The EU is considering to overhaul its merger rules to curb national powers to block corporate takeovers in a bid to help European companies build the scale to compete with US and Chinese rivals.
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European businesses warn Brussels' tech sovereignty push could hit profits and undermine competitiveness
“In Europe today we are not truly in the position to substitute all our IT solutions . . . with European solutions,” said Ilse Henne of Thyssenkrupp Material Services
www.ft.com/content/95fe...
Deep dive in the transatlantic censorship debate.
In Brussels, the US' attacks have been met with disbelief and anger. For Silicon Valley, the spat presents opportunities and risks to appease both the US and European regulators.
With @mshannahmurphy.bsky.social
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European military officials are concerned that talk about “tech sovereignty” could have serious consequences for the continent’s security, given their armies’ reliance on US software and networks to run critical systems.
“It’s just not possible,” said one.
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The problems, including an EU probe, piling up for the fast-fashion company Shein that has rocked the world of ecommerce since the pandemic.
A deep dive with William Langley in HK and Adrienne Klasa in Paris.
www.ft.com/content/3779...
Google’s top legal officer Kent Walker warned that Europe risks undermining its own competitiveness drive by restricting access to foreign technology by ‘erecting walls’ as Brussels steps up efforts to reduce its reliance on US tech giants.
Interview ⬇️
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Europe must avoid a “war” between member states and Brussels over speed of deregulation and competitiveness issues, the Belgian PM has warned.
On the ground from the Alden Biesen leaders’ retreat w/ @bmoens.bsky.social
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Europe’s telecom industry is losing momentum in its push to persuade Brussels to loosen the EU’s merger rules to allow more consolidation, especially within countries.
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EU capitals have to set aside national interests and finally tackle the bloc’s regulatory inertia, according to António Costa.
He called on leaders to “give a very strong political message to their governments.”
With @alicemhancock.bsky.social @henryjfoy.ft.com
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The EU is this week set to approve Universal Music Group’s planned $775mn acquisition of Downtown Music, people briefed on the decision said, despite claims that the deal would hand too much power to the industry’s largest player.
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European countries are edging closer to broad social media bans for children, even as doubts persist over how to implement them and the risk of a new battle with US tech groups.
A deep dive with Leila Abboud & @NicFildes
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Europe should focus on investing in tech instead of creating more digital legislation, Dariusz Standerski, state secretary at Poland’s digital affairs ministry, said about the upcoming Cloud and AI Development Act and the Quantum Act.
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The EU should not “renounce anything that may be necessary to defend its interests” if US President Donald Trump delivers on his threats, the bloc’s competition chief @teresaribera.ec.europa.eu told the FT.
With @andybounds.bsky.social
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Brussels has drawn up detailed options for retaliation, officials said, but is holding back its strongest measure in the hope of a diplomat solution.
@hennavirkkunen.bsky.social told the FT the priority is engagement, but that "we have also tools at our disposal here."
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EU to bar Chinese suppliers such as Huawei from critical infrastructure such as telecom and solar panels, as Brussels rethinks it security and tech policies.
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European officials and companies are increasingly concerned over Elon Musk’s possible future control over a strategically sensitive slice of the EU satellite spectrum used for mobile services such as cell phones.
More in today's Europe Express newsletter
www.ft.com/content/7531...
EU competition chief @teresaribera.ec.europa.eu is facing a delicate tightrope on how the EU will police mergers, while also deciding on new leadership at DG Comp.
Ribera wants a decision soon and prefers a woman that is “sound" and "respected," she told the FT.
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This year, the EU faces a difficult balancing act as it wants to enforce its digital rules without provoking Trump into siding with Russia on Ukraine.
"You’re just a little bit more quiet perhaps than you otherwise would be” said Fiona Scott Morton.
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The EU needs to stand behind its digital rule book and green standards while deepening the single market to ensure the EU remained competitive in a global economic race, said the bloc’s competition chief @teresaribera.ec.europa.eu
With @henryjfoy.ft.com
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Brussels to open formal investigation into Italy today, to assess whether Rome's "golden powers" to block mergers break EU law
top scoop from crack team @bmoens.bsky.social @paolatamma.bsky.social @amykazmin.bsky.social
on.ft.com/4phhTt8
🤖 Can Brussels balance its desire to set guardrails for AI with its need to attract investment?
Must-read deep dive on how the EU botched its attempt to regulate artificial intelligence - and now is trying to desperately fix it, by @bmoens.bsky.social @melissahei.bsky.social
on.ft.com/4o59nws
Brussels wants 10% of EU defence spending boom to be ploughed into home-grown "disruptive" military tech such as AI & quantum computing
"We have to of course look from where we are buying [defence] products," EU tech chief @hennavirkkunen.bsky.social tells @bmoens.bsky.social & I
on.ft.com/4r6V9Ol
Brussels is considering stronger rule of law safeguards for future entrants to prevent bringing "Trojan horses" into the EU, the bloc's enlargement chief @martakos.ec.europa.eu told the Financial Times.
With @henryjfoy.ft.com
www.ft.com/content/9493...
Meta and Apple are in the final stages of agreeing a deal with European regulators to change a range of business practices to settle antitrust cases with Brussels, as the US Big Tech groups seek to avoid a series of escalating fines.
Great scoop from @bmoens.bsky.social
on.ft.com/4q7W3d1
The EU wants to reduce its tech reliance on US and China via a new Apply AI strategy, seen by the Financial Times, which promotes digital sovereignty.
The bloc warns AI can otherwise be “weaponised” by rivals.
With @henryjfoy.ft.com
on.ft.com/3WkfSjs
The EU is preparing to start technical work on Ukraine and Moldova joining the bloc despite Hungary’s blockade of advancing accession talks, according to officials briefed on the process.
With @henryjfoy.ft.com @benhallnews.bsky.social @christopherjm.ft.com
on.ft.com/3IGHwnE
Prove your rules don’t target US tech or fix them, Trump’s ambassador to Brussels warns EU
“Obviously, if we’re going to have a good relationship going forward, you can’t have legislation that punishes... your ally,” Andrew Puzder tells @financialtimes.com
w @bmoens.bsky.social
on.ft.com/4nUQVXH
(Another) big digital EU-US scoop from @bmoens.bsky.social
EU targets Apple, Google and Microsoft over online financial scams, as Brussels probes US Big Tech groups and Booking Holdings over handling of fake apps and search results - despite Trump's ire at EU tech regulation
on.ft.com/46OYxoJ
Big story in the battle between Brussels and Big Tech:
The EU is poised to exclude Meta, Apple, Google and Amazon from a new system to share citizens’ financial data, in the face of Trump’s retaliation threats
@bmoens.bsky.social & @paolatamma.bsky.social with the news
on.ft.com/46tA9Yv
Draghi puts the boot into Brussels, blaming "inaction", "inertia" and "complacency" for failing to implement economic reforms that mean the EU has fallen further behind global rivals such as China & the US
on.ft.com/48hey86
w crack competitiveness crew @bmoens.bsky.social & @paolatamma.bsky.social