Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Samuel Stolton @samuelstolton.bsky.social · 8d

Sanofi was the target of a raid by European Union antitrust regulators over suspected “anticompetitive disparagement,” in the latest crackdown on firms allegedly bad-mouthing their rivals: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

Vaccine Firm Raided by EU in ‘Disparagement’ Antitrust Case

Sanofi SA revealed it was the target of a raid by European Union antitrust regulators over suspected “anticompetitive disparagement,” in the latest crackdown on firms allegedly bad-mouthing their…

www.bloomberg.com

Samuel Stolton @samuelstolton.bsky.social · 14d

New: ADNOC's nearly €12 billion takeover of Covestro is edging closer to European Union approval after talks with regulators paved the way for a package of commitments to be submitted as soon as next week, according to people familiar with the matter: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

www.bloomberg.com

Samuel Stolton @samuelstolton.bsky.social · 19d

New: Google will meet the EU’s deadline to propose changes to its advertising technology business after a near-€3 billion fine — but won’t include the full breakup the EU and industry rivals have previously pushed for: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

Google Readies EU Offer After €3 Billion Fine, Skips Full Split

Google will meet the European Union’s deadline to propose changes to its advertising technology business after a near-€3 billion ($3.5 billion) fine — but won’t include the full breakup the EU and…

www.bloomberg.com

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Samuel Stolton @samuelstolton.bsky.social · Sep 5

❗ Google fined almost €3 billion by the EU and ordered to stop favoring its own advertising technology services, in a move that risks further inflaming tensions with US President Donald Trump at a critical time in trade talks: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

Google Fined Almost €3 Billion by EU for Abusing Adtech Power

Alphabet Inc.’s Google was fined almost €3 billion ($3.5 billion) by the European Union and ordered to stop favoring its own advertising technology services, in a move that risks further inflaming…

www.bloomberg.com

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Samuel Stolton @samuelstolton.bsky.social · Sep 2

EU Commission ironing out the kinks in its Google Adtech decision:

- Decision still due within days / weeks
- Cease & desist order rather than a full-blown breakup
- Expected to be smallest-ever EU Google antitrust fine

But the 'kink' in question is a biggun'...
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

Google’s Adtech Fine Delayed as EU Frets Over Trump Backlash

The European Union paused its immediate plans to punish Alphabet Inc.’s Google for abusing its dominance over advertising technology amid fears that US President Donald Trump could hit back by…

www.bloomberg.com

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Samuel Stolton @samuelstolton.bsky.social · Aug 12

New: Italy has pushed back against EU criticism of Rome’s power to block or limit deals, which Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni recently used in UniCredit's now-failed attempt to acquire Banco BPM. w/ Alessandra Migliaccio & Sonia Sirletti

www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

Italy Defends Right to Restrict UniCredit’s BPM Bid in EU Reply

Italy has pushed back against European Union criticism of Rome’s power to block or limit deals, which Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni recently used in UniCredit SpA’s now-failed attempt to acquire…

www.bloomberg.com

Samuel Stolton @samuelstolton.bsky.social · Aug 7

& the admission that VDL changed handsets several times since the exchange with Pfizer's Bourla is a moot point - particularly if a cloud-based messaging service was used. Surely some trace of data must be accessible...somewhere? I defer to technical experts here. @alexfanta.bsky.social

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Samuel Stolton @samuelstolton.bsky.social · Aug 7

There are technical differences between accessing missing Signal messages (which appears to VDL's platform of choice), and WhatsApp messages.

But the fact that forensic experts have not been called in to assist in Pfizergate - in the name of transparency - is puzzling...

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Samuel Stolton @samuelstolton.bsky.social · Aug 7

A competition case that resulted in a hefty fine last year for International Flavors & Fragrances.

In this investigation, the commission's own experts were able to recover intentionally deleted WhatsApp messages that evidenced abusive behavior.

ec.europa.eu/commission/p...

ec.europa.eu

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Samuel Stolton @samuelstolton.bsky.social · Aug 7

But...'should' the #Pfizergate saga end? The Commission has forensic IT experts under its employ who are often tasked with identifying 'deleted' records. For example...

rasmuskleis.bsky.social @rasmuskleis.bsky.social · Aug 1

"The Pfizergate saga ends, for now, with the sad truth that seemingly no one can compel von der Leyen to play by the rules of a democracy, in which laws have to be followed, and officials communications are subject to scrutiny, even when it troubles the powerful" @alexfanta.bsky.social writes.

