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lewiscrofts.bsky.social

@lewiscrofts.bsky.social
237 followers 27 following 38 posts
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lewiscrofts.bsky.social @lewiscrofts.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
This seems quite niche but it’s huge. It’s the EU trying to make one of its most powerful tools — the one that has hit Google, Microsoft and Apple — easier to manage. Such cases have become tough, and the EC is plotting a path to make it clear how it’ll prosecute in future.
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Stanley Pignal @spignal.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
Meta having to fork out $18bn to US states: is that America being protectionist against its own firm, or is it only considered protectionism when Europeans enforce their laws? Good question to ask the White House.
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lewiscrofts.bsky.social @lewiscrofts.bsky.social · 09/06/2026
This happens rarely. Very rarely. Only one other of these kinds of interventions in recent memory (Broadcom). There the injunction brought them to the table and they settled. Same again?
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Stanley Pignal @spignal.bsky.social · 31/03/2026
Europe's regulation of business leaves much to be desired. But its strict competition rules are not among the problem. Weakening them to allow for "European champions" to emerge would be a step in the wrong direction.
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lewiscrofts.bsky.social @lewiscrofts.bsky.social · 04/02/2026
“I’m fine, but the world is a mess.” @vestager.bsky.social makes a pitch to "create something better, starting with AI, where we can build from the ground up," rather than cry over the world order. www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/t...
project-syndicate.org
New World Order or Bust
Margrethe Vestager explains why defending the remnants of old, ineffective institutions is not the answer.
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lewiscrofts.bsky.social @lewiscrofts.bsky.social · 29/01/2026
Competition policy needs updating for the new dynamics of the global economy but its "values" remain the same, @vonderleyen.ec.europa.eu says at the #Blueprint conference of @teresaribera.ec.europa.eu ec.europa.eu/commission/p...
ec.europa.eu
Video message by President von der Leyen opening the Clean, Just and Competitive Summit
Ladies and Gentlemen,\nWelcome to the Clean, Just and Competitive Summit. You are gathered here at a defining moment for our continent. Let\'s be clear - Europe is in a fight for its future. We live i...
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lewiscrofts.bsky.social @lewiscrofts.bsky.social · 27/01/2026
Interesting move by @teresaribera.ec.europa.eu on Google’s DMA obligations. Seems to be forward-looking and targeted. 6-month procedure will clarify how rivals can access Android and train their AI search services. digital-markets-act.ec.europa.eu/commission-o...
digital-markets-act.ec.europa.eu
Commission opens proceedings to assist Google in complying with interoperability and online search data sharing obligations under the Digital Markets Act
Commission opens proceedings to assist Google in complying with interoperability and online search data sharing obligations under the DMA
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lewiscrofts.bsky.social @lewiscrofts.bsky.social · 01/12/2025
Competition law "should never be a bargaining chip in trade negotiations or a tool for protectionism." @teresaribera.ec.europa.eu tells @oecd-ocde.bsky.social gathering in Paris.
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Teresa Ribera @teresaribera.ec.europa.eu · 24/11/2025
The European digital rule-book is not up for negotiation. We, Europeans, have adopted our rules to ensure fair markets and to protect consumers rights while backing Europe’s digital future. It’s our duty to preserve our values and to defend our people. 🇪🇺
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Teresa Ribera @teresaribera.ec.europa.eu · 18/11/2025
Cloud computing is now a strategic asset for Europe’s competitiveness, resilience and AI leadership. When markets become essential infrastructures, fairness and openness are not optional — they are conditions for trust. www.linkedin.com/posts/eucomp...
linkedin.com
🔴 Today, we launched three market investigations into cloud computing services under the Digital Markets Act 🔍 📌 Cloud computing is the backbone of many digital services and is essential for the… | E...
🔴 Today, we launched three market investigations into cloud computing services under the Digital Markets Act 🔍 📌 Cloud computing is the backbone of many digital services and is essential for the deve...
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lewiscrofts.bsky.social @lewiscrofts.bsky.social · 20/10/2025
Antitrust enforcement gets some political framing in the European Parliament. — Google AdTech behaviour hurt publishers; this hurt media, journalism & ultimately democracy — antitrust is about combatting unfair power & ensuring citizens are protected —Europe is urged to stand up to Trump
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lewiscrofts.bsky.social @lewiscrofts.bsky.social · 20/10/2025
Whenever there is an outage or supply disturbance like #AWS today, it triggers familiar scraps over #resilience. Sometimes, that means big, strong (European) companies able to compete globally. Today, that means not being dependent on a single provider who can make half the internet fall over.
