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☆ Dutch online marketplace OLX contributing to EU antitrust probe into Meta
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-21 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BRUSSELS, July 21 (Reuters) - Dutch online marketplace OLX is helping EU antitrust enforcers in their investigation into Facebook owner Meta Platforms (META.O), the Naspers unit said on Friday. Meta, which contested the charges at a closed hearing held by the EU competition enforcer last week, has said the EU's case is without foundation. OLX said it took part in the hearing "to contribute to their (EU) investigation about Meta antitrust practices". OLX is owned by Dutch technology investor Prosus NV (PRX.AS), a subsidiary of South African technology investor Naspers (NPNJn.J). Norwegian media group Schibsted (SCHA.OL) also participated in the EU hearing.

Persons: OLX, Naspers, Foo Yun Chee, Louise Heavens Organizations: Facebook, Meta, European, Prosus NV, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS, EU, Dutch, African, Norwegian

☆ Exclusive: Microsoft hit with EU antitrust complaint by German rival
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BRUSSELS, July 20 (Reuters) - Microsoft (MSFT.O) was hit with an EU antitrust complaint by German rival alfaview on Thursday, the second so far over its bundling of video app Teams into its Office product. The U.S. software giant has been on the EU competition enforcer's radar since 2020, when Salesforce-owned (CRM.N) workspace messaging app Slack complained about the tying of Teams with Office. Alfaview, based in Karlsruhe in south-western Germany and with a 500-strong workforce, said it had filed a similar complaint to the European Commission. Microsoft added Teams to Office 365 in 2017 for free, with the app eventually replacing Skype for Business. Alfaview urged the EU antitrust watchdog to open a formal investigation, saying remedies offered by its U.S. rival to the Commission were insufficient.

Persons: alfaview, Slack, Niko Fostiropoulos, Alfaview, Foo Yun Chee, David Evans, Emma Rumney Organizations: Microsoft, Regulators, EU, European Commission, U.S ., Skype, Business, Reuters, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS, U.S, Karlsruhe, Germany

☆ TikTok allows Europe to access research software, with eye on EU online content rules
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BRUSSELS, July 20 (Reuters) - Short-video app TikTok on Thursday opened up its research software to researchers in Europe ahead of new EU rules requiring Big Tech to do more to police online content. "TikTok is proactively rolling-out its Research API ahead of further technical guidance and launching a commercial content library ahead of the DSA compliance deadline," the social media app said in a statement. "All researchers will need to have their own TikTok for Developers account and be located in the United States or Europe to access our Research API." The company released an initial version of its Research API to academic researchers in the United States earlier this year. TikTok on Thursday also allowed researchers access to its commercial content API.

Persons: TikTok, Foo Yun Chee, Alex Richardson Organizations: Big Tech, Digital Services, European Commission, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS, Europe, United States

☆ Dutch urge stricter digital coins, videogame loot boxes EU rules
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-19 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BRUSSELS, July 19 (Reuters) - The European Commission should better protect children with stricter consumer rules for digital coins and videogame loot boxes, the Dutch government said, according to a discussion paper seen by Reuters on Wednesday. The EU executive late last year sought feedback on whether to overhaul the existing EU consumer law for the digital world. The Dutch said an area of concern was increasing digital coins usage for paying in an app or in videogames, with children as the most vulnerable to this practice. "This is exacerbated by the fact that software developers can change the value of digital coins and can offer different digital items in one app." "Loot boxes have a high potential to distort the economic behaviour of consumers.

Persons: they're, Foo Yun Chee, Josie Kao Organizations: European Commission, Reuters, EU, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS

☆ Analysis: French backlash scuppers appointment of US economist for EU Big Tech regulation
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-19 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Vestager said she accepted Scott Morton's decision to quit with regret but economists warned that the debacle will leave the bloc's competition commissioner weakened. Vestager should have been more transparent on possible conflicts of interest, said EU lawmaker Paul Tang from the Netherlands. That didn't help the candidature of Scott Morton," he said. Vestager's defence of her choice at a hearing on Tuesday was disappointing, said EU lawmaker and French lawyer Stephanie Yon-Courtin, who opposed Scott Morton's appointment. The issue with this nomination was neither American nor French, it is a matter of European interest," she said.