🧵⬇️

Alexander Fanta @alexfanta.bsky.social · Aug 1

🧨 New revelation in the Pfizergate affair over Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen’s texts with the Pfizer CEO.

The European Commission admitted to the New York Times this week that it lost the texts only after I made an official request for them.

🧵

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Reposted by Samuel Stolton

The Brussels Times @brusselstimes.com · Jul 31

A stone plaque marks the house where the radical French artist lived from 1815 until his death in 1825.

Hidden Belgium: The house where Jacques Louis David died

A stone plaque marks the house where the radical French artist lived from 1815 until his death in 1825.

www.brusselstimes.com

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Samuel Stolton @samuelstolton.bsky.social · Jul 24

New: Broadcom’s $61 billion acquisition of VMware faces scrutiny from EU judges, after a cloud computing group contested the European Commission’s approval of one of the world’s biggest tech deals: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

www.bloomberg.com

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Samuel Stolton @samuelstolton.bsky.social · Jul 8

❗ NEW: The European Union is set to rebuke the Italian government for imposing harsh conditions on UniCredit’s takeover of Banco BPM, setting up a power struggle between Brussels and Rome over the fate of the deal:

www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

EU to Warn Italy It Overstepped on UniCredit’s Banco BPM Deal

The European Union is set to rebuke the Italian government for imposing harsh conditions on UniCredit SpA’s takeover of Banco BPM SpA, setting up a power struggle between Brussels and Rome over the fa...

www.bloomberg.com

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Samuel Stolton @samuelstolton.bsky.social · Jun 26

The European Union’s crackdown on Apple, Meta Google and others isn’t a bargaining chip in trade negotiations with US President Donald Trump, according to Teresa Ribera, the EU’s competition chief: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

EU’s Ribera Won’t Trade Big Tech Rules to Placate Trump

The European Union’s crackdown on Apple Inc., Meta Platforms Inc., and Alphabet Inc.’s Google isn’t a bargaining chip in trade negotiations with US President Donald Trump, according to Teresa Ribera,…

www.bloomberg.com

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Samuel Stolton @samuelstolton.bsky.social · Jun 26

Apple is poised to offer further App Store changes to appease European Union antitrust watchdogs who issued an ultimatum after doling out a €500 million ($580 million) fine:

www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

Apple Poised to Offer App Store Changes to Dodge More EU Fines

Apple Inc. is poised to offer further App Store changes to appease European Union antitrust watchdogs who issued an ultimatum after doling out a €500 million ($580 million) fine.

www.bloomberg.com

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Samuel Stolton @samuelstolton.bsky.social · May 2

❗️ TikTok gets €530 million EU privacy fine for illegally sending user data to China, with the Irish data protection regulator warning the firm didn’t do enough to keep information out of reach from Chinese state services: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

TikTok Fined €530 Million for Illegally Sending EU Data to China

TikTok owner ByteDance Ltd. was fined €530 million ($600 million) by the European Union for illegally sending user data to China, warning the firm it didn’t do enough to keep information out of reach…

www.bloomberg.com

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Samuel Stolton @samuelstolton.bsky.social · Apr 29

❗ Malta’s “golden passports” program violates EU law, the bloc’s top court ruled in a case that could have transformed the EU into a haven for affluent foreigners at a time when US President Donald Trump wants to entice them across the Atlantic: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

Top EU Court Bans ‘Golden Passports’ Sold to Rich Foreigners

Malta’s “golden passports” program for wealthy investors violates European Union rules on citizenship, the bloc’s top court ruled in a case that could have transformed the EU into a haven for…

www.bloomberg.com

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Samuel Stolton @samuelstolton.bsky.social · Apr 23

