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☆ Europe fines Meta almost $840 million for linking Marketplace to Facebook
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-14 | by ( Chris Johnston | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

On Thursday, the European Commission fined Meta almost 798 million euros (about $840 million). AdvertisementMeta was fined almost 798 million euros (about $840 million) for breaching European rules by linking Facebook Marketplace to its social network Facebook and imposing unfair trading conditions on other classified platforms. The European Commission said Thursday that all Facebook users are "regularly exposed to Facebook Marketplace whether they want it or not." AdvertisementVestager said Meta's "conduct benefited Facebook Marketplace and gave it "advantages that other online classified ads service providers could not match." Advertisement"The reality is that people use Facebook Marketplace because they want to, not because they have to."

Persons: Meta, —, Margrethe Vestager, Vestager Organizations: European, Meta, Service, Facebook, European Commission

☆ Temu to be investigated by EU tech regulators over sale of illegal products
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-31 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Chinese online retailer Temu will be investigated on whether it may have breached EU tech rules against the sale of illegal products, EU tech regulators said on Thursday, in a move which could lead to hefty fines for the company. Temu, which has 92 million users in the 27-country European Union, is a unit of Chinese ecommerce giant PDD Holdings . The EU tech enforcer will also investigate whether Temu is complying with the DSA obligation to provide researchers access to its publicly accessible data. Particularly in ensuring that products sold on their platform meet EU standards and do not harm consumers," EU antitrust and tech chief Margrethe Vestager said in a statement. Temu could face a fine of as much as 6% of its global turnover if found guilty of breaching the DSA.

Persons: Margrethe Vestager Organizations: EU, European Commission, Digital Services, Union, PDD Holdings, DSA Locations: EU

☆ Ireland reveals how it plans to spend ‘transformational’ $14 billion Apple tax windfall
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-02 | by ( Sam Meredith | In Samuelmeredith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Ireland's government on Tuesday outlined how it intends to spend 13 billion euros ($14.4 billion) in Apple back taxes — a windfall that Dublin actually spent several years fighting to avoid. His comments come three weeks after the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled against Apple over its tax affairs in Ireland. The landmark decision, which the court said was final, said Apple must pay Ireland billions of euros in back taxes. The ECJ's ruling was welcomed by tax justice advocates, as well as the bloc's outgoing competition chief Margrethe Vestager, who described the pronouncement as a "huge win" for European citizens. Apple said at the time that it was disappointed with the decision, while the Irish government said that its position had always been that it "does not give preferential tax treatment to any companies or taxpayers."

Persons: Jack Chambers, Chambers, Margrethe Vestager, Apple Organizations: Irish Finance, Court of Justice, Apple Locations: Apple, Dublin, Ireland

☆ EU's Vestager on Apple, Google fines
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-23 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailEU's Vestager on Apple, Google finesMargrethe Vestager, EU’s Commissioner for Competition, joins 'Money Movers' to discuss Apple's antitrust case, how the European Union was able to prevail in its cases against Apple and Google, and much more.

Persons: Margrethe Vestager Organizations: Apple, Competition, European Union, Google

☆ Google wins challenge against $1.7 billion EU antitrust fine
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-18 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Google won a legal challenge Wednesday against a €1.49 billion ($1.66 billion) antitrust fine from the European Union, while chipmaker Qualcomm failed to repeal a penalty. She scored two major wins last week: against Google in a separate case and against Apple’s tax deal with Irish authorities. The AdSense fine, one of a trio of fines that have cost Google a total of €8.25 billion ($9.18 billion), was triggered by a complaint from Microsoft in 2010. In Qualcomm’s case, the US chipmaker only managed to convince the General Court to trim its EU antitrust fine to €238.7 million from €242 million. Qualcomm, which can appeal to the European Court of Justice on points of law, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Persons: Margrethe Vestager Organizations: Google, European Union, Qualcomm, Big Tech, Irish, European Commission, European Court of Justice, EU, European Court, Microsoft, Nvidia, The

☆ Von der Leyen names European Commission's new top team
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-17 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen attends a press conference, on the day of a European Union leaders summit, in Brussels, Belgium March 22, 2024. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Tuesday named Spain's ecological transition minister Teresa Ribera as the bloc's next antitrust commissioner while Estonia's Kaja Kallas will be in charge of foreign policy. All commissioners will report to German conservative von der Leyen, who this summer was handed a second term as EU chief executive by member states after her political camp won the most votes in EU elections. A second Trump presidency could sharply alter Western unity on supporting Ukraine against Russia's invasion and up-end EU trade relations with the world's biggest economy. There was some drama on Monday on the next Commission's line-up, when France picked Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne as its new candidate after the incumbent, Thierry Breton, abruptly quit with tough words for von der Leyen.