Persons: Margrethe Vestager, Fiona Scott Morton, Scott Morton, Emmanuel Macron, Vestager, Scott Morton's, Paul Tang, Stephanie Yon, Alexandre De Streel, Jean Tirole, Jacques Cremer, Foo Yun Chee, Elaine Hardcastle Organizations: Union, Apple, Microsoft, Commission, EU, U.S . Department of Justice, Big Tech, European Union, Amazon, Namur University, Toulouse School of Economics, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS, U.S, France, Yale, Netherlands, American

☆ EU regulators extend Amazon, iRobot decision deadline to Dec. 13
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

BRUSSELS, July 19 (Reuters) - EU antitrust regulators have extended their deadline for a decision on Amazon's (AMZN.O) $1.7 billion acquisition of robot vacuum cleaner maker iRobot (IRBT.O) to Dec. 13 after the companies requested more time. "The deadline for the (European) Commission to take a decision has been extended by additional 20 working days in agreement with the notifying party," the EU competition enforcer said in a statement. Companies can ask for an extension of up to 20 working days. The EU watchdog earlier this month warned that the deal may reduce competition in robot vacuum cleaners and also reinforce Amazon's position as an online marketplace provider. Reporting by Foo Yun Chee Editing by Peter GraffOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Foo Yun, Peter Graff Organizations: Commission, EU, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS

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

☆ US economist's Big Tech experience is good for EU, EU's Vestager says
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

BRUSSELS, July 18 (Reuters) - U.S. economist Fiona Scott Morton's experience from her consulting work for Big Tech, will stand her in good stead in her new job as chief economist at the European Commission, EU antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager told EU lawmakers on Tuesday as she defended her choice. "I think it's a good thing to come with experience, she knows our system inside out," Vestager said, addressing concerns of conflicts of interest due to Scott Morton's consulting work for Big Tech. Reporting by Foo Yun CheeOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Fiona Scott Morton's, Margrethe Vestager, Vestager, Scott Morton's, Foo Yun Chee Organizations: Big Tech, European Commission, 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

☆ EU Commission sticks to US economist pick for senior antitrust job
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BRUSSELS, July 14 (Reuters) - The European Commission stuck to its guns on Friday, saying it was not reconsidering EU antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager's pick of a U.S. economist to a senior job helping to oversee Big Tech despite criticism from French ministers and EU lawmakers. Fiona Scott Morton, 56, the former chief economist at the U.S. Department of Justice during former President Barack Obama's tenure, will take up her three-year stint on Sept. 1 when the current chief economist, Pierre Regibeau, retires. She will be the first non-EU national, first U.S. national and first woman for the job. They cited the strategic importance of the post, potential conflicts of interest due to Scott Morton's previous work with Big Tech, and her previous public antitrust comments. Head of the centre-right group European People's Party Manfred Weber, president of the liberals' group Renew Europe Stephane Sejourne, head of the socialists group Iratxe Garcia Perez and the heads of the green party Philippe Lamberts and Terry Reintke said they opposed the new hire.

Persons: Margrethe Vestager's, Fiona Scott Morton, Barack Obama's, Pierre Regibeau, Vestager, Scott Morton's, Dana Spinant, European People's Party Manfred Weber, Europe Stephane Sejourne, Iratxe Garcia Perez, Philippe Lamberts, Terry Reintke, Scott Morton, Foo Yun Chee, Jan Harvey Organizations: European Commission, Big Tech, U.S . Department of Justice, EU, European People's Party, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS, U.S, Europe

BRUSSELS, July 13 (Reuters) - Alphabet (GOOGL.O) said it is rolling out its artificial- intelligence chatbot, Bard, in Europe and Brazil on Thursday, the product's biggest expansion since its February launch and pitting it against Microsoft (MSFT.O)-backed rival ChatGPT. Bard and ChatGPT are human-sounding programs that use generative artificial intelligence to hold conversations with users and answer myriad prompts. Earlier this week, billionaire Elon Musk also launched his long-teased artificial-intelligence startup xAI, whose team includes several former engineers at Google, Microsoft and OpenAI. Krawczyk said Google had since then met the watchdogs to reassure them on issues relating to transparency, choice and control. In a briefing with journalists, Amar Subramanya, engineering vice president of Bard, added that users could opt out of their data being collected.

