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☆ French President Macron held phone call with Iraq prime minister
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

French President Emmanuel Macron gives a speech in front of French ambassadors during the conference of ambassadors at the Elysee Palace, Paris, France, August 28, 2023. TERESA SUAREZ/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsPARIS, Aug 30 (Reuters) - French President Emmanuel Macron held a phone call on Tuesday with Iraq Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, during which Macron reaffirmed to Al-Sudani France's support in the battle against Islamic State, said a statement from Macron's office. The talks between the two politicians come after three French soldiers were recently killed while on operation in Iraq. Reporting by Sudip Kar-Gupta; Editing by Jacqueline WongOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Emmanuel Macron, TERESA SUAREZ, Mohammed Shia Al, Macron, Sudip Kar, Jacqueline Wong Organizations: Rights, Iraq, Al, Islamic, Thomson Locations: Paris, France, Islamic State, Iraq

☆ Situation in Gabon, West Africa a big issue for Europe - EU's Borrell
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell delivers a speech during a ceremony opening EU's Partnership Mission in Chisinau, Moldova, May 31, 2023. "If this is confirmed, it is another military coup which increases instability in the whole region," said Borrell, speaking at a meeting of EU defence ministers in Toledo. "This is a big issue for Europe," he added. The signs of a coup in Gabon come just weeks after members of the presidential guard in Niger seized power and established a junta. Reporting by Andrew Gray, Sabine Siebold, Benoit Van Overstraeten; Writing by Sudip Kar-Gupta; Editing by Conor HumphriesOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Josep Borrell, Vladislav Culiomza, Ali Bongo, Andrew Gray, Sabine Siebold, Benoit Van Overstraeten, Sudip Kar, Conor Humphries Organizations: European Union for Foreign Affairs, REUTERS, Rights, Union, Gabonese, Central African, Thomson Locations: Chisinau, Moldova, Rights TOLEDO, Spain, Gabon, Toledo, Central African Republic, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, it's, Europe

☆ France hoping tourism revenue to rise to 67 bln euros in 2023
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Chinese tourists take pictures in the Champs Elysees Avenue near the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, France, March 14, 2023. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsPARIS, Aug 29 (Reuters) - France is hoping to get up to 67 billion euros ($72.42 billion)worth of revenues from foreign tourists in 2023, beating last year's figure of 58 billion, French Tourism Minister Olivia Gregoire said on Tuesday. France is the world's most visited country for tourists, and tourism accounts for around 8% of French gross domestic product. "We have had a very good summer," Gregoire told reporters. Gregoire said that, based on current estimates, the final figures for revenues generated from foreign tourists in 2023 should come in between 64-67 billion euros.

Persons: Gonzalo Fuentes, Olivia Gregoire, Gregoire, lockdowns, Sudip Kar, Alison Williams Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, French, Aviation, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Paris, France, Europe's

☆ Binance sets up Polish entity for residents of Belgium after regulatory action
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Smartphone with displayed Binance logo and representation of cryptocurrencies are placed on a keyboard in this illustration taken, June 8, 2023. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBRUSSELS, Aug 29 (Reuters) - Binance, the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange, said it had set up a Polish entity to serve clients in Belgium, after Belgium's regulator ordered Binance to cease offering virtual currency services in the country. Binance said in a statement the new entity ensures that the company can comply "with its regulatory obligations and can continue to provide services to Belgian users". U.S regulators sued the crypto exchange and Zhao in June for allegedly operating a "web of deception". This month Mastercard (MA.N) said it had decided to end four crypto card partnerships with Binance in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia and Bahrain.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Binance, Changpeng Zhao, Zhao, Sudip Kar, Edwina Gibbs Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Mastercard, Binance, Thomson Locations: Belgium, Shanghai, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Bahrain

☆ Macron says French ambassador will stay in Niger, despite pressure from junta to leave
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-28 | by ( Michel Rose | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

French President Emmanuel Macron gives a speech in front of French ambassadors during the conference of ambassadors at the Elysee Palace, Paris, France, August 28, 2023. TERESA SUAREZ/Pool via REUTERS Acquire Licensing RightsPARIS, Aug 28 (Reuters) - France's ambassador to Niger will stay in the country despite pressure to leave from leaders of a recent coup, President Emmanuel Macron said in a speech to diplomats on Monday. Macron also reiterated France's support to Niger's ousted president Mohamed Bazoum, whose decision not to resign Macron called courageous. It's based on the courage of President Bazoum, and on the commitments of our ambassador on the ground who is remaining despite all the pressure, despite all the declarations made by the illegitimate authorities," said Macron. On Friday, Niger's junta, which seized power in a coup on July 26, said it had ordered French ambassador Sylvain Itte to leave the country within 48 hours.