Persons: Ursula von der Leyen, Teresa Ribera, Estonia's Kaja, Andrius, Stephane Sejourne, Slovakia's Maros Sefcovic, Ribera, Denmark's, Margrethe Vestager, der Leyen, Trump, Thierry Breton, von der Leyen Organizations: European Union, EU, French, Big Tech, U.S, Ukraine Locations: Brussels, Belgium, China, France

☆ Ireland now needs to decide what it will do with 13 billion euros in back taxes from Apple
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-11 | by ( Sam Meredith | In Samuelmeredith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesA landmark ruling from the European Union's top court means Ireland will receive 13 billion euros ($14.4 billion) in unpaid taxes from Apple — a windfall that Dublin had spent several years fighting to avoid. In a decision the European Court of Justice (ECJ) said was final, the EU's top court on Tuesday ruled that Apple must pay Ireland billions of euros in back taxes. For years, Ireland consistently argued that the iPhone maker should not have to repay unpaid taxes to the country. The decision comes at a time when Ireland is in the unusual position of running a budget surplus of several billion euros, partly due to the strength of corporate tax receipts. Shoppers and staff are seen inside the Apple Store, with its sleek modern interior design and prominent Apple logo on September 10, 2024 in Chongqing, China.

Persons: ECJ, Margrethe Vestager, Apple, Johanna Geron, Aidan Regan, there's, Simon Harris, Sir Keir Starmer, Brian Lawless, Robert Dever, Dever, Alex Cobham, Cobham, Cheng Xin Organizations: Bloomberg, Getty, Apple, Court of Justice, European Union, Reuters, Irish, University College Dublin, CNBC, Ireland's Finance Ministry, Ireland, U.S, England, Masons, Tax Justice Network, UN, Shoppers Locations: Wicklow, Dublin, Ireland, Brussels, Belgium, Farmleigh, Republic of Ireland, Chongqing, China

☆ Apple just lost a decadelong EU tax case. Now it must pay $14 billion.
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-10 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

The EU's top court ruled Apple must pay over €13 billion in back taxes. The European Court of Justice's decision ends a decadelong legal battle with the tech giant. EU competition chief Margrethe Vestager argued Apple received unfair tax breaks from Ireland. AdvertisementThe EU's top court just dealt Apple a major blow, ruling that the tech giant must pay more than €13 billion (about $14 billion) in back taxes. The European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled that Apple must pay the taxes to the Irish government, ending a decadelong legal battle.

Persons: Margrethe Vestager, Apple, — Organizations: Apple, Service, of Justice, European Commission, Business Locations: EU, Ireland

☆ The United States and Europe need China for clean energy. They will pay a price to break free
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-14 | by ( Hanna Ziady | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

London CNN —The United States and Europe are racing to narrow China’s commanding lead in clean energy technologies, throwing subsidies at local manufacturers and hiking tariffs on Chinese imports in a strikingly protectionist turn. Without China’s electric vehicles (EVs), solar panels, wind turbines, and batteries, reducing planet-heating pollution could take longer and ultimately increase costs for businesses and consumers. Beijing’s virtual monopoly on the processing of some critical minerals comes with particular risks for the global green transition. Zhu Haipeng/VCG/APAny delay in switching to clean energy will exact a heavy toll on the planet. Birol at the IEA also advocates for trade policies that diversify supply chains while reducing the risk of delays to the clean energy transition.

Persons: “, Margrethe Vestager, ”, ” Fatih Birol, David G, Victor, Michael R, Davidson, ” Victor, Pierre, Olivier Gourinchas, Zhu Haipeng, Victor of, Birol, don’t Organizations: London CNN, Russia, Getty, ”, International Energy Agency, Global, University of California, CNN, Monetary Fund, McKinsey Global Institute, Victor of University of California, IEA Locations: United States, Europe, China, Lianyungang, Washington, Netherlands, Japan, Beijing, of Taicang, Suzhou, Brookings, University of California San Diego, Fuzhou, Victor of University of California San Diego

TikTok has committed to “permanently withdraw” a rewards program from the European Union after the 27-member bloc raised concerns about the feature’s potential “addictive effect,” the European Commission announced Monday. TikTok is pleased to have reached an amicable resolution.”TikTok formally agreed to withdraw the TikTok Lite Rewards program from the E.U. and committed “not to launch any other programme which would circumvent the withdrawal,” the European Commission said. has attempted to more forcefully police the conduct of Big Tech firms through laws such as the Digital Services Act and other measures. “The safety and well-being of social media users need to be a number one priority.