Persons: Bard, ChatGPT, Elon Musk, Jack Krawczyk, Krawczyk, Amar Subramanya, Subramanya, Foo Yun Chee, Isabel Woodford, Matthew Lewis Organizations: Microsoft, Google, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS, Europe, Brazil, U.S, Brussels, Mexico

BRUSSELS/PARIS, July 13 (Reuters) - France's foreign minister and government minister have called EU antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager to reconsider her appointment of a U.S. economist and former antitrust official to a senior job at the European Commission overseeing Big Tech. Vestager on Tuesday announced the hiring of Fiona Scott Morton, the former chief economist at the U.S. Department of Justice during former President Barack Obama's tenure. Scott Morton will take up her post on Sept. 1 when the current chief economist, Pierre Regibeau, retires. French foreign minister Catherine Colonna said she was astonished at the appointment. "I invite the @EU_Commission to reconsider their choice."

Persons: Margrethe Vestager, Fiona Scott Morton, Barack Obama's, Scott Morton, Pierre Regibeau, Catherine Colonna, Jean, Noel Barrot, Foo Yun Chee, Conor Humphries Organizations: European Commission, Big Tech, Vestager, Tuesday, U.S . Department of Justice, Charles River Associates, DG, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS, PARIS, France, Europe

☆ EU helping UN, Turkey in bid to extend Black Sea grain deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-13 | by ( Michelle Nichols | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

A Kremlin spokesman later said that Russia had not taken a final decision on whether to exit the grain deal. The European Commission's priority is to ensure that Ukrainian grain can reach the world market and it calls on all parties to extend the Black Sea deal, a European Union spokesperson in Brussels said on Thursday. Russia has threatened to ditch the Black Sea grain deal because several demands to dispatch its own grain and fertilizer abroad have not been met. The last ship traveling under the Black Sea agreement is currently loading its cargo at the Ukrainian port of Odesa ahead of the Monday deadline. Britain has also "worked very closely with the City of London to enable a very complex payment system" for Russian grain, Britain's U.N. ambassador, Barbara Woodward, has said.

Persons: Antonio Guterres, Vladimir Putin, SWIFT, Guterres, Putin, Ursula von der Leyen, Putin's, U.N, Barbara Woodward, Woodward, Michelle Nichols, Foo Yun Chee, Angus MacSwan, Leslie Adler Organizations: UNITED NATIONS, European Commission, United, Black, European Union, Russian Agricultural Bank, Reuters, United Nations, Kremlin, JPMorgan Chase &, reassurances, U.S ., The United Nations, African Export, Import Bank, City, Thomson Locations: United Nations, Turkey, Ukraine, Russia, Ukrainian, EU, U.N, Moscow, Brussels, Russian, Odesa, Africa, Britain, London

☆ Illumina hit with record $476 million EU antitrust fine over Grail deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

SummaryCompanies Fine corresponds to 10% of Illumina global turnoverGrail given symbolic 1,000-euro fine for active roleIllumina says fine disproportionate, will appealBRUSSELS, July 12 (Reuters) - U.S. genetic testing company Illumina (ILMN.O) was fined a record 432-million-euro ($476 million) by the EU on Wednesday for closing its takeover of cancer test maker Grail (GRAL.O) before securing EU antitrust approval. By closing the deal prematurely, Illumina was able to exercise a decisive influence over Grail, the EU enforcer said, calling the move unprecedented and a very serious infringement. Illumina and Grail knowingly and deliberately did so by implementing their tie-up as we were still investigating," EU antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager said in a statement. The company has challenged the EU veto of the deal, its decision to examine the deal despite not meeting the EU merger criteria and the EU order to keep Grail separate so that it can unwind the deal. It said success in the second case would nullify the EU fine and expects the EU court to rule in late 2023 or early 2024.

