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☆ EU wants Airbnb, rivals to share bookings data with authorities
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-07 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The Commission's proposal marks an effort to tackle the patchwork of different national laws across the EU regulating Airbnb and its rivals, while trying to balance the interests of cities and rural areas. "They will also tackle the current fragmentation in how online platforms share data and, ultimately, help prevent illegal listings. Reuters exclusively reported on the Commission's proposal on Nov. 3. Under the proposed rules, Airbnb and its peers will have to share data about the number of guests and rented nights with public authorities, once a month, in an automated way. The proposal will need to be agreed with EU countries and EU lawmakers before it can become law.

☆ 10 Things to Know About the 2022 iPads
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-04 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: +6 min

It’s a fresh look for the tablet, bringing it more in-line with the iPad Pro, iPad Air and iPad Mini, with some notable compromises. Most people are likely better off choosing the 9th-generation iPad for non-demanding work, or the iPad Air or iPad Pro for more power. It has been totally redesignedThis is the first “mainline” iPad to get the edge-to-edge design that started with the iPad Pro before spreading to the iPad Air and iPad Mini. It uses fingerprint-based Touch ID on the top button for security, rather than the Face ID system found on the iPad Pro and almost all current iPhones. That’s nearly 40% more expensive than the base model, 9th-gen iPad, and only 25% less than the superior iPad Air.

☆ EXCLUSIVE Airbnb faces light-touch regulation under EU plan -sources
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BRUSSELS, Nov 3 (Reuters) - The European Commission will propose light-touch rules for Airbnb (ABNB.O) and other short-term home rental companies, people familiar with the matter said. Under the draft rules, short-term home rental companies will have to provide data on numbers using their services and how many nights they stay to national authorities, they said. The data will be stored at a single digital entry point available to all public authorities, one of the people said. Airbnb did not immediately respond on Thursday to a request for comment on the draft plans. The proposed legislation will need to be thrashed out with EU member states and the European Parliament next year before it can become law.

☆ EXCLUSIVE Elon Musk reached out to EU industry chief to pledge content policing compliance
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-31 | by ( Michel Rose | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The exchange came after Breton took to Twitter to warn Musk about the new European legislation on Friday. "In Europe, the bird will fly by our EU rules," Breton tweeted on Friday. Companies will face fines of up to 6% of annual global turnover for breaches of Digital Services Act. Breton and Musk had met in May, and the two had signalled at the time agreement on complying with EU regulation. In a video posted on Twitter by Breton after their May meeting, the EU official says he explained the Digital Services Act to Musk.

☆ EU approves effective ban on new fossil fuel cars from 2035
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-27 | by ( Kate Abnett | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

"This deal is good news for car drivers... new zero-emission cars will become cheaper, making them more affordable and more accessible to everyone," Parliament's lead negotiator Jan Huitema said. EU climate policy chief Frans Timmermans said the agreement sent a strong signal to industry and consumers. New vans must comply with a 100% CO2 cut by 2035, and a 50% cut by 2030 compared with 2021 levels. Volkswagen (VOWG_p.DE) boss Thomas Schaefer this week said that from 2033, the brand will only produce electric cars in Europe. Negotiators agreed on Thursday that the EU will draft a proposal on how cars that run on "CO2 neutral fuels" could be sold after 2035.

☆ Bank instant payment shift to help business and consumers, says EU
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-26 | by ( Huw Jones | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

European Commissioner Mairead McGuinness proposed a draft EU law that will require banks across the 27-country union to offer and receive "instant payment" (IP) services for a fee that is the same or lower than they charge for traditional credit transfers. Currently, some banks charge far more for an IP transfer, up to 30 euros ($30) in some cases, compared with traditional transfers. "We want to extend euro instant payments internationally at a later stage," European Commission executive vice president Valdis Dombrovskis told reporters. "By mandating instant payments, the biggest blockers to open banking payments becoming mainstream are instantly solved," said Tom Greenwood, CEO of instant payments gateway Volt. Currently, non-bank payment firms are excluded as they don't have direct access to payment systems, but Brussels plans to revise its rules to allow them to compete alongside banks in IP payments, an EU source said.

☆ 'Seismic shift' in bank payments to help business and consumers, says EU
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-26 | by ( Huw Jones | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

LONDON, Oct 26 (Reuters) - Forcing banks across the European Union to offer instant payments in euros is a "seismic" shift to make the economy more efficient and reap savings for businesses and customers, the bloc's financial services chief said on Wednesday. "By mandating instant payments, the biggest blockers to open banking payments becoming mainstream are instantly solved," said Tom Greenwood, CEO of instant payments gateway Volt. IP allows people to receive and make instant payments 24/7, critical if payday falls on a weekend, and for businesses to manage their cash flows by receiving funds instantly after a sale. Banks will have to screen daily their IP customers against the most updated EU sanctions list, which has expanded since Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Currently, non-bank payment firms are excluded as they don't have direct access to payment systems, but Brussels plans to revise its rules to allow them to compete alongside banks in IP payments, an EU source said.

