In March 2025, Meta rolled out its AI assistant in Europe, which is accessible through its WhatsApp Messenger and will soon be available on Instagram and Facebook Messenger, too. The feature grants users of its platforms access to a “reliable and intelligent assistant” via a “new blue circle icon” on the apps. Trans-Atlantic observers may…
Google’s ‘Be Evil’ transformation (if not merely a narrative) and the antitrust efforts to avenge it (if not exact revenge) are no longer novel. Most notably, following Judge Amit P. Mehta’s historic 2024 ruling from the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia against Google’s exclusive agreements, including ISA (Internet Services Agreement), MADAs (Mobile…
Fast and furious: that was the premise that would make the DMA’s enforcement effective. Overcompensating for past grievances in the application of Article 102 TFEU in the digital markets in terms of speed and remedies justifies the DMA’s need for having regulatory teeth. And teeth it has. On 22 April 2025, the European Commission (EC)…
Introduction On March 27th, the NBA announced a plan to establish a new European basketball league. This league, which would be organised alongside FIBA, the global basketball regulator, would pose the latest challenge to the basketball landscape in Europe. It would also bring to the fore many of the legal and regulatory debates which have…
Cartels and Restrictive Agreements Cases Construction Cartel In 2024, the Cartel Court imposed several significant fines on additional construction companies for their participation in a nationwide cartel in the Austrian construction sector. The cartel is believed to have had a duration of more than 15 years from at least July 2002 to October 2017 and…
European Commission Executive Vice-President Teresa Ribera has her work cut out for her. As Commissioner for a Clean, Just and Competitive Transition, she is not only responsible for steering the European Commission’s competition policy through 2029 – a formidable task in itself – but also for coordinating the Commission’s Clean Industrial Deal alongside commissioners responsible…
On 14 April 2025, Meta confirmed that it will start training its AI with publicly available data from Europeans so its models “can understand the incredible and diverse nuances and complexities that make up European communities”. Regardless of the wider repercussions of such a move from the data protection perspective, since Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and…
In 2024, Slovak competition law continued to evolve, building on the developments in the previous year. The new leadership (the new chairman and vice-chairman were appointed in 2023), the Antimonopoly Office (AMO) has appeared to be remain committed to its stated goal of transforming itself to a more proactive and dynamic competition authority. The AMO’s…
2024 was characterised by the BCA’s dedication to boost transparency in its operations and investigations through the publication of its expert opinions to Belgian Courts and legislators. The BCA remained a steady player within the EU competition enforcement landscape in 2024 with an active enforcement track record and important sector inquiries. Even if slightly less…
On 24 September 2024, the European Commission (EC) issued the long-awaited first decision (under phase II of the concentration tool) of the new Foreign Subsidies Regulation (FSR). It took another long wait of seven months, but a provisional public version of the commitment decision in the e&/PPF transaction (Case FS.100011) was published on 4 April…