Persons: Emmanuel Macron, TERESA SUAREZ, Macron, Niger's, Mohamed Bazoum, Bazoum, Sylvain Itte, Michel Rose, Blandine Henault, Tassilo Hummel, Sudip Kar, Ingrid Melander Organizations: REUTERS Acquire, Rights, Niger's, West, ECOWAS, Thomson Locations: Paris, France, Niger, French, United States, Europe

☆ French minister Darmanin warns of risk of Marine Le Pen victory in next election
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes/file photo Acquire Licensing RightsPARIS, Aug 25 (Reuters) - French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin - whom President Nicolas Sarkozy said would be a good future head of state - warned on Friday of the risk that far-right politician Marine Le Pen could win the next presidential election in 2027. Le Pen lost to President Emmanuel Macron in the second round of the 2022 election, echoing an identical outcome in the 2017 vote. "The fact of the matter is that in five years' time, a victory for Madame Le Pen is quite probable," Darmanin told La Voix du Nord, in an interview published in Friday's paper. "If we let a large part of the working class and middle class go over to Marine Le Pen, the professional classes will not support us in the second round. That is what could get Marine Le Pen elected in 2027, not questions on migration," he added.

Persons: Gerald Darmanin, Gonzalo Fuentes, Nicolas Sarkozy, Darmanin, Le Pen, Emmanuel Macron, Madame Le Pen, Bruno Le Maire, Sudip Kar, Gupta, Bertrand Boucey, Ingrid Melander Organizations: Overseas, REUTERS, Rights, RTL, du, Thomson Locations: Paris, France, French

☆ Savers dash for Belgian bond aimed at pushing banks to raise deposit rates
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-24 | by ( Yoruk Bahceli | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Aug 25 (Reuters) - Belgium saw 4 billion euros of demand from savers for a new bond it launched on Thursday, its debt agency said, a strong start for the sale aimed at pressuring banks to raise their deposit rates. European lenders awash with cash have been resisting raising savings rates despite a surge in market interest rates as central banks fight inflation, prompting withdrawals by households looking for better returns elsewhere. "We want to boost competition and encourage banks to raise interest rates." On Thursday, the first day of the sale, savers bought 2.098 billion euros ($2.27 billion) of the bond, the debt agency said, followed by at least another 1.902 billion euros so far on Friday. But Jean Deboutte, director at Belgium's debt agency, noted some banks in Belgium had already raised their rates following plans for the new bond.

Persons: Jean Deboutte, Yoruk, Sudip Kar, Susan Fenton, Andrew Heavens Organizations: Yoruk Bahceli, Gupta, Thomson Locations: Belgium, Amsterdam, Brussels

The headquarters of the European Energy Exchange (EEX), world's biggest online power trading platform is seen in a centre-of-town high-rise office building in Leipzig, Germany April 25, 2021. REUTERS/Annegret Hilse/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBRUSSELS, Aug 21 (Reuters) - Deutsche Boerse's (DB1Gn.DE) European Energy Exchange (EEX) has to seek EU antitrust approval for its acquisition of Nasdaq's (NDAQ.O) European power trading and clearing business because of its importance to Europe's energy market, EU antitrust regulators said on Monday. The Commission said the two companies are the only providers of services facilitating the on-exchange trading and subsequent clearing of Nordic power contracts. This is the third time that the EU antitrust watchdog has used its power under the so-called Article 22 whereby EU countries can request that it reviews deals which do not meet the merger criteria but can impact their markets. Reporting by Foo Yun Chee and Sudip Kar-Gupta; Editing by Kirsten DonovanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Annegret, Foo Yun Chee, Sudip Kar, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: European Energy Exchange, REUTERS, Rights, Deutsche, Energy Exchange, European Commission, Nasdaq, Thomson Locations: Leipzig, Germany, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Norway

☆ France issues 'red alert' over heatwave in south
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] The logo of Electricite de France (EDF) is seen in front of electrical pylons at the Tricastin nuclear power plant site in Saint-Paul-Trois-Chateaux, France, November 21, 2022. The departments targeted by the alert, which allows local authorities to call off events and close public facilities if needed, are the Rhone, Drome, Ardeche and Haute-Loire, Meteo France said. Earlier on Monday, Meteo France had issued an orange alert for half of the country's territory, saying temperatures will reach between 35 and 38 C (95 to 100 F) in most of the affected departments. Temperatures are expected to rise to between 40 and 42 Celsius (104 and 108 F) on Tuesday afternoon in the southern departments of Ardeche, Drome, Vaucluse and Gard, Meteo France said. Some technical issues at the reactor also played a role in delaying the restart to Aug. 25, an EDF spokesperson told Reuters.

