Competition
France continues fight against ‘gold plating’ of EU laws
French senators have removed around 20 over-transpositions of EU directives, which are considered to harm businesses’ competitiveness. This was part of a “tidying-up” mission which is sometimes at odds with the public interest. EURACTIV France reports.
Spain’s La Liga says ready to turn to EU over City and PSG cases
The Spanish soccer league’s organising body La Liga is ready to turn to the European Union if UEFA does not enforce its Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules against Manchester City and Paris St Germain, a spokesman told Reuters on Tuesday....
French people barely comforted by positive economic conditions
France tends to develop in the opposite direction to the rest of the eurozone and the economic lights are now on green. However, French morale tells a very different story and the international situation raises concerns among economic forecasters. EURACTIV France reports.
A 1950 law discourages investments in Greece
An old-fashioned law of the Greek penal code dated back to 1950 prevents private actors from investing in projects where the public sector also has a share, thus blocking a potential investment boom the country badly needs.
Google appeals record EU fine over Android
Google on Tuesday (9 October) appealed the biggest ever anti-trust fine by the EU, which imposed a 4.34 billion euro penalty on the US tech giant for illegally abusing the dominance of its operating system for mobile devices.
After attacking Google, Vestager now turns to Amazon
The European Commission suspects the e-commerce giant of using the data it collects from third-party vendors on its marketplace to gain a commercial advantage. An article by our partner, La Tribune.
McDonald’s tax deal with Luxembourg ‘not illegal’, Commission says
The European Commission concluded on Wednesday (19 September) that Luxembourg’s tax deal with McDonald’s was not illegal state aid as it did not give the company an unfair advantage, but instead was due to the “mismatch” of US and Luxembourgish tax laws.
‘Circle of five’ carmakers under EU cartel investigation
On the third anniversary of Dieselgate, the European Commission announced on Tuesday (18 September) that its anti-competition team is looking into BMW, Daimler and the VW group for allegedly limiting the roll-out of technology meant to clean up car emissions.
Police raid offices of top French electrical firms in corruption probe
The offices of four of France’s largest electrical goods’ companies were raided by police on Thursday on suspicion of cartel pricing and corruption, a judicial source said.
Spanish, Belgian companies face charges of ethanol benchmark rigging
Spanish ethanol producer Abengoa and Belgium peer Alcogroup have been charged by European Union antitrust regulators with rigging ethanol benchmarks and are likely to face fines next year, two people familiar with the matter said on Wednesday (29 August).
Apple to gain unconditional EU approval for Shazam buy
Apple is set to win unconditional EU antitrust approval for its planned acquisition of British music discovery app Shazam, two people familiar with the matter said on Wednesday (22 August).
Commission acts against price fixing in online resales
The European Commission levied fines totalling €111 million against Asus, Philips, Pioneer and Denon & Marantz on Tuesday (24 July) for imposing fixed or minimum resale prices on online retailers.
Europeans press for digital tax at G20 meeting
European finance leaders called for progress on global rules to tax the digital economy at a meeting of G20 finance ministers and central bankers in Argentina on Sunday (22 July), putting them at odds with US counterparts.
EU keeps Google on the hook following record fine of €4.34 billion
The European Commission slapped Google on Wednesday (18 July) with a record fine of €4.34 billion for abusing its dominant position and said it would continue to investigate as a “top priority” Google's other businesses for possible additional breaches of market rules. The company said it would appeal.
EU to slam Google with record fine ahead of Juncker US visit
Google is set to face a record-busting EU antitrust fine this week over its Android mobile operating system but rivals hoping that an order to halt unfair business practices will help them may be disappointed.
Commission says Airbnb breaches EU consumer rules, must fall into line
The European Union told Airbnb yesterday (16 July) to bring its terms and conditions into line with the bloc's consumer rules or face action by national consumer agencies, after a review of the short-term rental platform found some violations.
EU should enforce market surveillance to protect single market
The EU needs to take market surveillance more seriously. This is not only about spending more money, but also about creating more coherent and less complex single market legislation, writes Naemi Denz.
Micro-regulating trading practices between food multinationals and retail will end up in consumers paying
As the European elections and the change of Commission loom next year, the Commission is in a hurry to get its last proposals out and parliamentarians are keen to complete their scrutiny before the campaign trail beckons, writes Christian Verschueren.
Vestager: ‘I’d like a Facebook that I pay, with full privacy’
In an exclusive interview, the EU's antitrust chief, Margrethe Vestager, told EURACTIV.com that the US social network Facebook is on her radar screen but not the e-commerce giant Amazon, which is also suspected of abusing its dominant position.
French energy giant Engie hit with €120 million ‘illegal’ state aid ruling
Luxembourg will have to recover about €120 million in unpaid tax from French energy giant Engie, after the European Commission found the Grand Duchy guilty of breaching strict state aid rules.
The EU has to broaden its alliances to shape the new world order
Enough tears have been shed, egos and emotions shaken and obituaries written about the transatlantic relationship. It is time to move on. So wipe the tears, stop the whining and turn over a new page. The US has embarked on a new journey, and the EU should do the same, writes Shada Islam.
European Parliament votes in favour of the revision on posted workers
After 27 months of negotiations, MEPs approved a revision of the posted workers directive, an issue which symbolises divisions between East and West in the EU. EURACTIV.fr reports.
As expected, Vestager lets Gazprom off the hook
The EU's antitrust regulators have ended their investigation into Gazprom without imposing any fines, the Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager announced on Thursday (24 May). The Russian gas giant welcomed the EU's decision and promised to reform.