Persons: Illumina, Margrethe Vestager, Grail, Ilumina, Foo Yun Chee, Elaine Hardcastle Organizations: EU, European Commission, Regulators, U.S . Federal Trade Commission, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS, U.S, EU

☆ Meta to contest EU antitrust charges at July 13 hearing
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BRUSSELS, July 12 (Reuters) - Facebook owner Meta (META.O) will contest EU antitrust charges at a closed hearing on Friday in a bid to stave off a possible hefty fine after regulators charged it with tying its classified advertisements service to its social network, people familiar with the matter said. The European Commission sent a charge sheet to the world's most popular social network last December, singling out two practices that showed that Meta abused its market power. It said Meta's tying of its online classified ads service Facebook Marketplace with its social network Facebook gave the former an unfair advantage. It also took issue with Meta's unfair trading conditions imposed on rival online classified ads services which advertise on Facebook or Instagram. Meta declined to comment on the hearing during which senior Commission antitrust officials and their peers from national watchdogs will be present to hear its arguments.

Persons: Tim Lamb, Foo Yun Chee, Nick Zieminski Organizations: Meta, European Commission, Facebook, European, Reuters, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS

☆ Broadcom's $61 billion VMware deal wins conditional EU antitrust OK
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BRUSSELS, July 12 (Reuters) - U.S. chipmaker Broadcom (AVGO.O) secured EU antitrust approval on Wednesday for its $61 billion proposed acquisition of cloud computing firm VMware (VMW.N) after offering remedies to help rival Marvell Technology (MRVL.O). The deal, Broadcom's largest ever, will help the chipmaker diversify into enterprise software. Broadcom offered Marvell and other rivals interoperability commitments related to its Fibre Channel Host-Bus Adapters (FC HBAs), a kind of storage adapters, the European Commission said, confirming a Reuters story last month. Marvell and other rivals will also have guaranteed access to the source code for all of Broadcom's current and future FC HBA drivers through an irrevocable open source license. "The commitments offered by Broadcom will enable its only rival Marvell, to continue competing on equal footing and ensure a similar protection for any future entrants," EU antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager said in a statement.

Persons: Marvell, Margrethe Vestager, Foo Yun Chee, Jason Neely Organizations: chipmaker Broadcom, VMware, Marvell Technology, Broadcom, Marvell, Fibre, HBAs, European Commission, Reuters, FC HBAs, FC HBA, U.S . Federal Trade Commission, European Union, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS, Australia, Brazil, Canada, South Africa, Taiwan

☆ Amazon launches first Big Tech challenge to EU online content rules
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-11 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Amazon's challenge at the Luxembourg-based General Court, Europe's second highest, is the first by a Big Tech company and came two weeks after German online retailer Zalando (ZALG.DE) sued the European Commission over the same issue. Under the Digital Services Act (DSA), which came into force last year, 19 online platforms and search engines were labelled as very large online platforms (VLOP) as they have more than 45 million users. The VLOP designation requires companies to do more to tackle illegal online content. "If the VLOP designation were to be applied to Amazon and not to other large retailers across the EU, Amazon would be unfairly singled out and forced to meet onerous administrative obligations that don’t benefit EU consumers," an Amazon spokesperson said. "Amazon doesn’t fit this description of a 'Very Large Online Platform’ under the DSA and therefore should not be designated as such," the spokesperson said.