Persons: Eric Gaillard, Meteo, Forrest Crellin, Dominique Vidalon, Tassilo Hummel, Sudip Kar, Emelia, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, EDF, Reuters, Thomson Locations: France, Saint, Rhone, Drome, Ardeche, Haute, Loire, Meteo France, Vaucluse, Gard

☆ Food tech company ENOUGH raises 40 million euros
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-20 | by ( Sudip Kar-Gupta | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Other participants in the fund-raising for Britain- and Netherlands-based ENOUGH included existing investors such as AXA IM Alts (AXAF.PA) and the Olympic Investments company of the Onassis shipping family. "ENOUGH has made great strides in the past few years to launch our new factory in the Netherlands and scale up to work with customers across the UK and Europe," said CEO Jim Laird, a former chief executive of plant-based meat producer Quorn. Companies involved in producing alternative-sources of meat and protein say they are helping in the battle to protect the climate, since meat from a laboratory has less impact on the environment than traditional farming. Nevertheless, there are signs that consumers' demand for plant-based meat may be waning, with Beyond Meat cutting its annual revenue forecast earlier this month. ($1 = 0.9194 euro)Reporting by Sudip Kar-Gupta; Editing by Kirsten DonovanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Alts, Onassis, Spencer, Jim Laird, Quorn, Sudip Kar, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: World Fund, CPT Capital AXA, Investments, Unilever, Food, CPT, Foods, Britain, AXA, Alts, Olympic Investments, Companies, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS, Netherlands, Europe

☆ EU to assess Qualcomm's planned takeover of Israel's Autotalks
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Autotalks and Qualcomm logos are seen in this illustration taken, May 8, 2023. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsCompanies Qualcomm Inc FollowBRUSSELS, Aug 18 (Reuters) - The European Commission said on Friday it would carry out a regulatory assessment of Qualcomm's (QCOM.O) planned takeover of Israel's Autotalks. Qualcomm cannot implement the transaction before notifying and obtaining clearance from the Commission," the European Commission said in a statement. Qualcomm announced the planned takeover in May as the U.S. company looks to expand its automotive-related business. Autotalks makes dedicated chips used in the vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communications technology sector for manned and driverless vehicles, with a view to improving road safety.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Autotalks, Sudip Kar, Jason Neely Organizations: Qualcomm, REUTERS, European, European Commission, Thomson Locations: Israel's, U.S

☆ Eleven dead in fire at French holiday home for disabled
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-09 | by ( Tilman Blasshofer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WINTZENHEIM, France, Aug 9 (Reuters) - Eleven people died in a fire that tore through a holiday home for disabled people in eastern France in the early hours of Wednesday, officials said. A neighbour, Nathalie, told BFM TV that she heard people scream and saw huge clouds of smoke from her window. "Everything happened very quickly," an unnamed witness told France 3 TV. [1/5]Dark clouds are seen over the remnants of a holiday home in eastern France near Colmar where disabled people were killed as fire broke out during their summer holidays in Wintzenheim, France, August 9, 2023. Kielwasser told reporters it had likely been a low-level fire that had burnt for a while before growing bigger and tearing the house down.

Persons: Nathalie Kielwasser, Elisabeth Borne, Borne, Nathalie, BFM, Tilman Blasshofer, Philippe Hauwiller, Kielwasser, Daniel Leroy, Elizabeth Pineau, Zhifan Liu, Sudip Kar, Gupta, Charlotte Van Campenhout, Blandine, Ingrid Melander, Angus MacSwan, Bernadette Baum, Toby Chopra, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: France, REUTERS, Thomson Locations: WINTZENHEIM, France, Wintzenheim, Strasbourg, Colmar, Paris

An aerial view of traffic on a street in the capital Niamey, Niger July 28, 2023. In a sign of this resistance to one-time allies, Niger on Thursday suspended broadcasts of French state-funded international news outlets France 24 and RFI - drawing condemnation from the French foreign ministry. One of the demonstrators in Niamey held a placard that said: "Long live Niger, Russia, Mali and Burkina. After their coups, Burkina Faso and Mali kicked out French troops, many of whom are now stationed in Niger. In Niger, there are signs that regional sanctions are starting to have an impact: Nigeria has cut power supplies to Niger, while Nigerien truckers have been stranded by border closures.

