Under the European Merger Regulation, the European Commission has authorized the acquisition of joint control of Bluevia Fibra S.L. (“Bluevia”) by Telefónica S.A., both based in Spain, Prévoyance Dialogue du Crédit Agricole S.A. (“Predica”) and Vauban Infrastructure Partners S.C.A. (“Vauban”), both based in France. Bluevia will operate and operate a fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) network in rural […]
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European Parliament: cost-of-living crisis requires targeted support and reforms
Dragoș Pîslaru, a Renew Europe member from Romania and chair of Parliament’s employment and social affairs committee, and Luděk Niedermayer, a Czech EPP member and vice-chair of the economic and monetary affairs committee, spoke live on social media on 23 November about solutions to the cost of living crisis gripping most of Europe. Finding the right […]
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EU Cohesion Policy: €37.3 billion to Spain
In 2021-2027, Spain will benefit from €37.3 billion in Cohesion Policy funding to accelerate the country’s green transition, finance innovation and digitisation, increase the employment rate and improve local social services. The strategy and details for these investments are set out in the Partnership Agreement between Spain and the Commission. The strategy will mainly focus […]
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Parliament wants new sources of revenue for the EU
Parliament is set to back new sources of revenue for the EU amid the current crises in an attempt to make the budget fit for future challenges. Amid numerous challenges for the EU’s budget, including the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine and the energy crisis, the Parliament is set to back proposals […]
Read MoreThe Commission has approved a Spanish scheme worth 88.3 M € to support connectivity in rural areas
The European Commission has approved, under EU State aid rules, an €88.3 million Spanish scheme made available through the Recovery and Resilience Facility (‘RRF’) to support the provision of wholesale services and retail broadband services in remote rural areas in Spain. The measure is part of Spain’s strategy to address the needs of citizens and […]
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EU’s landmark rules for online platforms enter into force
Yesterday, the Digital Services Act (DSA), a new set of EU rules for a safer and more responsible online environment, came into force. The DSA applies to all digital services that connect consumers to goods, services, or content. It creates comprehensive new obligations for online platforms to reduce harms and counter risks online, introduces strong […]
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EU budget for 2023: Council and Parliament reach agreement
The Council and the European Parliament have this week reached an agreement on the EU budget for 2023 that places particular emphasis on the EU’s main strategic priorities. Total commitments are set at €186.6 billion. This is an increase of 1.1% compared to the 2022 budget as amended. €0.4 billion have been kept available under […]
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Autumn 2022 Economic Forecast: The EU economy at a turning point
After a strong first half of the year, the EU economy has now entered a much more challenging phase. The shocks unleashed by Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine are denting global demand and reinforcing global inflationary pressures. The EU is among the most exposed advanced economies, due to its geographical proximity to the war […]
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Parliament wants to clamp down on foreign public subsidies
Parliament is set to approve rules to counteract market-distorting foreign subsidies to companies operating in the EU. Government financing of enterprises has been on the rise worldwide, in particular because of China’s growing role in the global economy. Foreign subsidies can have a distortive effect on competitive markets. Parliament wants the European Commission to have […]
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