Persons: TikTok, “, ” TikTok, ”, Margrethe Vestager, Thierry Breton Organizations: European Union, European Commission, Services, European, DSA, Big Tech, Digital Services, Facebook Locations: Spain, France, Danish, French

☆ Delivery Hero, Glovo targeted in EU cartel investigation
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-23 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

BERLIN, GERMANY - SEPTEMBER 04: The Delivery Hero office photographed on September 04, 2020 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by Jeremy Moeller/Getty Images)BRUSSELS - EU antitrust regulators on Tuesday launched an investigation into German online food takeaway firm Delivery hero and its Spanish unit Glovo on concerns that the two companies may have taken part in an online food delivery cartel. Delivery Hero held a minority share in Glovo in 2018 and acquired sole control in July 2022. "The Commission is concerned that, before the takeover, Delivery Hero and Glovo may have allocated geographic markets and shared commercially sensitive information," the EU watchdog said. "Online food delivery is a fast-growing sector, where we must protect competition," EU antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager said in a statement.

Persons: Jeremy Moeller, Margrethe Vestager Organizations: Getty, European, EU Locations: BERLIN, GERMANY, Berlin, Germany, BRUSSELS, Glovo

☆ iPhone users in Europe will no longer have to use Apple Pay for mobile payments
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-11 | by ( Hanna Ziady | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

London CNN —Apple has yielded to pressure by European regulators to give rivals access to the contactless payments technology on iPhones, meaning that their users will no longer be limited to the Apple Pay mobile wallet. Under the agreement, third-party mobile wallet developers will gain free access to the standard technology used for contactless payments with iPhones, known as near-field communication (NFC) technology. Apple will also allow iPhone users to choose which mobile wallet to make the default wallet on their phones. “Apple Pay and Apple Wallet will continue to be available in the European Economic Area for users and developers.”The European Commission first raised objections against Apple’s tap-to-pay practices in 2022, having opened a formal antitrust investigation into Apple Pay two years earlier. That means rivals wanting to create apps or wallets using the tap-to-pay features on iPhones have been unable to do so and users have been forced to use Apple Pay for mobile payments.

Persons: London CNN —, Margrethe Vestager, Apple, “, ” Vestager, ” Organizations: London CNN, London CNN — Apple, Apple, European Union, Digital Markets, European Commission, Economic, CNN, “ Apple, Economic Area, NFC

☆ Apple reaches deal with EU regulators to open up mobile payments system to rivals
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-11 | by ( Sophie Kiderlin | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

EU antitrust regulators on Thursday accepted commitments from Apple to allow access to its tap and go payments technology to rivals, bringing an end to a four-year investigation. "From now on, Apple can no longer use its control over the iPhone ecosystem to keep other mobile wallets out of the market. The iPhone maker now has until July 25 to implement the commitments, Vestager said. All developers will then be able to offer mobile wallets for iPhones with the tap and go technology, she explained. It added that there would be no changes to Apple Pay or the Apple Wallet following the probe.

Persons: Margrethe Vestager, Apple, Vestager Organizations: European Union, Apple, EU, European Commission, Economic Locations: Europe

☆ Apple Settles E.U. Case by Opening Its Payment Service to Rivals
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-11 | by ( Adam Satariano | More About Adam Satariano | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Apple will for the first time allow banks, payment services and other app developers to use the underlying technology behind Apple Pay to make rival tap-and-go payment services, settling a long-running European Union antitrust investigation, regulators said on Thursday. The agreement applies only in the European Union, where consumers could see an influx of new apps and services to make payments on the go. Apple has until now refused to grant rivals access to the payment technology on iPhones, known as near field communication, essentially forcing people to use Apple Pay. “Apple has committed to allow rivals to access the ‘tap and go’ technology of iPhones,” Margrethe Vestager, the European Commission’s executive vice president, who oversees competition policy, said in a statement. The announcement on Thursday does not apply to Apple Watch, which also has tap-and-go payment technology, an E.U.

