarkets to sell mainly domestically produced food on Tuesday (13 April), removing the measure from a bill on food quality to avoid clashes with the European Commission over EU single market rules.
Greater corporate tax transparency is also good for business
Far from making life harder for business, public country-by-country reporting will actually improve relations with investors, and benefit both companies and consumers, writes Elena Gaita.
EU SMEs in bid for greater interoperability in Digital Markets Act
Forty pan-European tech companies have penned a letter to MEPs calling for support for bolstered interoperability requirements in the Digital Markets Act (DMA) while stressing the importance of keeping the rules aligned to developments in the area across EU nations.
German legal dispute over Facebook data use sent to European Court of Justice
The European Court of Justice has been asked to clarify whether Germany's competition authority was right to order Facebook to halt its data collection practices, due to concerns over alleged abuse of its dominant market position and violations of EU data protection law.
Don’t impose new tax reporting burden on EU businesses
The competitiveness of European businesses is at risk if EU introduces unilateral public country-by-country reporting, writes Krister Andersson.
Poland, Hungary win court fight against EU Commission over turnover taxes
Europe's top court ruled on Monday (16 March) that Polish and Hungarian taxes on turnover targeted by the EU Commission for giving an unfair advantage to small businesses over their bigger, foreign rivals were legal.
Massive German state aid to virus-hit firms? Others in EU doing as much or more: Vestager
Concerns that Germany may have an unfair competitive advantage because of billions of euros pumped into its virus-hit companies are not backed by data which show other EU states doing as much if not more for their businesses, Europe's antitrust chief said.
Air France, unions rail against EU bailout conditions
Air France and its pilot unions protested on Wednesday (3 February) against EU demands that the airline give up takeoff and landing slots at its Paris base in return for government aid.