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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.

PARIS/STOCKHOLM, Nov 4 (Reuters) - Telecom operators are pushing the European Union to implement new laws that would make Big Tech pay for network costs, following Australia's example, according to four sources close to the matter. "GSMA is coordinating a proposal that speaks to Big Tech contribution to European infrastructure investment," said John Giusti, GSMA's chief regulatory officer, without elaborating on the content of the proposal. Google, Facebook, Netflix, Amazon did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Australia's recently-adopted laws in its own spat with Google and Facebook have emerged as the most-favoured weapon for telecoms operators in their dispute with Big Tech companies, the sources said. The rules, first aimed at compelling tech giants to pay for news content online, allow an Australian government-appointed arbitrator to set fees if Big Tech companies and news publishers fail to find a common ground over copyright.

☆ Ukraine war, geopolitics fuelling cybersecurity attacks -EU agency
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BRUSSELS, Nov 3 (Reuters) - Geopolitics such as Russia's invasion of Ukraine has led to more damaging and widespread cybersecurity attacks in the year to July, EU cybersecurity agency ENISA said in its annual report on Thursday. The agency said geopolitical situations - in particular the Russian invasion of Ukraine - were game-changers during the period under review. "Today's global context is inevitably driving major changes in the cybersecurity threat landscape. The new paradigm is shaped by the growing range of threat actors," ENISA Executive Director Juhan Lepassaar said in a statement. About 24% of cybersecurity attacks targeted public administration and governments while 13% targeted digital services providers, the report said.

☆ 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.

☆ No Microsoft remedies in first EU antitrust review of Activision deal - source
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-31 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BRUSSELS, Oct 31 (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp's (MSFT.O) has not offered any remedies to EU antitrust regulators reviewing its proposed $69 billion bid for "Call of Duty" maker Activision Blizzard (ATVI.O) ahead of an expected full-scale EU probe, a person familiar with the matter said on Monday. The European Commission, which is scheduled to finish its preliminary assessment of the deal by Nov. 8, said its website was up to date. Microsoft said it continues to work with the Commission on the next steps and to address any valid marketplace concerns, such as those voiced by Sony. Companies typically do not offer remedies during the EU preliminary review when they know regulators subsequently intend to open a four-month long investigation. Reporting by Foo Yun Chee; editing by David EvansOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ More liquidity support for energy utilities under looser EU state aid rules
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-28 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BRUSSELS, Oct 28 (Reuters) - Energy companies, hit by soaring power and gas prices related to the war in Ukraine, can secure public guarantees exceeding 90% coverage from EU governments to cover margin call requirements under looser state aid rules, the European Commission said on Friday. Energy suppliers across Europe have struggled with a liquidity problem in the face of record-high wholesale power and gas prices following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, prompting governments to step in to help. Companies can get up to 2 million euros ($1.99 million) in state aid, a fourfold increase, the EU executive said. The cap for state support to businesses in the agriculture sector was lifted to 250,000 euros from 62,000 and for the fisheries and aquaculture sectors to 300,000 euros from 75,000 euros. Energy-intensive companies can also get more state aid while those receiving larger amounts will have to take measures to ensure they use cleaner energy.

☆ EU renews order for Illumina to keep Grail as separate entity
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-28 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BRUSSELS, Oct 28 (Reuters) - EU antitrust regulators on Friday renewed interim measures ordering U.S. life sciences company Illumina (ILMN.O) to keep Grail (GRAL.O) as a separate entity pending an order to unwind the takeover completed before the deal had been approved. The interim order, which was due to expire at the end of the month, was issued by the competition enforcer last year after Illumina jumped the gun and acquired Grail before securing the EU green light. "The European Commission has renewed and adjusted, under the EU Merger Regulation, the interim measures that ensure that Illumina and GRAIL remain separate following the Commission's decision to block the merger," the EU watchdog said in a statement. Under the interim measures, Grail must be run by independent managers exclusively in the interest of the company and it cannot share confidential business information with Illumina, though there could be very limited exceptions with safeguards. Illumina, which has challenged the Commission's veto, will be required to provide funds for Grail to develop cancer detection tests it has in the pipeline.