☆ Apple confirms a major change: The iPhone is switching to USB-C — but it's not happy about being forced to ditch its Lightning port
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-26 | by ( Britney Nguyen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Currently, the law says all mobile phones and tablets have to have a USB-C port by autumn 2024. "We have no choice," Joswiak said in response to Stern's question about when USB-C iPhones are coming. He did not say if iPhones and other Apple products sold outside the EU will also have the USB-C port. The law mandates that "all mobile phones, tablets and cameras sold in the EU," have to include a USB-C port by autumn 2024. One example, he said, was when the US government made a regulation for mobile phones to satisfy a hearing aid compatibility, which he argued didn't work.

☆ iPhones will get USB-C charging after Apple says it will have to comply with EU law
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-26 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Apple will "comply" with European Union regulation that requires electronic devices to be equipped with USB-C charging, said Greg Joswiak, Apple's senior vice president of worldwide marketing. That will mean Apple's iPhones, which currently use its proprietary Lightning charging standard, will need to change to support USB-C.Apple will have to comply with a European Union law that mandates electronic devices have a common charging standard — known as USB-C — the company's marketing chief confirmed. On Monday, ministers from EU member states gave the final approval to the common charger law which means that by 2024, electronic devices including mobile phones and tablets will need to support USB-C charging. Under upcoming EU law, the iPhone would need to support USB-C.Joswiak did not say when Apple would introduce USB-C to its flagship smartphone but it would need to happen by 2024. Joswiak took a swipe at the EU for the charging law, admitting that the two sides have been in a "little bit of a disagreement."

☆ France and Germany's relationship questioned as Scholz goes alone on policy
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-26 | by ( Silvia Amaro | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Officials have denied problems in the Franco-German relationship, but Chancellor Scholz's focus on domestic politics is upsetting some lawmakers in Europe. Fresh tensions between France and Germany are challenging their relationship at a time when their unity is critical for broader European policy in tackling the energy crisis. The leaders of the two nations will meet in Paris on Wednesday, but this encounter almost got canceled. He added that the action of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is "creating the deepest divides within the Union." France and Germany are the two largest economies in the European Union and two of the founding nations of this political grouping.

☆ EU seeking deals on three climate laws in time for U.N. summit
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-24 | by ( Kate Abnett | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BRUSSELS, Oct 24 (Reuters) - The European Union is aiming to clinch deals on three new laws to fight climate change in time for the annual United Nations climate negotiations next month, in a bid to boost its political clout at the talks. But two weeks away from the COP27 summit in Egypt, only around two dozen countries have done so. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterMeanwhile, the EU has agreed to speed up negotiations on three emissions-cutting laws, so it can arrive at the U.N. summit with newly-ambitious climate policies, EU officials told Reuters. "The EU has to be the bridge builder and you can only build bridges if you are seen as ambitious yourself," EU climate policy chief Frans Timmermans said on Monday. Ville Niinisto, Parliament's negotiator on the law, said having a deal before COP27 would show the EU "will do more than we promised".

Estimates that 80-90% of Russian oil will continue to flow outside the cap mechanism are not unreasonable, a U.S. Treasury official told Reuters. "Oil traders dealing in Russian oil are no longer in Switzerland, Geneva or London. P&I services heeding EU law insure 95% of the world's shipborne oil trade, meaning the EU move could have halted most of Russia's exports. Insurance and shipping industry figures still saw themselves at risk of sanctions which could upend the trade even in the G7 price cap workaround. The EU ratified the price cap this month but details on implementing it remain forthcoming.

☆ Ryanair boss blames Brexit for UK economic 'car crash'
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-18 | by ( Alvise Armellini | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

ROME, Oct 18 (Reuters) - Ryanair (RYA.I) boss Michael O'Leary on Tuesday described the economic situation in Britain as a "car crash" caused by the country's vote to leave the European Union in 2016. Britain's new finance minister, Jeremy Hunt, on Monday scrapped Prime Minister Liz Truss's economic plan and scaled back her vast energy support scheme in a historic policy U-turn to try to stem a dramatic loss of investor confidence. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterIrishman O'Leary said he expects Truss, who became prime minister last month, to be out of a job within a week or two. O'Leary welcomed the appointment of Hunt, who took over as finance minister last Friday and has since rewritten government plans presented only last month. "The Remainers are coming back, the adults are taking charge again ... we will return to some sensible economic policies," O'Leary added.

