The UK probe will also look into whether Facebook uses its troves of data to give its dating service an unfair advantage.

Google is expected to win EU approval for its $US2.1 billion Fitbit deal after it addressed competition and data concerns, Reuters reported. The internet giant has promised it will not use Fitbit data to personalise adverts for 10 years, according to a Financial Times report. It will also ensure competitors […]

CureVac, a German biotech backed by Bill Gates, said Thursday it is in talks with the EU to supply 225 million doses of its potential coronavirus vaccine. Shares of CureVac jumped more than 18% in premarket trading on Thursday. If an agreement is reached, it would mark the company’s first […]

The EU has officially opened an investigation into Google’s acquisition of Fitbit. Google announced it planned to buy Fitbit for $US2.1 billion in November, but the deal has yet to get regulatory approval. The EU investigation will focus on whether the acquisition would give Google an unfair advantage over competitors […]

Facebook is suing the EU for asking for too many documents as part of an antitrust probe. The company filed an official challenge against the European Commission on July 15, and confirmed it’s suing the Commission to Reuters on Monday. The Commission has asked for company documents containing a set […]

Leaders of the European Union reached a historic deal Tuesday on an $US860 billion recovery fund aimed at the reconstruction of the 27-member bloc. By the end of a 4-day summit, the heads of states agreed on distributing 390 billion euros ($US446 billion) in grants, and 360 billion euros ($US412 […]

Microsoft’s Brad Smith said it’s time for regulators to have a “more focused” discussion about how app stores are governed and whether they violate antitrust rules. When speaking with Politico, Smith said app stores have created “higher walls” than barriers that existed in the industry 20 years ago, when Microsoft […]

Rakuten filed an antitrust complaint against Apple in the EU in March, the Financial Times reports. Rakuten’s complaint focuses on Apple’s ebook service, which it says is in competition with its own ereader business Kobo. Apple charges a 30% levy on in-app purchases, something Rakuten says unfairly raises prices on […]

The European Union on Wednesday proposed a 750 billion euro recovery package as the economic bloc attempts to crawl out of its worst economic crisis in decades. Representing a major step towards a revival of the 27-member union, the EU fund is expected to be financed through borrowing, by issuing […]

A 2017 proposal that would speed up vaccine production in the EU was blocked by major pharmaceutical companies,The Guardian reported. The proposal would fund improvements to testing, potentially allowing approval to be fast-tracked and for vaccines against viruses like the novel coronavirus to be developed before an outbreak begins. But […]

Hedge fund veteran George Soros says Europe should introduce so-called perpetual bonds – bonds that have no maturity – to help finance the response to the economic impact of the coronavirus. With a perpetual bond, the principal, or the amount that is borrowed, is never paid back, and the borrower […]

Europe will fall into a “recession of historic proportions” this year, the European Commission said. The EU economy will shrink by 7.4% in 2020, despite unprecedented economic stimulus measures to stem the economic downturn caused by the pandemic, it said. Italy and Spain will be the worst-hit major economies, contracting […]

Spotify has taken another shot in its long-running fight with Apple over their competing music streaming services. Daniel Ek, CEO of Spotify, has said Apple has a long way to go before it’s an “open and fair platform.” In an interview with Bloomberg TV on Wednesday, Ek said he nevertheless […]

The outbreak of COVID-19 in European countries has resulted in travel restrictions throughout the continent as nations hope to protect their citizens. Most countries in Europe have abolished internal border controls but national lockdowns are leading to a resurgence of fences, barriers, and walls between countries. Freedom of movement has […]

The EU may force makers of smartphones, tablets and wireless earphones to use easily replaceable batteries with their devices. According to the Dutch newspaper Het Financieele Dagblad, which obtained a draft of the EU’s plans, the EU’s executive arm – the European Commission – is drafting a proposal to force […]

Apple CEO Tim Cook is currently in Dublin, Ireland to receive an award recognising Apple’s investment in the country over 40 years. Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar will present Cook with the prize, which was first reported earlier this month. On Saturday, Cook thanked Ireland for its “amazing welcome” and […]

Google will start offering Android users in Europe the chance to pick a different default search engine when setting up their phones for the first time. The new Android choice screen will start appearing in early 2020, and will offer users a choice of four different search engines, including Google. […]