☆ EU wants 40-man antitrust team to enforce new tech rules, official says
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-27 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BRUSSELS, Oct 27 (Reuters) - EU antitrust regulators are looking to establish a 40-man team and hire a technology expert to enforce tough new rules aimed at reining in the powers of Big Tech, an EU official said on Thursday. A 12-man unit headed by antitrust veteran Thomas Kramler who is currently handling the Apple and Amazon antitrust investigations and a 9-person strong taskforce will move to the new directorate, the official said. The EU competition enforcer aims to hire 19 more people for the directorate and a chief technology officer to focus on data, the official said. The new unit will need the green light from the college of commissioners from the 27 EU countries in the coming weeks before it can be set up. Reporting by Foo Yun Chee; editing by Grant McCoolOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Google to appeal Android fine at Europe's top court
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-27 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BRUSSELS, Oct 27 (Reuters) - Alphabet (GOOGL.O) unit Google will appeal its record 4.1-billion-euro ($4.10 billion) EU antitrust fine at Europe's top court after a lower tribunal threw out its challenge last month, the U.S. tech giant said on Thursday. The Luxembourg-based General Court broadly backed the European Commission's 2018 decision but pruned the fine to 4.125 billion euros from 4.34 billion euros. The deadline for the court is Dec. 1," a Google spokesperson said. The company can only appeal on matters of law to the Luxembourg-based Court of Justice of the European Union. ($1 = 0.9990 euros)Reporting by Foo Yun Chee Editing by Tomasz JanowskiOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Google Play in EU antitrust sights as Android fine appeal pending
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-27 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BRUSSELS, Oct 27 (Reuters) - Alphabet (GOOGL.O) unit Google's Google Play Store is the target of an EU antitrust investigation, the company said in a regulatory filing, a move that could expose the U.S. tech giant to another billion-euro fine. Over the last decade, Google has incurred 8.25 billion euros ($8.24 billion) in EU antitrust fines following three investigations into its business practices. The European Union antitrust watchdog declined to comment. Separately, Google said on Thursday it will appeal its record 4.1-billion-euro EU antitrust fine at Europe's top court after a lower tribunal threw out its challenge last month. The company can only appeal on matters of law to the Luxembourg-based Court of Justice of the European Union.

☆ Whistleblowers dodged $10 bln in EU cartel fines in past 16 years
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-25 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BRUSSELS, Oct 25 (Reuters) - Companies that alerted European authorities to cartels in the last 16 years dodged 10 billion euros ($9.97 billion) in potential fines, EU antitrust regulators said on Tuesday as they announced efforts to encourage more whistleblowing. Launched in 1996 and revised several times since then, the European Commission's leniency programme offers the first company that reports wrongdoing total immunity from fines while those that subsequently come forward with evidence can get discounts up to 50%. It said the total amount of fines imposed during the same period was 15 billion euros. Making it even easier for whistleblowers to test the water before committing themselves to the procedure, the leniency programme allows companies to start informal talks with the EU competition enforcer without disclosing their names and the sector they are in. They can also make a hypothetical application with details of wrongdoing to see if they qualify for reduced fines.

☆ EXCLUSIVE Philip Morris to get EU nod for Swedish Match with asset sale -sources
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-24 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | Tatiana Bautzer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Philip Morris and Swedish Match also declined to comment. Philip Morris last week hiked its offer for Swedish Match in an effort to win over shareholders waiting for a sweetened bid. Hedge funds, including Elliott Management Corp, have built up their stakes in Swedish Match in hopes of a higher bid. Under Swedish law, 90% of Swedish Match shareholders need to approve the offer before Nov. 4. Philip Morris is sticking to this acceptance rate.

Oct 18 (Reuters) - U.S. rapper Kanye West, who now goes by Ye, has agreed in principle to buy social media platform Parler, which is popular among U.S. conservatives, the app's parent company said on Monday. Here is what you need to know about the social media platform. Parler was founded in 2018 as a self-styled free speech platform. Its hands-off approach to content moderation has made it popular among U.S. conservatives who disagree with content limits on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter. Ye's move comes as others includingTrump and Tesla (TSLA.O) CEO Elon Musk have turned to social media ownership to combat censorship on prominent social media networks.

Oct 19 (Reuters) - Australian miner New Hope (NHC.AX) said on Wednesday it was not part of a consortium with private-equity firms Oaktree Capital Management and Brookfield (BAMa.TO), which according to a report was bidding for Aurizon's (AZJ.AX) East Coast Rail business. read moreAurizon declined to comment on the media report on Wednesday, but pointed to its annual general meeting held last week at which it said the divestment process was "well advanced" and that it would announce a decision next month. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterBrookfield declined to comment on the media report. Shares in coal miner New Hope fell 7% after rival Whitehaven Coal's (WHC.AX) weak quarterly production update. ($1 = 1.5820 Australian dollars)Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Shashwat Awasthi and Upasana Singh; Editing by Vinay Dwivedi and Sherry Jacob-PhillipsOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Consortium including Aker, Trafigura offers to buy OMV's E&P unit -report
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-18 | by ( David Carnevali | Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Denis Balibouse/File PhotoVIENNA, Oct 18 (Reuters) - A consortium including Norwegian energy group Aker has made an unsolicited offer to buy most of Austrian oil and gas firm OMV's exploration and production business, according to newspaper report on Tuesday which an industry source confirmed to Reuters. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterAn industry source confirmed the consortium's expression of interest but identified Aker BP as the member rather than Aker ASA. OMV confirmed that it had received a letter expressing interest in its E&P business. The offer also did not include OMV's Romanian unit Petrom or E&P business in Russia, Kurier reported. The consortium estimated the value of the 51% stake in the E&P division at $5.5 billion to $7 billion, Kurier added.