☆ Some EU countries want billion-euro chip plan to also fund current chips
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-14 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BRUSSELS, Oct 14 (Reuters) - Some EU countries want the bloc's billion-euro chip plan to fund the production of current cutting edge chips and not just first-of-its kind chips proposed by the European Commission, according to an EU document seen by Reuters. Unveiled this year, the Commission's European Chips Act aims to reinforce the European Union's chip industry and reduce its dependence on U.S. and Asian supply, triggered by the global shortage and supply chain bottlenecks. The EU executive however said the 45-billion-euro ($43.7 billion) plan allows state funding only for European "first-of-a-kind" production facilities. The proposal needs to be thrashed out with EU countries and lawmakers before it can become law. EU ambassadors may agree on a common position in early December, allowing them to kick off negotiations with EU lawmakers to finalise legislation.

REUTERS/Francois LenoirWASHINGTON/BRUSSELS, Oct 7 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden on Friday signed an executive order to implement a European Union-United States data transfer framework announced in March that adopts new American intelligence gathering privacy safeguards. Judges with experience in data privacy and national security will be appointed from outside the U.S. government. European privacy activists have threatened to challenge the framework if they did not think it adequately protects privacy. Austrian Max Schrems, whose legal challenges have brought down the previous two EU-U.S. data flow systems, said he still needed to analyze the package. "At first sight it seems that the core issues were not solved and it will be back to the CJEU (EU court) sooner or later," he said.

☆ EU proposes rules making it easier to sue drone makers, AI systems
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-28 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The AI Liability Directive aims to address the increasing use of AI-enabled products and services and the patchwork of national rules across the 27-country European Union. Under the draft rules, victims can seek compensation for harm to their life, property, health and privacy due to the fault or omission of a provider, developer or user of AI technology, or for discrimination in a recruitment process using AI. Users can sue for compensation when software updates render their smart-home products unsafe or when manufacturers fail to fix cybersecurity gaps. Those with unsafe non-EU products will be able to sue the manufacturer's EU representative for compensation. The AI Liability Directive will need to be agreed with EU countries and EU lawmakers before it can become law.

☆ EU lawmakers on Brazil's Bolsonaro: Respect vote or face sanctions
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

"The EU should state that it will use different levers, including trade, to defend Brazil's democracy and human rights," they added. Later on Wednesday, the United States Senate passed a resolution urging Brazil's government to ensure a "free, fair, credible, transparent, and peaceful" election. He has claimed without evidence that electoral authorities will rig the vote against him and that electronic voting cannot be trusted. A recent IPEC poll shows Lula increased his lead to 17 points with 48% support versus 31% for Bolsonaro. read moreRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Anthony Boadle; Additional reporting by Peter Siqueira; Editing by Paul Simao and Christopher CushingOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ EU countries at odds over possible gas price cap
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-28 | by ( Kate Abnett | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

BRUSSELS, Sept 28 (Reuters) - European Union countries were at odds on Wednesday over whether to cap gas prices in the bloc, with France, Belgium and 13 other states stepping up their call for the move opposed by Germany and others. Eyes were on the EU executive European Commission, which was expected to present an analysis on the feasibility of the bloc capping gas prices during a meeting of diplomats from the 27 EU member states on Wednesday. But with Germany, the Netherlands and Denmark among those arguing that a gas price cap would harm efforts to contain Europe's energy crunch, there were doubts as to whether any potential proposal could win sufficient support to become law. "It's highly questionable whether gas price caps are the right measure," an official from one EU country said, adding that saving energy should be countries' priority. Russia's two Nord Stream pipelines, built to carry gas to Europe, were damaged this week, with EU suspecting sabotage as leaks spewed greenhouse gas emissions into the Baltic Sea.

☆ EU draft rules to make it easier to sue drone makers, AI systems
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-27 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BRUSSELS, Sept 27 (Reuters) - Individuals and companies that suffer harm from drones, robots and other products or services equipped with artificial intelligence software will find it easier to sue for compensation under EU draft rules seen by Reuters. The AI Liability Directive, which the European Commission will announce on Wednesday, aims to address the increasing proliferation of AI-enabled products and services and the patchwork of national rules across the 27-country European Union. Victims can sue for compensation for harm to their life, property, health and privacy due to the fault or omission of a provider, developer or user of AI technology or was discriminated in a recruitment process using AI, the draft rules said. Users with unsafe non-EU products will be able to sue the manufacturer's EU representative for compensation. The AI Liability Directive will need the green light from EU countries and EU lawmakers before it can become law.