Persons: General Abdourahamane Tiani, Mohamed Bazoum, Tiani, crackdowns, Sall, Antony Blinken, it's, Allah, Sudip Kar, Gupta, Moussa Aksar, Camillus Eboh, Thiam, Tiemoko Diallo, Ange Aboa, Alessandra Prentice, Nellie Peyton, Alexander Winning, Emelia, Nick Macfie, Giles Elgood Organizations: REUTERS, Niger's, France, Economic, West African States, ECOWAS, Sunday, EU, National Assembly, Islamic, Niger, Reuters, West, Senegalese, U.S, United Nations, Nigerien, CFA, Thomson Locations: Niamey, Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, NIAMEY, ABUJA, France, West, Central Africa, Russia, Burkina, Down, al Qaeda, Islamic State, Niger ., Nigeria, Senegal, Nigerian, China, Paris

PARIS, Aug 1 (Reuters) - France plans to evacuate hundreds of French and European citizens from Niger over the next 24 hours, its foreign minister said on Tuesday, days after a junta seized power in the west African country. She estimated that hundreds of French citizens and hundreds of citizens from other EU countries wanted to be evacuated. The United States, Germany, and Italy have troops in Niger on counter-insurgency and training missions. Colonna said France had talked with authorities in Niger to make sure the evacuation could proceed safely. A spokesperson for the EU Commission said EU utilities had sufficient inventories of natural uranium to mitigate any short-term supply risks.

Persons: Mohamed Bazoum, Catherine Colonna, France's, Colonna, France, DESTABILISATION, France's BFM, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Russia's Wagner, Orano, Bazoum, Michel Rose, Sudip Kar, Layli, Blandine Henault, Charlotte van Campenhout, Ingrid Melander, Nellie Peyton, Christina Fincher, Alex Richardson, Alexandra Hudson Organizations: Islamic, Kremlin, EU Commission, Nigerien, Regional, ECOWAS, Alexandra Hudson Our, Thomson Locations: France, Niger, West, Central Africa, Russia, Islamic State, al Qaeda, Sahel, Niger's, Niamey, Italy, United States, Germany, Russian, Burkina Faso, Mali, Guinea

The talks, announced with Kretinsky's EP Equity Investment (EPEI) vehicle, come on top of a 900 million-euro share-sale plan, aimed at further shoring up Atos' balance sheet, the company said. The expected sale would bring in 100 million euros in cash and cut 1.9 billion euros worth of liabilities from the tech company's balance sheet, Atos said. It gives an enterprise value of 2 billion euros to the sold division, named Tech Foundations. Tech Foundations, whose activities generated 4.5 billion euros of revenue last year, offers infrastructure management services. Following the sale of the tech unit, Atos will still rename as Eviden.

Persons: Daniel Kretinsky, Atos, Nathalie Senechault, Paul Saleh, Mathieu Rosemain, Sudip Kar, Edmund Klamann, Sharon Singleton Organizations: PARIS, Kretinsky's, Equity Investment, Tech Foundations, Tech, Casino, Thomson Locations: Czech, Paris, French, France

PARIS, Aug 1 (Reuters) - France will evacuate French and European citizens from Niger, starting on Tuesday, its foreign ministry said, days after a junta seized power in the west African country. On Sunday, supporters of the junta burned French flags and attacked the French embassy in Niger's capital, Niamey, prompting police to fire volleys of tear gas in response. According to the French foreign ministry website, there were just under 1,200 French nationals in Niger in 2022. Niger is the world's seventh-biggest producer of uranium, the radioactive metal widely used for nuclear energy and treating cancer. But the juntas of neighbouring Burkina Faso, Mali and Guinea all voiced their support for the coup's leaders on Monday.