Persons: Apple, ” Margrethe Vestager Organizations: Apple, European Union, Apple Watch

☆ Microsoft faces mega fine after EU takes issue with bundling of Teams and Office
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-25 | by ( Hanna Ziady | Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

London CNN —Microsoft has violated European Union antitrust laws by bundling Teams with its other popular applications for businesses, EU officials said Tuesday, marking the bloc’s latest challenge to a US tech giant. If confirmed, the preliminary findings of an EU investigation could lead to a fine of up to 10% of Microsoft’s global revenue, which totaled $211 billion in its latest financial year. Apple, which has denied wrongdoing, also faces a huge fine if the charges are confirmed. “Preserving competition for remote communication and collaboration tools is essential as it also fosters innovation on these markets. If confirmed, Microsoft’s conduct would be illegal under our competition rules,” she added.

Persons: Apple, Slack, Margrethe Vestager Organizations: London CNN, Microsoft, Digital Markets, Apple, European Commission, Salesforce, CNN

☆ Watch CNBC's full interview with the EU's Margrethe Vestager
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-18 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailWatch CNBC's full interview with the EU's Margrethe VestagerMargrethe Vestager, the EU's competition chief, speaks to CNBC's Silvia Amaro in a wide-ranging interview in Brussels.

Persons: Margrethe Vestager Margrethe Vestager, CNBC's Silvia Amaro Locations: Brussels

☆ EU to challenge U.S. and China strategically on trade, competition chief says
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-18 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Executive Vice President of the European Commission for A Europe Fit for the Digital Age Margrethe Vestager talks to media in the Berlaymont, the EU Commission headquarter on May 23, 2024 in Brussels, Belgium. The European Union may be no economic match for its U.S. and China trade partners, but it can seek to contend with them strategically, the bloc's competition chief said Tuesday. Margrethe Vestager told CNBC that the EU had become "much better" at defending itself against unfair trade practices, and that it would continue to find novel ways of competing equitably with its economic partners. "The point is to realise we can never outspend China or the U.S.," Vestager told Silvia Amaro in Brussels. It follows similar measures by the U.S. last month, the latest phase in a growing trade tensions between the two economic powerhouses.

Persons: Margrethe Vestager, Vestager, Silvia Amaro Organizations: European Commission, European, CNBC, EU, EV, U.S Locations: Brussels, Belgium, China

☆ Apple has 'very serious' issues under sweeping EU digital rules, competition chief says
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-18 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Apple has a number of "very serious" issues under the European Union's sweeping rules aimed at reining in Big Tech, the bloc's competition chief Margrethe Vestager told CNBC on Tuesday, following reports that regulators are preparing charges against the iPhone maker. In March, the European Commission, the EU's executive arm, opened a probe into Apple, Alphabet and Meta, under the sweeping Digital Markets Act (DMA) tech legislation that became applicable this year. "We have a number of Apple issues, I find them very serious. I was very surprised that we would have such suspicions of Apple being non-compliant," Vestager told CNBC's Silvia Amaro. Apple did not immediately respond to a CNBC request for comment.

Persons: Margrethe Vestager, Vestager, CNBC's Silvia Amaro, Apple Organizations: Apple, CNBC, European Commission, Markets Locations: Big Tech

☆ Vestager: European centrist coalition 'pretty strong and stable'
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-18 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailVestager: European centrist coalition 'pretty strong and stable'Margrethe Vestager, EVP at the European Commission, discusses the impact of right-wing momentum in the recent elections, and explains the importance of competition in Europe.

Persons: Margrethe Vestager Organizations: European Commission Locations: European, Europe

☆ EU approves Italian aid for $5.4 billion STMicro chip plant
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-31 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

STMicroelectronics has committed 5 billion euros ($5.4 billion) of investment in what it calls the world's first fully integrated Silicon Carbide (SiC) plant in Italy. The project is backed by 2 billion euros from the Italian state, and is the result of the EU's Chips Act which aims to provide support for Europe's chip industry. The European Commission on Friday approved Italian state aid for STMicroelectronics to build a 5 billion euro ($5.4 billion) microchip plant as Europe battles to reduce reliance on Asian imports for vital manufacturing components. The STMicro plant will produce chips made from silicon carbide, which is more energy-efficient than standard silicon. STMicro is the largest maker of silicon carbide chips, which are more expensive to manufacture than regular silicon chips but favoured by automakers because they are energy-efficient, lightweight and tough.