Apple and Meta were hit by EU fines totaling €700 million for violating the bloc's Digital Markets Act following warnings of harsh retaliation from US President Donald Trump. @gmvolpi.bsky.social @bloomberg.com www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

Apple, Meta Hit by €700 Million in EU Fines After Trump Threats

Apple Inc. and Meta Platforms Inc. were hit by relatively modest European Union fines totaling €700 million ($798 million) for violating tough new antitrust rules for Big Tech following warnings of…

www.bloomberg.com

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Samuel Stolton @samuelstolton.bsky.social · Apr 10

New: Procter & Gamble, the maker of Pampers diapers and Oral-B toothbrushes, was the unidentified target of an informal antitrust probe by European Union watchdogs, according to people familiar with the case.

P&G Targeted by EU Antitrust Watchdog Alongside Coca-Cola Raids

Procter & Gamble Co., the maker of Pampers diapers and Oral-B toothbrushes, was the unidentified target of an informal antitrust probe by European Union watchdogs, according to people familiar with…

www.bloomberg.com

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Reposted by Samuel Stolton

Bloomberg News @bloomberg.com · Apr 3

BREAKING: France's President Macron urges companies to pause investments in the US after Trump's tariff onslaught

France’s Macron Urges Companies to Pause US Investments

French President Emmanuel Macron urged companies to pause investments in the US after President Donald Trump announced tariffs on the European Union and other regions.

www.bloomberg.com

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Reposted by Samuel Stolton

Jorge Valero @europressos.bsky.social · Apr 3

👉Everything you need to know about Trump’s trade/econ tsunami and how the world (and the markets) are reacting coming in an hour here-
—-with Ros, Shawn, Carmen and me.
www.bloomberg.com/sessions/202...

Live Q&A: Trump’s Reciprocal Tariffs Are Here. Who Wins and Loses?

Bloomberg reporters answer questions about Trump’s reciprocal tariffs and how governments and markets are reacting.

www.bloomberg.com

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Reposted by Samuel Stolton

Teresa Ribera @teresaribera.ec.europa.eu · Apr 3

Atlantic Council - Join me as I discuss how Europe is shaping a resilient, fair, and sustainable future. From competition policy to the green transition, strong cooperation is key to tackling global challenges.
🎥 Tune in now! www.atlanticcouncil.org/event/europe...

Europe's Teresa Ribera on the EU’s clean transition and US-EU relations

AN #ACFRONTPAGE EVENT—Teresa Ribera, executive vice-president of the European Commission, shares her vision for the EU, the bloc's competitiveness, and the US-EU relationship.

www.atlanticcouncil.org

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Samuel Stolton @samuelstolton.bsky.social · Apr 3

❗ Scoop: TikTok owner ByteDance is set to be hit by a privacy fine of more than €500 million for illegally shipping European users’ data to China, adding to the growing global backlash over the video-sharing app:

TikTok Faces Fine Over €500 Million for EU Data Sent to China

TikTok owner ByteDance Ltd. is set to be hit by a privacy fine of more than €500 million ($553 million) for illegally shipping European users’ data to China, adding to the growing global backlash…

www.bloomberg.com

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Samuel Stolton @samuelstolton.bsky.social · Mar 26

The EU pressed Meta to create a separate version of Facebook Marketplace or offer users a way to access rival services in order to fix antitrust concerns, when it fined the firm €798 million last year. The decision was today made public in full:

EU Pressed Meta to Separate Marketplace to Fix Antitrust Issues

The European Union pressed Meta Platforms Inc. to create a separate version of its Facebook Marketplace site or offer users a way to access rival services in order to fix antitrust concerns when it…

www.bloomberg.com

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Samuel Stolton @samuelstolton.bsky.social · Mar 26

UBS, Nomura, and UniCredit failed to overturn European Union antitrust fines totaling hundreds of millions of euros levied over allegations they colluded on government bond trading during the region’s sovereign debt crisis.

UBS, Nomura, UniCredit Lose Appeal Over EU Bond Cartel Fines

UBS Group AG, Nomura Holdings Inc. and UniCredit SpA failed to overturn European Union antitrust fines totaling hundreds of millions of euros levied over allegations they colluded on government bond…

www.bloomberg.com

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