Persons: Mohamed Bazoum, Catherine Colonna, BFM, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Russia's Wagner, Bazoum, Michel Rose, Sudip Kar, Layli, Blandine Henault, Charlotte van Campenhout, Ingrid Melander, Christina Fincher, Alex Richardson Organizations: French, Regional, ECOWAS, Thomson Locations: France, Niger, West, Central Africa, Russia, Niger's, Niamey, Russian, Sahel, Burkina Faso, Mali, Guinea

Atos also said on Tuesday that it plans a 900 million-euro share sale to further shore up its balance sheet. The company said 180 million euros of the shares in the capital raise would be reserved for EPEI, giving it a 7.5% stake in Eviden. The sale of the remaining 720 million euros of new shares will be underwritten by BNP Paribas and JP Morgan, the company said. The expected sale would bring in 100 million euros in cash and cut 1.9 billion euros worth of liabilities from the tech company's balance sheet, Atos said. The sale gives an enterprise value of 2 billion euros to the sold division, which generated 4.5 billion euros of core revenue last year and employs 52,000 people.

Persons: Daniel Kretinsky, Atos, JP Morgan, Nathalie Senechault, Paul Saleh, Mathieu Rosemain, Sudip Kar, Edmund Klamann, Sharon Singleton Organizations: PARIS, Casino, Tech Foundations, Equity Investment, BNP, Thomson Locations: Czech, Europe, France, Eviden

The U.S. tech giant has racked up 2.2 billion euros ($2.5 billion) in EU antitrust fines in the previous decade for practices in breach of EU competition rules, including tying or bundling two or more products together. Teams, which Microsoft added to Office 365 in 2017 for free to eventually replace Skype for Business, soared in popularity during the pandemic especially after it offered video conferencing. Reuters reported earlier this month that the EU antitrust watchdog was set to open a probe after Microsoft declined to offer bigger price cuts on its Office without Teams. German rival alfaview, which last week filed a complaint similar to Slack's with the EU executive, welcomed the EU investigation. EU fines for antitrust violations can go as high as 10% of a company's global turnover.

Persons: Margrethe Vestager, Niko Fostiropoulos, Foo Yun Chee, Sudip Kar, Gupta, David Evans, Jane Merriman Organizations: Microsoft, European Union, European Commission, Salesforce, Skype, Business, Reuters, EU, Commission, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS, U.S, Europe

☆ Airbnb notes 'exceptional level' of demand in Paris region ahead of Olympics
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

PARIS, July 26 (Reuters) - Vacation rentals company Airbnb (ABNB.O) said on Wednesday that it had noted an "exceptional level" of demand for properties in the greater Paris region, known as Ile-de-France, just a year ahead of next year's Olympics in the city. Airbnb said searches for properties in the greater Paris region were up by 30% in the second quarter versus the first quarter. Reporting by Sudip Kar-Gupta; editing by Jason NeelyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Airbnb, Sudip Kar, Jason Neely Organizations: Thomson Locations: Paris, de, France

☆ LVMH shares fall as second-quarter sales fail to impress
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

PARIS, July 26 (Reuters) - Shares in LVMH (LVMH.PA) fell sharply on Wednesday as analysts said that an in-line increase in sales at the world's top luxury indicated the overall sector was moving towards a less impressive path of growth. LVMH shares were down 3.7% in early session trading, also dragging down the shares of its rival Kering (PRTP.PA). The 17% increase at constant exchange rates was a touch better than analyst expectations for 16% growth. LVMH's leather goods division, home to Vuitton and Dior, grew revenues by 21%, also just above the expected 20% increase. LVMH also reported a 1% fall in U.S. sales as appetite for high-end fashion and leather goods slowed there, particularly among less wealthy shoppers, and lower-than-expected margins due to high marketing spending.

Persons: JP Morgan, LVMH, Louis Vuitton, Hennessy, Tiffany, Luca Solca, Bernstein, Sudip Kar, Silvia Aloisi Organizations: JP, Dior, Vuitton, Thomson Locations: U.S

PARIS, July 25 (Reuters) - France's Thales (TCFP.PA) said on Tuesday it would buy U.S. cybersecurity company Imperva in a deal worth $3.6 billion as it steps up expansion away from its historic defence business to the war against hacking. "This really changes our scale in civil cybersecurity," Thales Chief Executive Patrice Caine told analysts, adding that the deal represented a rare opportunity to become a premium player on a global scale in cybersecurity. Thales said the price of the deal implied an enterprise value of 17 times 2024 operating earnings. Thales said buying Imperva would generate around $110 million of pretax synergies, including $50 million of cost savings and $60 million linked to revenue opportunities. Thales said the deal would close in 2024 subject to approvals, and did not anticipate significant hurdles.