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Stanley Pignal @spignal.bsky.social · 15/10/2025
Mega test of EU approach to industrial policy coming up. 3 big French telcos are jointly bidding to buy the 4th. EU has historically blocked 4-to-3 consolidation as it raises prices. But the mood has shifted of late, eg Draghi saying mergers could be OK. One to watch. www.lemonde.fr/economie/art...
lemonde.fr
Le plan choc d’Orange, Bouygues Telecom et Free pour faire disparaître SFR et se partager ses « business »
Les trois groupes de télécoms ont envoyé, mardi 14 octobre, une offre de rachat conjointe de 17 milliards d’euros pour l’entreprise de Patrick Drahi. Objectif : dépecer leur rival pour faire passer le...
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lewiscrofts.bsky.social @lewiscrofts.bsky.social · 14/10/2025
One for the people of Europe. Or at least those who dress well. @teresaribera.ec.europa.eu and @ec.europa.eu have fined Gucci, Chloe and Loewe a total of 157 million euros for using resale polciies that restrcted independent sellers. Keep pricies high. No discounts. Specified sales periods.
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Teresa Ribera @teresaribera.ec.europa.eu · 13/10/2025
Nobel Laureates on innovation being crucial for competitiveness. Dealing back on competition policies, it’s an important part of our work when updating our merger guidelines to better take into account innovation and the appearance of new innovative firms.
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lewiscrofts.bsky.social @lewiscrofts.bsky.social · 11/10/2025
For context, there is a renewed push by European companies and some governments to soften the M&A rules. But EU competition boss @teresaribera.ec.europa.eu is calling it out. The framing is interesting: for here, it’s about protecting values, social-market, democracy.
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lewiscrofts.bsky.social @lewiscrofts.bsky.social · 10/10/2025
One of the greats no longer with us. RIP Ivan Klima. www.theguardian.com/books/2025/o...
theguardian.com
Ican Klíma obituary
Czech novelist and playwright whose work was banned under communism
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oandriychuk.bsky.social @oandriychuk.bsky.social · 07/10/2025
Our traditional annual conversation with three leading voices in EU journalism on digital competition policy: Samuel Stolton, Lewis Crofts and Javier Espinoza. Really honest, easygoing, and insightful answers, occasionally provocative, addressing Europe’s digital markets. ▶️ lnkd.in/eCQTYCQc
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lewiscrofts.bsky.social @lewiscrofts.bsky.social · 25/09/2025
Does the EU pick on American tech companies? The White House says yes. Today, EU opens probe into German software giant #SAP ec.europa.eu/commission/p...
ec.europa.eu
Commission opens investigation into possible anticompetitive practices by SAP regarding maintenance and support services for its popular business management software
The European Commission has opened a formal investigation to assess whether SAP may have distorted competition in the aftermarket for maintenance and support services related to an on-premises type of
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lewiscrofts.bsky.social @lewiscrofts.bsky.social · 25/09/2025
Just to bring you up to date: Apple says DMA is bad for consumers techxplore.com/news/2025-09... Consumer organisation says DMA is good for consumers www.beuc.eu/news/digital...
techxplore.com
Apple asks EU to scrap landmark digital competition law
Apple asked the European Union to scrap its landmark digital competition law on Thursday, arguing that it poses security risks and creates a "worse experience" for consumers.
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lewiscrofts.bsky.social @lewiscrofts.bsky.social · 23/09/2025
Bloomberg TV & radio host @teresaribera.ec.europa.eu for an interview covering topics: EU/US adtech probes; Nvidia's dominance; EU-US trade deal; US government's stake in Intel. www.bloomberg.com/news/videos/...
bloomberg.com
EU to 'Pay Attention' to Fair Competition as US Companies Come to Europe, Says Ribera
Teresa Ribera, European Commission executive VP for clean, just and competitive transition, discusses the future of anti-trust protections in the European Union and and responsibility to fair competit...
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lewiscrofts.bsky.social @lewiscrofts.bsky.social · 19/09/2025
If you’re looking for a snappy summary of @teresaribera.ec.europa.eu vision for competition policy, look here: “More than economics, it’s about democracy.”