☆ UK government dishes out extensive tax cuts as country braces for recession
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-23 | by ( Jenni Reid | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

LONDON — The new U.K. government announced a sweeping program of tax cuts and investment incentives Friday, as Prime Minister Liz Truss seeks to boost the country's faltering economic growth. The energy support package is expected to cost more than £100 billion ($111 billion) over two years. The Institute for Fiscal Studies, an economic research group, said the reversal in the income tax rise and canceling the planned rise in corporation tax would lead to a £30 billion reduction in taxation revenue. It added that "setting plans underpinned by the idea that headline tax cuts will deliver a sustained boost to growth is a gamble, at best." Groups including the opposition Labour party argue that the tax cuts will disproportionately benefit the wealthy.

☆ Ukrainian collaborators who sided with Russian occupation were given top jobs and fancy titles. Now they're being hunted down.
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-23 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Around half the city has fled since Russia occupied the city in February, according to its elected mayor, Ivan Fedorov. On August 5, both Ukrainian and Russian sources reported that Vladimir Saldo has been put into a medically induced coma, citing a suspected poisoning. Saldo had the head of the government in the occupied city of Kherson. The business was owned by Balitsky and formerly had many Russian and Belarusian contracts, according to the BBC's Russian service. More than 1,300 people are under investigation for aiding the Russians in Ukraine, according to Ihor Klymenko, Ukraine's Head of National Police.

People relax in the sun of the bank the River Thames, with the The City of London financial district in the distance, in London, Britain, June 16, 2022. The CityUK, which promotes UK financial services abroad, said Britain must make a competitive and compelling offer to lift growth, but there is no magic bullet. DEREGULATION PUSHThe City is largely locked out of the EU since Brexit and financial services were excluded from the UK's trade deal with the bloc. Kwarteng said the financial services sector will be at the heart of the government's programme to drive growth in the economy. "To reaffirm the UK's status as the world's financial services centre, I will set out an ambitious package of regulatory reforms later in the autumn," Kwarteng said.

☆ Europol data practices target of EU privacy watchdog lawsuit
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-22 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Eva PlevierBRUSSELS, Sept 22 (Reuters) - EU data protection watchdog EDPS has asked Europe's top court to scrap amended rules allowing Europol to retroactively legalise its processing of personal data of people with no links to criminal activity, saying the rules undermine its authority. EDPS (European Data Protection Supervisor), which ensures that EU institutions and bodies comply with the bloc's privacy rules, took its grievance to the Luxembourg-based Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) on Sept. 16. At issue are two amendments to rules governing Europol agreed by EU countries and EU lawmakers which came into force on June 28. EDPS' request to the CJEU is "to make sure that the EU legislator cannot unduly 'move the goalposts' in the area of privacy and data protection," EDPS head Wojciech Wiewiorowski said in a statement. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Foo Yun Chee; Editing by Richard ChangOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Indiscriminate data retention is illegal, EU top court says
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-20 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterEuropean Union flags flutter outside the EU Commission headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, June 17, 2022. REUTERS/Yves Herman//File PhotoLUXEMBOURG, Sept 20 (Reuters) - EU governments cannot hold indiscriminately personal data unless there is a serious threat to national security, Europe's top court said on Tuesday, dealing a setback to EU countries banking on mass data retention laws to combat crime and safeguard national security. The German court subsequently sought the advice of the CJEU which said such data retention can only be allowed under very strict conditions. "The Court of Justice confirms that EU law precludes the general and indiscriminate retention of traffic and location data, except in the case of a serious threat to national security," the judges said. ($1 = 0.9984 euros)Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Foo Yun Chee; editing by Jason NeelyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ VIDEO/ Comisia Europeană anunță când ar putea intra în vigoare pașaportul de vaccinare
▼ + stars: | 2021-04-13 | by ( Buzdugan Loredana | ) www.zdg.md time to read: +3 min

Declarația a fost făcută de către comisarului european, Didier Reynders, în faţa Comisiei pentru libertăţi civile, justiţie şi afaceri interne a Parlamentului European. Pașapoartele ar fi un certificat fără nicio discriminare”, a declarat comisarul european. O decizie în legătură cu introducerea certificatului verde digital. Pentru a fi gata înainte de începutul verii, propunerea Comisiei Europene trebuie să fie adoptată rapid de Parlamentul European și de Consiliu. Scopul este ca lucrările tehnice și propunerea să fie finalizate în lunile următoare, precizează Comisia.

Persons: Didier Reynders, Pașapoartele, Johnson Organizations: Parlamentului, Comisia Europeană, Uniunii Europene, CE, Sputnik, Parlamentul European Locations: justiţie, Miercuri, UE, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Oxford, rus, Ungaria

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