About: Antitrust
Germany fears EU digital law might loosen its antitrust grip on tech giants
German competition authorities have piled pressure on American tech giants since new rules came into force in January. However, the Digital Markets Act (DMA) currently being discussed at EU level may supersede the section of the German law that targets big tech. EURACTIV Germany reports.
Digital Brief, powered by FACEBOOK: Slovenia’s digital agenda, recovery plans falling short, Google sanctioned
Welcome to EURACTIV’s Digital Brief, your weekly update on all things digital in the EU. You can subscribe to the newsletter here. “We want to promote the EU digital agenda, to contribute to its success especially on the regulatory side. We...
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.
Digital Brief: Digital vulnerabilities, no Horizon for Europe, Trump ban
Welcome to EURACTIV’s Digital Brief, your weekly update on all things digital in the EU. You can subscribe to the newsletter here. “The real industrial revolution is starting now – provided we make the right investments in key technologies and set...
Digital Brief: Apple scrutinised, TERREG approved, ePrivacy derogated
Welcome to EURACTIV’s Digital Brief, your weekly update on all things digital in the EU. You can subscribe to the newsletter here. “By setting strict rules on the App store that disadvantage competing music streaming services, Apple deprives users of cheaper...
Google’s advertising practices targeted by EU antitrust probe
EU antitrust regulators have sought information from advertisers regarding Google's advertising technology practices, a European Commission document seen by Reuters shows.
Commission has never evaluated ‘deterrence effect’ of antitrust fines, auditors say
EU auditors have questioned the effectiveness of antitrust fines dished out by the European Commission, as part of a landmark audit of the EU executive's role as an enforcer of competition rules.
Vestager: Amazon has illegally abused market position with Big Data tactics
Amazon has violated EU antitrust rules in its use of non-public merchant data, cementing the platform's dominance in the eCommerce market and marginalizing third-party sellers, the European Commission's Vice President for Digital, Margrethe Vestager, has said.
Vestager calls for EU-US ‘common vision’ on platform competition policy
Worldwide jurisdictions and particularly the EU and the US should formulate "common visions" on how best to regulate competition in the platform economy, the Commission's digital chief Margrethe Vestager has said.
Facebook accused of ‘copy, acquire and kill’ tactics in US antitrust hearing
Social media giant Facebook has come in for heavy criticism as part of a US congressional hearing into the dominance of online tech platforms, being accused of ‘copy, acquire and kill’ tactics as part of its history in acquiring smaller...
Facebook takes EU antitrust regulators to court
US technology giant Facebook is suing EU regulators after a spat between the two parties erupted over access to company documents as part of an ongoing antitrust probe.
Commission eyes US GAFA hearing for future competition challenges
The heads of US tech giants Facebook, Amazon, Google and Apple are set to testify in a US congressional hearing on Wednesday (29 July) as part of an ongoing probe into the dominance of digital platforms. For the EU, the hearing could provide a valuable insight into how to address competition challenges in the digital economy.
Germany’s highest court orders Facebook to stop cross-platform data sharing
With immediate effect, the Facebook company must stop merging and sharing user data from its Facebook, Whatsapp and Instagram platforms in Germany, according to a ruling by the country's highest court. EURACTIV Germany reports.
Commission to contract €600,000 study on gatekeeping power of digital platforms
The European Commission is to contract a study on the gatekeeping, or market-dominating, power of digital platforms in a bid to gather evidence which could feed into the upcoming Digital Services Act, documents seen by EURACTIV reveal.
Google’s holiday rental service under fire as 40 rivals urge EU antitrust action
Alphabet unit Google faces the risk of more EU antitrust problems after 40 rivals on both sides of the Atlantic accused it of favouring its own vacation rental service on its search engine and urged European Union enforcers to take action.
LEAK: Digital services face EU competition crackdown
The European Commission is mulling over measures to bolster competition rules for digital services in order to rein in the dominance of global tech giants and foster "technologies that work for people", a draft communication obtained by EURACTIV reveals.
EU antitrust regulators raise concerns about Facebook’s Libra currency: sources
EU antitrust regulators want to know whether Facebook’s proposed Libra cryptocurrency and its use of consumer data pose possible anti-competitive constraints, people familiar with the matter said on Wednesday (21 August).
Tech giants under pressure in the US
About twenty US states are worried about the monopolistic tendencies of tech giants, and are close to launching a joint antitrust investigation next month, the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday (19 August). EURACTIV's partner La Tribune reports.
Commission fines Qualcomm €242 million over predatory pricing
EU antitrust authority fined €242 million Qualcomm due to the application of predatory prices, resulting in a breach of competition law, Commissioner Margrethe Vestager announced on Thursday (18 July).
Commission opens investigation into Amazon’s handling of data
The European Commission decided on Wednesday (17 July) to launch an antitrust investigation into US online retailer Amazon over its use of merchants' data, in a case that could set a precedent.
Force tech giants to share data rather than break them up: academics
EU antitrust regulators should consider forcing tech giants such as Google and Amazon to share their data with rivals rather than break them up, three academics enlisted by the European Commission said on Thursday (4 April).
Nike fined €12.5 million for antitrust, football merchandise restrictions
The European Commission announced on Monday (25 March) that the popular US sportswear group Nike has been fined €12.5 million for unlawfully preventing cross-border sales of football merchandise, which lead to higher prices and a reduced choice for consumers.