The European Commission is conducting unannounced antitrust inspections in two Member States at the premises of a company operating in the chocolate confectionery sector. The Commission fears that the company under investigation may have breached EU antitrust rules prohibiting cartels and restrictive business practices, as well as abuses of a dominant market position (Articles 101 […]
Launch of the European Ocean Board
The European Commission has officially launched the European Ocean Council, a high-level expert group tasked with supporting the implementation of the European Ocean Pact. The EU’s strategy aims to better protect the oceans, promote a thriving blue economy and support coastal communities. Chaired by Costas Kadis, Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans, the Council comprises 28 […]
Internships – Facilities services, environmental management and internal communications (ECB) – Germany
The European Central Bank is inviting applications for an internship within the Administration Directorate, which forms part of the ECB’s Directorate General Corporate Services. This directorate comprises three divisions offering a wide range of services, including technical management of facilities and buildings, logistics and infrastructure services, as well as security services. It works to reduce […]
Commission acts against unfair imports of ABS from Korea and Taiwan
On 13 February, the Commission imposed definitive anti-dumping duties on imports into the EU of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) resins from Taiwan and the Republic of Korea. The anti-dumping duties imposed range from 5.2% to 7.5% for Korea and from 10.9% to 21.7% for Taiwan. The imposition of definitive duties follows a thorough investigation which concluded that […]
34 arrests in Spain during action against the ‘Black Axe’ criminal organisation
The Spanish National Police (Policía Nacional), in close cooperation with the Bavarian State Criminal Police Office (Bayerisches Landeskriminalamt) and with the support of Europol, has conducted an operation against the international criminal organisation ‘Black Axe’. The action resulted in 34 arrests and significant disruptions to the group’s activities. Black Axe is a highly structured, hierarchical […]
Commission fines Eurofield SAS and Unanime Sport SAS for providing incomplete information
The European Commission has fined Eurofield SAS and Unanime Sport SAS, the ultimate parent of Eurofield at the time of the infringement, a total of around €172,000 for providing an incomplete reply to a request for information issued in the context of the Commission’s investigation in the synthetic turf sector. The Commission’s investigation In June 2023, […]
How do we protect personal data?
Safeguarding personal data in today’s hyper-connected world is increasingly vital. But how should we protect personal data collected through a variety of sources, such as social media platforms and self-tracking devices? The answer lies in finding the right balance between access and use of the data, and the benefits for all involved. A research team […]
Commission closes antitrust investigation into Apple’s rules for e-book/audiobook app developers
The Commission has decided to close its antitrust investigation into Apple’s allegedly anti-competitive behaviour in some of the terms it applies to developers of competing e-book/audiobook apps for the use of its App Store in the European Economic Area. On 16 June 2020, the Commission opened an antitrust investigation into (i) Apple’s rules imposing mandatory […]
Only 1 in 5 influencers consistently disclose their advertising content on social media, says new Commission study
Research by the Commission and consumer protection authorities shows that influencers rarely disclose commercial content. The European Commission and national consumer protection authorities in 22 Member States, Norway and Iceland have published the results of a screening (“sweep”) of influencers’ social media posts. The sweep found that almost all of these influencers (97%) posted commercial […]