Oct 18 (Reuters) - Daniel Loeb's Third Point has built a significant position in toothpaste maker Colgate-Palmolive Co (CL.N) and sees value in a potential spinoff of its Hill's Pet Nutrition business and other brands, the activist investor said in a letter seen by Reuters. The investor letter did not disclose the size of Third Point's stake, but cited several reasons for investing in the consumer goods company, including its pricing power in inflationary conditions and the strength in its pet food business. Loeb called the pet segment one of the most "exciting" pockets in the consumer space and said the business could be worth roughly $20 billion if it were a standalone company. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register"There is meaningful hidden value in the company's Hill's Pet Nutrition business, which we believe would command a premium multiple if separated from Colgate's consumer assets," the letter said. Sales in Colgate's pet nutrition business have outpaced overall company revenue over the last few years as consumers pay more attention to the needs of their cats and dogs.

☆ EXCLUSIVE Germany's Speira set to win EU nod for RAB deal with asset sale offer - sources
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-18 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Speira, which owns the world's largest rolled aluminium finishing mill in Grevenbroich, Germany where it is headquartered, announced the deal in February. The company produces about a million tonnes of aluminium rolled products annually. The deal would boost its ability to use recycled metal to make low carbon rolled aluminium products. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReal Alloy Europe has seven facilities and about 600 employees in Germany, Norway, France and Britain. The EU competition enforcer, which is scheduled to decide on the deal by Oct. 19, and Speira declined to comment.

☆ Exclusive: Scores of Google rivals want EU tech law used in antitrust case
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-17 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BRUSSELS, Oct 17 (Reuters) - More than 40 European rivals to Google's shopping service urged EU antitrust regulators on Monday to use newly adopted tech rules to ensure the Alphabet unit complies with a 2017 EU order to allow more competition on its search page. The European Commission fined Google 2.4 billion euros ($2.33 billion) five years ago and told the firm to stop favouring its shopping service. The company subsequently said it would treat its own shopping service the same as competitors when they bid in an auction for adverts in the shopping box that appears at the top of a search page. "Google's prominent embedding of Shopping Units is a prima facie infringement of the DMA's ban on self-preferencing," they said. The most paramount case at the heart of the calls for the DMA needs to be brought to an effective end," the companies, from 20 European countries, said.

☆ Broadcom banks on early EU approval of $61 billion VMware deal
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-16 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BRUSSELS, Oct 17 (Reuters) - U.S. chipmaker Broadcom (AVGO.O) will seek early European Union antitrust approval of its proposed $61 billion buy of cloud computing company VMware (VMW.N) by pointing to competition from Amazon (AMZN.O), Microsoft (MSFT.O) and Google (GOOGL.O), people familiar with the matter said. Announced in May, the deal is the second biggest globally so far this year and marks Broadcom's attempt to diversify its business into enterprise software. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register"This (deal) is creating more competition in the cloud market where there are very big players now. Broadcom has yet to seek EU approval for the deal. "This should be a first phase investigation based on the facts," the person said, referring to the EU preliminary merger review.

☆ 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.

☆ EXCLUSIVE Google faces EU antitrust charges over its adtech business - sources
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-13 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BRUSSELS, Oct 13 (Reuters) - Alphabet (GOOGL.O) unit Google could face antitrust charges next year over its digital advertising business, with EU regulators frustrated over the slow pace of settlement talks with the company, people familiar with the matter said on Thursday. The European Commission launched an investigation into Google's adtech business in June last year, concerned that the U.S. tech giant may be getting an unfair advantage over rivals and advertisers. Google has racked up more than 8 billion euros ($7.7 billion) in EU antitrust fines in the last decade. The EU competition enforcer is likely to issue the charges early next year although the timing may still change, one of the people said. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Foo Yun Chee, additional reporting by Paresh Dave in Oakland, California; Editing by Susan Fenton and David EvansOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ General headscarf ban at work is OK, Europe's top court says
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-13 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The case concerned a Muslim woman who was told she could not wear a headscarf when she applied to do a six-week work traineeship at a Belgian company. The woman took her grievance to a Belgian court, which subsequently sought advice from the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU). Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterThe Luxembourg-based CJEU said there should not be any direct discrimination in such a ban. read moreIn Germany, headscarf bans for women at work have been contentious for years, mostly with regard to aspiring teachers at state schools and trainee judges. France, home to Europe's largest Muslim minority, prohibited the wearing of Islamic headscarfs in state schools in 2004.

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 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.

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