Persons: Foo Yun Chee, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Union, Big Tech, European Commission, Digital Services, EU, Amazon, DSA, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS, Luxembourg, U.S

☆ EU looks to take lead in metaverse world, avoid Big Tech dominance
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-11 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BRUSSELS, July 11 (Reuters) - The European Commission on Tuesday set out a plan in a bid to take the lead in the metaverse - shared virtual worlds accessible through the internet - and to prevent Big Tech dominating a nascent sphere that could boost economic growth. The EU initiative comes as Facebook owner Meta Platforms (META.O), Microsoft (MSFT.O) and Apple (AAPL.O) work on metaverse products or services, prompting fears that the companies may get an unfair advantage over smaller rivals. "We need to have people at the centre and shape it according to our EU digital rights and principles, to address the risks regarding privacy or disinformation. Last week, she said that there are no plans to regulate the metaverse for now but expects the raft of rules enacted in recent years, including privacy, market power and the upcoming artificial intelligence regulation to apply to the new field. Reporting by Foo Yun CheeOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Margrethe Vestager, Foo Yun Chee Organizations: European Commission, Big Tech, Meta, Microsoft, Apple, EU, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS, EU

☆ EU to green light Broadcom's VMware deal on Wednesday, source says
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-11 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] A smartphone with a displayed Broadcom logo is placed on a computer motherboard in this illustration taken March 6, 2023. Broadcom is a leading supplier of FC HBAs, which are storage adapters that connect servers to storage located outside the server on a storage-area network using the fiber channel protocol. The VMware deal is Broadcom's largest-ever acquisition as it looks to diversify into enterprise software. The European Commission declined to comment. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission and the UK competition agency are also examining the deal.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Foo Yun Chee, Mark Porter Organizations: Broadcom, REUTERS, chipmaker Broadcom, VMware, Reuters, HBAs, Marvell Technology, FC HBAs, European, U.S . Federal Trade Commission, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS

☆ EU seals new US data transfer pact, but challenge likely
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-10 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

BRUSSELS, July 10 (Reuters) - The European Commission announced a new data transfer pact with the United States on Monday, seeking to end the legal uncertainty plaguing thousands of companies that transfer personal data across the Atlantic. The move was immediately criticised by non-profit group noyb, led by privacy activist Max Schrems, which said it would challenge the agreement. U.S. President Joe Biden welcomed the data transfer pact and said it reflected a "joint commitment to strong data privacy protections." Earlier this year, the EU's privacy watchdog, the European Data Protection Board, said the latest data agreement still fell short and urged the commission to do more to protect Europeans' privacy rights. Europe's top court scuppered the previous two deals after challenges by Schrems because of concerns about U.S. intelligence agencies' accessing European citizens' private data.

Persons: Max Schrems, Joe Biden, Didier Reynders, Schrems, Cecilia Bonefeld, Dahl, Foo Yun Chee, Kanishka Singh, Philip Blenkinsop, Christina Fincher, Leslie Adler Organizations: European Commission, Atlantic, European Court, Justice, Airbus, Apple, Ericsson, Nokia, Philips, Samsung, Data Protection, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS, United States, Washington

☆ EU seals new US data transfer pact but challenge ahead
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-10 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

BRUSSELS, July 10 (Reuters) - The European Commission announced a new data transfer pact with the United States on Monday, seeking to end the legal uncertainty plaguing thousands of companies which transfer personal data across the Atlantic. However, the move was immediately criticised by non-profit group noyb, led by privacy activist Max Schrems, which said it would challenge the agreement. The EU executive said measures taken by the United States ensured an adequate level of protection for Europeans' personal data transferred across the Atlantic for commercial use. It said new binding safeguards, such as that limiting U.S. intelligence services' access to EU data to what is "necessary and proportionate" and the setting up of a Data Protection Review Court for Europeans, address the concerns raised by Europe's top court. Earlier this year, EU privacy watchdog the European Data Protection Board said the latest data agreement still fell short and urged the Commission to do more to protect Europeans' privacy rights.

