European Union

EU Fines Apple $2 Billion For “Abusive” App Store Rules

Bloomberg News reports: Apple Inc. was hit Monday with a €1.8 billion ($2 billion) penalty from the European Union over an investigation into allegations it shut out music-streaming rivals, including Spotify Technology SA, on its platforms. The European Commission also ordered the Cupertino, California-based firm to stop preventing music-streaming apps from informing users of cheaper deals away from Apple’s App …

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X Could Face Antitrust Crackdown Under New EU Rules

Politico Europe reports: Elon Musk’s X, formerly known as Twitter, may face tough new restrictions under the European Union’s new digital antitrust rulebook, the European Commission said after the company told regulators they could come under the scope of the rules. X, TikTok-owner Bytedance and travel website group Booking told the Commission on Friday that they run digital services that …

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German Lawmakers Vote To Legalize Recreational Weed

Courthouse News reports: A divided Bundestag on Friday voted to make Germany the first major European Union country to legalize the possession and purchase of small amounts of cannabis for recreational purposes. Starting April 1, people 18 and older will be able to grow up to three marijuana plants and possess up to 25 grams (about 1 ounce) of cannabis …

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Carlson Could Face EU Sanctions For Putin Interview

Newsweek reports: Tucker Carlson’s work in Russia could see the former Fox News host in hot water with the EU, Guy Verhofstadt, a former Belgian prime minister and current member of the European Parliament, told Newsweek. The lawmaker—who has called for the EU to explore imposing a “travel ban” on Carlson—described Carlson as “a mouthpiece” of former President Donald Trump …

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EU Warns Hungary: New “Sovereignty” Law Is Illegal

Reuters reports: Hungary’s new law on “protecting national sovereignty”, which the ruling Fidesz party said was necessary to protect against foreign political interference, violates European Union law, the European Commission said on Wednesday. The Commission said it had sent Hungary a formal notice that it would open an infringement procedure over the law, passed in December, which it said violated …

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Hungary’s Orban Caves On $54B In EU Aid To Ukraine

The Associated Press reports: The leaders of the 27 European Union countries sealed a deal Thursday to provide Ukraine with a new 50-billion-euro ($54 billion) support package for its war-ravaged economy despite weeks of threats from Hungary to veto the move. That Hungary lifted its veto, and so quickly, came as a surprise. On the eve of the summit, Hungarian …

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Amazon Drops Roomba Acquisition Under EU Pressure

Axios reports: Amazon and Roomba maker iRobot on Monday said that they’ll terminate their $1.4 billion merger agreement, due to opposition from European antitrust regulators. This is the first time Amazon has ever been stopped from buying another company. The deal originally was announced in mid-2022 with a $1.7 billion price-tag, with Amazon hoping to expand a smart home device …

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EU Threatens To Suspend Hungary’s Voting Rights

Politico Europe reports: There’s a Hungarian saying for when things are not going well: “It is under the frog’s ass.” And things sure won’t go well for Hungary if it attempts to thwart European leaders when they meet next week to approve a vital €50 billion lifeline to Ukraine as it enters a third year of war with Russia. After …

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Homocon German Leader Calls For Vote On Leaving EU

The Guardian reports: The leader of Germany’s far-right Alternative für Deutschland has said her party will campaign for a Brexit-style vote on EU membership if it comes to power, calling the UK’s departure from the bloc a model for its largest member. Alice Weidel told the Financial Times in an exclusive interview that the UK decision would be “dead right” …

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Hungary Defies EU On Anti-LGBTQ And Asylum Policies

The Associated Press reports: Hungary’s government will not change policies the European Union believes infringe on LGBTQ+ rights and those of asylum seekers, even if doing so would unfreeze billions in funding the bloc has withheld from Budapest, a government minister said Thursday. The EU has frozen funding to Hungary over concerns its right-wing nationalist government has trampled on minority …

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Germany Detains Schwarzenegger Over Luxury Watch

The Washington Post reports: Germany has launched criminal tax proceedings against Arnold Schwarzenegger, who is accused of failing to declare a luxury watch upon landing in Munich. The Hollywood star and former governor of California, 76, was held for three hours after disembarking a flight from Los Angeles, Schwarzenegger’s spokesman Daniel Ketchell, who was on the flight, told The Washington …

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EU Leader Issues Dire Warning After Trump’s Iowa Win

The Daily Beast reports: The European Union presidency on Tuesday said that democracy will be “put to the test” with the looming 2024 U.S. election, warning that ties between America and Europe could be undermined. Without explicitly naming Donald Trump, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo—whose country currently holds the rotating presidency—gave the somber assessment in the EU legislature hours …

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Viktor Orban: European Union Is Blackmailing Hungary

Politico Europe reports: Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said Thursday the European Commission is blackmailing Hungary by withholding billions in frozen funds over rule-of-law concerns. Orbán said the blackmail is “a fact,” even admitted by the blackmailers themselves — members of the European Parliament. “In our view, Hungary fulfills all the qualities of the rule of law, and when the …

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EU Investigates X Over Hate Speech And Fake News

The Guardian reports: The social media platform X, formerly Twitter, is being investigated for allegedly breaking EU law on disinformation, illegal content and transparency, the European Commission has announced. The decision to launch formal infringement proceedings against the company, owned by the US billionaire Elon Musk, comes weeks after X was asked to provide evidence of compliance with new laws …

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Hungary Blocks $52 Billion In EU Funding For Ukraine

The New York Times reports: Hungary on Friday blocked the European Union from approving a financial aid package for Ukraine, though E.U. leaders agreed to officially open accession negotiations for Ukraine to join the bloc, an important breakthrough for Kyiv as it tries to bolster support from its allies. Charles Michel, the president of the European Council, said that all …

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EU Agrees To Open Membership Talks With Ukraine

The BBC reports: European leaders have decided to open EU membership talks with Ukraine and Moldova and to grant candidate status to Georgia. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky hailed the decision, made at a summit in Brussels, as “a victory” for his country and Europe. A spokesperson for Charles Michel, the President of the European Council, said that agreement was unanimous. …

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Viktor Orban Posts Billboards Attacking EU President

Reuters reports: Hungary’s ruling party unveiled billboards vilifying European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen on Monday, the first time it has made her a personal target in a campaign similar to one against her predecessor that angered Brussels. The billboards, erected overnight to launch a campaign for next June’s European parliamentary election, depict Von der Leyen alongside Alex Soros, …

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EU Launches New Hate Speech/Terrorism Probe Into X

Via press release from the European Commission: Today the European Commission services formally sent X a request for information under the Digital Services Act (DSA). This request follows indications received by the Commission services of the alleged spreading of illegal content and disinformation, in particular the spreading of terrorist and violent content and hate speech. The request addresses compliance with …

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X Moves To Comply With EU On Hamas Accounts

Reuters reports: The X social media platform has removed hundreds of Hamas-affiliated accounts and taken action to remove or label tens of thousands of pieces of content since the militant group’s attack on Israel, its chief executive Linda officer Yaccarino said on Thursday. The move came in response to EU industry chief Thierry Breton’s 24 hour-ultimatum to Elon Musk to …

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EU Issues Stern Warning To Twitter Over War Disinfo

The Guardian reports: The EU has issued a warning to Elon Musk over the alleged disinformation about the Hamas attack on Israel, including fake news and “repurposed old images”, on X, which was formerly known as Twitter. The letter arrives less than two months after sweeping new laws regulating content on social media seen in the EU came into force …

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