Persons: STMicroelectronics, Margrethe Vestager, it's, Vestager, STMicro Organizations: Carbide, European, United, European Union, Union, BMW, Renault Locations: Italy, Catania, Sicily, Rome, China, Asia, United States, Catania . U.S, STMicro

☆ Oreo-maker Mondelez fined $366 million for rigging European markets
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-23 | by ( Olesya Dmitracova | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

London CNN —Mondelez, the maker of Oreo and Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate, has been fined €337.5 million ($366 million) for hindering the trade of chocolate, cookies and coffee between European Union countries in order to keep prices high. Margrethe Vestager, the EU’s competition chief, said in a statement Thursday that Mondelez had illegally limited cross-border sales within the EU to maintain higher prices for its products. The European Commission, which started looking into the case in 2019, found that Mondelez International (MDLZ) had deliberately restricted cross-border trade and abused “its dominant position” in some national markets for the sale of chocolate bars. Mondelez made an accrual for the fine last year and no further measures will be necessary to finance it. In another case, Mondelez required a customer to charge higher prices for exports compared with domestic sales.

Persons: London CNN — Mondelez, Margrethe Vestager, Mondelez, “, Mark Thompson Organizations: London CNN, Cadbury, Union, European Commission, Mondelez International, EU Locations: Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Bulgaria, Romania

☆ Apple's iPad caught in EU's crosshairs as it clamps down on 'gatekeepers'
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-29 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The European Commission said users are "locked in" to iPadOS and it's hard for them to switch. It comes as a part of a broader crackdown on "gatekeepers" and a market investigation into Apple. The DMA was designed to ensure fairness and healthy competition in the digital landscape and hold Big Tech "gatekeepers" accountable. In September, the EU Commission designated Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, ByteDance, Meta, and Microsoft gatekeepers. The EU said Monday that its iPadOS investigation found it has "features of a gatekeeper."

Persons: —, Apple's iPadOS, Margrethe Vestager, Apple didn't Organizations: EU, Digital, European Commission, Apple, Service, European, Big Tech, Business, EU Commission, Meta, Microsoft

☆ Apple’s iPad will be subject to tough EU competition rules
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-29 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Apple’s iPad will face heightened regulation in the European Union after officials labeled its operating system Monday as a key gatekeeper technology under EU competition law. The stricter regulations require, for example, that the iPad not restrict third-party companies from accessing Apple services. And they prohibit Apple from giving its own services preferential treatment on the iPad compared to those offered by competitors. Apple is already subject to European gatekeeper obligations on iOS and in its app store and browser. “We will continue to constructively engage with the European Commission to comply with the DMA, across all designated services,” Apple said in a statement.

Persons: Margrethe Vestager, iPadOS didn’t, “, Vestager, ” Apple, ” Organizations: CNN, European Union, Google, Microsoft, Apple, European Commission Locations: European

☆ EU threatens to suspend TikTok Lite’s money-for-views program over addiction fears
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-22 | by ( Sam Meredith | In Samuelmeredith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

This photograph taken on April 11, 2024, in Paris, shows the logo of the Chinese social network application TikTok Lite displayed in Apple's App Store. Users aged 18 or older can "collect points by discovering new content or completing certain actions," the social network said. The European Union on Monday opened proceedings against ByteDance's TikTok and threatened to suspend its newly launched TikTok Lite rewards program, where users can earn points for liking content or inviting friends to the app. The European Commission, the EU's executive arm, said TikTok had 24 hours to provide a risk assessment report for TikTok Lite or face fines. Children are thought to be at risk given the suspected absence of effective age verification mechanisms on TikTok, the EU said.

Persons: ByteDance's TikTok, TikTok, Margrethe Vestager Organizations: European Union, European Commission, TikTok, CNBC, EU, Digital Services Locations: Paris, France, Spain, EU

☆ EU antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager on regulating Apple, Microsoft, and big tech
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-19 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailEU antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager on regulating Apple, Microsoft, and big techMargrethe Vestager, European Commission Executive Vice President, discusses probes into Apple and Microsoft, along with the Digital Markets Act.

Persons: Margrethe Vestager Organizations: Apple, Microsoft, European, Digital

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