Persons: Max Schrems, Didier Reynders, Schrems, Cecilia Bonefeld, Dahl, Foo Yun Chee, Philip Blenkinsop, Christina Fincher Organizations: European Commission, EU, Atlantic, European Court, Justice, Airbus, Apple, Ericsson, Nokia, Philips, Samsung, European Data Protection, Commission, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS, United States, EU

☆ Travel agency Booking to defend ETraveli deal at July 7 EU hearing
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-06 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Booking announced its bid for peer Etraveli, owner of the brands Gotogate and Mytrip and operator of airline content distribution services provider TripStack, in November 2021. The European Commission said last month the deal will make it harder for rivals to compete with market leader Booking, by reinforcing its position in hotels and further expanding its reach into travel services like flights and car rentals. Booking will attempt to address regulators' concerns at a closed hearing in Brussels on Friday, Booking told Reuters via email. Senior officials from the EU competition watchdog and national antitrust agencies, as well commission lawyers, will participate in the hearing. Booking may have to offer remedies following the hearing to prevent a veto on the deal.

Persons: Foo Yun Chee, Emma Rumney Organizations: Holdings, European, Sweden's, Booking, TripStack, Capital, European Commission, EU, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS, Brussels

☆ Amazon's iRobot deal in EU antitrust crosshairs
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-06 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BRUSSELS, July 6 (Reuters) - Amazon's (AMZN.O) $1.7 billion acquisition of robot vacuum cleaner maker iRobot (IRBT.O) may reduce competition and strengthen Amazon's position as online marketplace provider, EU antitrust regulators warned on Thursday. The European Commission opened a full-scale investigation and will decide by November 15 whether to clear or block the deal. The acquisition announced in August last year would add iRobot's Roomba robot vacuum to Amazon's portfolio of smart devices, which include the Alexa voice assistant, smart thermostats, security devices and wall-mounted smart displays. IRobot made its first Roomba robot vacuum in 2002. The EU competition enforcer's decision confirmed a Reuters story last month and came a month after the UK antitrust agency cleared the deal unconditionally after a preliminary review.

Persons: IRobot, Dow Jones, Foo Yun Chee, Benoit Van Overstraeten Organizations: European Commission, Amazon, Reuters, Antitrust, Big Tech, Dow, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS

☆ Metaverse has set off no alarms or need for controls yet - EU's Vestager
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-06 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BRUSSELS, July 6 (Reuters) - The metaverse, shared virtual worlds accessible through the internet, has not triggered any concerns so far or the need for legislation to rein it in, EU antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager said on Thursday. An initiative that she will present on the metaverse next week aims to help competition regulators understand the industry's dynamics, Vestager said. "Actually we see that there is a lot of innovation when it comes to virtual worlds. The initiative to be announced next week proposes a toolbox with guidelines on taking part in virtual worlds and one to fight counterfeiting, according to a document seen by Reuters. It also proposes standards for open and interoperable virtual worlds to avoid the dominance of a few and the introduction of regulatory sandboxes.

Persons: Margrethe Vestager, Vestager, Foo Yun, Ros Russell, Devika Organizations: Facebook, Meta, Microsoft, Apple, Reuters, Commission, Big Tech, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS, Europe

☆ U.S. Big Tech says it meets EU gatekeeper status, TikTok criticises label
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-04 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Samsung and TikTok owner ByteDance also unexpectedly said they would meet the criteria, although TikTok disputed whether it should be included on the list. "Europe is completely reorganising its digital space to both better protect EU citizens and enhance innovation for EU startups and companies," Breton said in a statement. Booking.com (BKNG.O) said it expected to meet the gatekeeper threshold by the end of the year and will then notify the EU executive. It fell short of the quantitative threshold ahead of Monday's notification to the Commission due to the pandemic. ($1 = 0.9173 euros)Reporting by Foo Yun Chee Editing by Louise Heavens and Mark PotterOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Thierry Breton, ByteDance, Booking.com, Breton, TikTok, Foo Yun, Louise Heavens, Mark Potter Organizations: Amazon, Apple, Google, Facebook, Meta, Microsoft, Samsung, Union's, EU, European Commission, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS, Europe, EU

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