Persons: Thoma, Patrice Caine, Thales, Jefferies, Chloe Lemarie, Caine, Morgan Stanley, Sudip Kar, Muralikumar Anantharaman, Kim Coghill, Bernadette Baum Organizations: Thales, Thoma Bravo, PwC, Cobham Aerospace Communications, Thomson Locations: cybersecurity, France, Paris, Europe

☆ Macron reshuffles ministers after French riots "stunned" country
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( Michel Rose | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] French Junior Minister for Public Accounts Gabriel Attal speaks during a debate on the pension reform plan at the National Assembly in Paris, France February 17, 2023. REUTERS/Sarah Meyssonnier/File PhotoPARIS, July 20 (Reuters) - French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday reshuffled his ministers for key domestic portfolios such as education, housing and urban affairs, as his government begins its response to riots that shook the country three weeks ago. Borne, Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire, Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna and Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin all remained in place. "We're in a spirit of continuity but let's not pretend as if there hasn't been something that stunned the country for a few nights," he told them. Other figures who had caused embarrassment to the government in recent months, including a junior minister who had posed for the cover of Playboy magazine during the pension reform crisis, left the cabinet.

Persons: Gabriel Attal, Sarah Meyssonnier, Emmanuel Macron, Macron, Pap, Sabrina Agresti, Aurelien Rousseau, Elisabeth Borne's, Bruno Le Maire, Catherine Colonna, Gerald Darmanin, Borne, Michel Rose, Dominique Vidalon, Sudip Kar, Alison Williams Organizations: French Junior, Public, National Assembly, REUTERS, Finance, Playboy, Thomson Locations: Paris, France, Algerian, North, Dunkirk, Borne

BRUSSELS, July 18 (Reuters) - French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday criticised EU antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager's decision to hire a U.S. economist over a European to help oversee Big Tech, adding her previous work could lead to conflicts of interest. Macron added he was "attached to reciprocity", and noted that the U.S. and China would not have appointed an overseas national in such a role. Scott Morton will advise the European Commission on its investigations into Big Tech and its enforcement of a series of landmark rules to rein in tech giants. Macron pointed to her previous work for "many companies" as something that could also result in conflicts of interest. She said previous chief economists at the Commission had also done consulting work without posing any issues.

Persons: Emmanuel Macron, Margrethe Vestager's, Vestager, Fiona Scott Morton, Barack Obama's, Macron, Scott Morton, Jean Tirole, Scott Morton's, Sudip Kar, Bernadette Baum, Sharon Singleton, Jan Harvey Organizations: Big Tech, U.S . Department of Justice, European Union, Commission, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS, Europe, China

☆ TikTok to perform 'stress test' ahead of EU Digital Services Act
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BRUSSELS, July 18 (Reuters) - Chinese-owned social media platform TikTok has voluntarily agreed to a "stress test" to prepare for the European Union's Digital Services Act (DSA), EU industry chief Thierry Breton said on Tuesday. Under the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA), Alphabet unit Google (GOOGL.O), Meta and other large online platforms will risk hefty fines if they do not control illegal content. TikTok will also be subject to the DSA rules, which require companies to manage risk, conduct external and independent auditing, share data with authorities and adopt a code of conduct. "Recent events have shown the impact TikTok has on democracies — and how important independent EU enforcement is," wrote Breton on Twitter. "TikTok voluntarily agreed to perform a #StressTest to prepare for #DSA.

Persons: Thierry Breton, Breton, TikTok, Shou Zi Chew, Sudip Kar, Josie Kao Organizations: Union's Digital Services, EU's Digital Services, DSA, Twitter, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS

☆ EU antitrust regulators scrap Global Blue antitrust investigation
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

BRUSSELS, July 17 (Reuters) - Payments company Global Blue (GB.N) is no longer in the EU antitrust crosshairs after a two-year long investigation, the company said on Monday. "Global Blue has fully co-operated with the European Commission during the two years of the preliminary investigation and reports that no remediation actions or fines were imposed on Global Blue following the closure of the case by the European Commission," the company said in a statement. Reporting by Foo Yun Chee and Sudip Kar-Gupta;Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Foo Yun Chee, Sudip Kar Organizations: European Commission, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS

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