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European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announcing Ukraine has been granted candidate status

We want Ukraine to live European dream - von der Leyen

The European Commission has recommended EU "candidate status" for Ukraine.

The EU talks are meant to turn into law a global reform of corporate taxation, which was agreed last October by nearly 140 countries

EU fails to agree corporate tax reform deal

Hungary's Finance Minister Mihaly Varga told his EU counterparts today that his country could not support a reform of corporate taxation at this stage, effectively preventing a deal at EU level.

Business • 17 Jun 22

Today's decision is a major setback to EU competition chief Margrethe Vestager's crackdown on Big Tech

Qualcomm wins fight against €997m EU competition fine

US chipmaker Qualcomm has today won its fight against a €997m fine imposed by EU competition regulators four years ago, dealing a major setback to EU competition chief Margrethe Vestager's crackdown on Big Tech.

Business • 15 Jun 22

The EU today agreed to a single mobile charging port for mobile phones, tablets and cameras

Apple has to change iPhone charger in Europe by 2024

Apple will have to change the connector on its iPhones sold in Europe by 2024 as EU countries and EU politicians today agreed to a single mobile charging port for mobile phones, tablets and cameras.

Business • 07 Jun 22

The proposal for a single mobile charging port was first broached by the European Commission more than ten years ago

EU set for deal on single mobile charging port in June

EU countries and EU politicians will meet on June 7 to thrash out the details for a common charging port for mobile phones, tablets and headphones and are likely to clinch a deal, people familiar with the matter said.

Business • 03 Jun 22

In February, Ombudsman Emily O'Reilly opened an inquiry into how the European Commission has been monitoring the application of GDPR in Ireland

Delay in EU Commission response to Irish data inquiry

There has been a further delay by the European Commission in its response to an EU Ombudsman investigation into the monitoring of data protection regulations in Ireland.

Business • 25 May 22

Some economists estimate the cost of rebuilding Ukraine at between €1-€2 trillion, though no estimate can be reliable while the war is going on

EU plans €9 billion in loans for Ukraine

The European Commission has proposed an extra €9 billion in EU loans to Ukraine in 2022 to keep the country running and to set up a 'RebuildUkraine' Facility of grants and loans, modelled on the EU's own recovery fund.

Business • 18 May 22

Irish inflation is rising and is expected to remain high for longer, the European Commission said today

European Commission pencils in GDP growth of 5.4%

The European Commission said today that Ireland's GDP is expected to keep increasing significantly with growth rates of 5.4% predicted for this year and 4.4% for next year.

Business • 16 May 22

The European Commission cut its growth forecast for the euro zone to 2.7% this year from 4% predicted only in February, shortly before the war in Ukraine started

Ukraine war to slash euro zone 2022 growth

Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the resulting surge in energy and commodity prices will slash euro zone economic growth this year and next, while boosting inflation to record levels, the European Commission forecast today.

Business • 16 May 22

Eurostat said GDP in the euro zone rose 0.2% on a quarterly basis to five a 5% year-on-year gain

Ukraine war curbs euro zone growth in Q1

Euro zone economic growth was slower than expected in the first three months of the year, preliminary data showed today, as the war in Ukraine started on February 24 hit economic activity.

Business • 29 Apr 22

The European Commission said that its digital services rules apply to all major platforms

EU says its rules apply to all online platforms

The European Commission said today it was too early to comment on the deal Tesla chief executive Elon Musk has struck to buy social media site Twitter.

Business • 26 Apr 22

The planned deal was first announced in August 2020

EU ends probe as Kingspan-Trimo deal is terminated

The European Commission has said it has taken note of a decision by building materials group Kingspan and the parent company of Slovenian firm Trimo to terminate a planned deal that would have seen Kingspan buy Trimo.

Business • 22 Apr 22

Apple may face another EU competition charge in an investigation triggered by a complaint from Spotify

Apple faces extra EU competition charge in music probe

Apple faces an additional EU competition charge in the coming weeks in an investigation triggered by a complaint from Spotify, a person familiar with the matter said,

Business • 11 Apr 22

Price caps on wholesale roaming charges have saved European consumers from 'bill shock' after visiting another member state

EU lawmakers back cut to wholesale roaming charges

EU lawmakers backed lower price caps on wholesale roaming fees paid by telecoms operators to peers in another EU country, extending for a decade a policy that benefits consumers.

Business • 24 Mar 22

Global carmakers raided by EU, UK also announces probe

EU competition regulators yesterday raided several automotive companies and associations in several countries on suspicion of breaching the bloc's cartel rules, while Britain's competition authority also launched a probe.

Business • 16 Mar 22

European Commission Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager is also in charge of competition policy

EU opens Google-Facebook advertising deal investigation

The European Commission has opened a formal antitrust investigation into an advertising deal between Google and Meta, formerly Facebook.

Business • 11 Mar 22

Russia supplies around 40% of the European Union's natural gas supplies

EU plan to cut Russia gas dependency this year

The European Commission has published a plan this afternoon to make Europe "independent from Russian fossil fuels well before 2030".

Business • 08 Mar 22

The EU's justice commissioner Didier Reynders said the region could no longer turn a blind eye to what happens across company supply chains

EU proposes environmental checks on some suppliers

The European Commission has proposed a law to make large companies operating in the EU check that their suppliers around the world respect environmental standards and do not use slave or child labour.

Business • 23 Feb 22

European Commission digital chief Margrethe Vestager

EU rules take aim at illegal data transfers

Amazon, Microsoft and other cloud services providers and data processing service providers will have to adopt safeguards to prevent non-EU governments gain illegal access to EU data, according to European Commission draft rules.

Business • 23 Feb 22

The European Commission stopped UPS' planned €5.2 billion acquisition of TNT because it had not offered enough remedies to allay concerns that the deal would hurt consumers

UPS loses €1.7 billion claim for EU veto on TNT bid

The world's biggest logistics company, United Parcel Service, has today lost its court fight for a record €1.74 billion compensation claim from EU antitrust regulators for blocking its 2013 bid for Dutch rival TNT.

Business • 23 Feb 22

Euro area growth is also expected to reach 4% in 2022

EU increases Irish inflation and growth forecasts

The European Commission has upgraded its growth forecast for Ireland, on the strength of the predicted recovery from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Business • 10 Feb 22

The Commission included gas and nuclear investments in a draft of its "sustainable finance taxonomy" rules circulated on 31 December

McGuinness: No big changes to EU green finance proposal

The European Commission will not make any fundamental revisions to proposals that classify nuclear power and gas as sustainable, Financial Markets Commissioner Mairead McGuinness has said, despite objections from some European Union states.

Business • 26 Jan 22

Ursula von der Leyen addressed a virtual session of the World Economic Forum today

EU to propose microchips law in February - EU chief

The European Commission will propose a draft legislation for the regulation of microchips in early February, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said today.

Business • 20 Jan 22

Female representation at board level rose by one percentage point to 35% in 2021

Firms make slow progress in appointing women to boards

The proportion of women in leading positions at major European companies rose last year, but fell behind schedule to reach the European Commission's proposed target of 40% for 2025.

Business • 20 Jan 22

Euro zone economic sentiment dropped more than expected in December

Omicron dents euro zone's economic rebound

Euro zone economic sentiment dropped more than expected last month while inflation hit another record high, indicating the economy is under renewed stress as surging coronavirus infections force governments to tighten restrictions.

Business • 07 Jan 22