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lewiscrofts.bsky.social @lewiscrofts.bsky.social · 16/09/2025
Quite some talk about the EU review of the merger guidelines today. (NB this is the policy document about what mergers to approve). @vonderleyen.ec.europa.eu said this morning they should be accelerated from the 2027 timeline. @teresaribera.ec.europa.eu said a draft will appear spring next year
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lewiscrofts.bsky.social @lewiscrofts.bsky.social · 12/09/2025
The last week has seen both sides of @teresaribera.ec.europa.eu approach to competition enforcement. The “hard” side: Google gets fined nearly 3pm. The “soft” side: Microsoft avoids a fine by changing its Teams software. This’ll be a helpful counterpoint in debates of US tech regulation.
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lewiscrofts.bsky.social @lewiscrofts.bsky.social · 05/09/2025
BOOM. After a turbulent week, @teresaribera.ec.europa.eu weilds the power of the EU's #antitrust rulebook: 2.95 billion fine on Google for adtech abuse. After the Monday drama of the fine being opposed and delayed, it's a very bold move to hit Google hard. But there was much at stake.
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Stanley Pignal @spignal.bsky.social · 02/09/2025
EU was scheduled to release a fine against Google. It was pulled at the last minute due to EU-US trade tensions. Great scoop from MLex.
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lewiscrofts.bsky.social @lewiscrofts.bsky.social · 29/08/2025
EU must be prepared to walk away from trade deal if US retaliates over tech laws, @teresaribera.ec.europa.eu tells the FT www.ft.com/content/010c...
ft.com
Stand up to Trump on Big Tech, says EU antitrust chief
Bloc must be prepared to walk away from trade deal with US if it retaliates against Brussels’ digital laws, warns Teresa Ribera
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lewiscrofts.bsky.social @lewiscrofts.bsky.social · 26/08/2025
I doubt this is what EU/UK officials were expecting to read from Trump. As the trade deals bed in and everyone exhales... Trump renews his opprobrium: foreign tech laws against US companies will be met with retaliation. www.ft.com/content/ff8d...
ft.com
Donald Trump threatens retaliation over taxes that ‘discriminate’ against US tech
President claims other countries’ digital levies hurt American companies while ignoring China
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lewiscrofts.bsky.social @lewiscrofts.bsky.social · 26/08/2025
Just went you thought it was safe to go outside... or maybe go and gamble some of your EU salary in Vegas... you better cancel that trip.
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lewiscrofts.bsky.social @lewiscrofts.bsky.social · 18/08/2025
Jonathan Kanter, former top #antitrust cop at the US DOJ, warns in the @financialtimes.com about the risk of "aqui-hires," by the likes of Google, Microsoft and Meta, where they pick-up startups (often AI) to absorb their staff, in a way that avoids regulatory scrutiny. www.ft.com/content/1d70...
ft.com
Billion-dollar ‘acqui-hires’ are bad for competition
From Google to Microsoft to Meta, some of the biggest tech deals of the past few years have been staff moves
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lewiscrofts.bsky.social @lewiscrofts.bsky.social · 14/08/2025
End of an era in US. Trump revokes Biden's 2021 executive order which promoted an "all economy" approach for competition. DOJ welcomed the move saying it wanted to unleash the power of business, not give more power to regulators. Amercia First Antitrust. www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/au...
washingtontimes.com
Trump orders overturn Biden era antitrust crackdown, promote space industry
President Trump revoked a Biden-era executive order that spurred more aggressive enforcement of antitrust laws in an effort to promote competition in the economy.
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lewiscrofts.bsky.social @lewiscrofts.bsky.social · 12/08/2025
A powerful tool, still in its infancy. Commissioners @teresaribera.ec.europa.eu & Sejourne launch a consultation ahead of a report next year. One of the many steps to see how this new law can be refined. Questions about admin burden & legal approach. ec.europa.eu/commission/p...
ec.europa.eu
Commission launches review of Foreign Subsidies Regulation
The European Commission has launched today its first review of the Foreign Subsidies Regulation (‘FSR\'). As a first step of this review, the Commission is seeking feedback from interested parties, wi...
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Trish Greenhalgh @trishgreenhalgh.bsky.social · 19/06/2025
Thanks for the reminder @janemunday.bsky.social. Every summer, I repost this article DROWNING DOES NOT LOOK LIKE DROWNING. To date, I know of FOUR kids who were saved after someone who'd clicked on the link learnt how to spot actual drowning. Take time to read and pass on. slate.com/technology/2...
slate.com
Drowning Doesn’t Look Like Drowning
Drowning is not the violent, splashing call for help that most people expect.
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lewiscrofts.bsky.social @lewiscrofts.bsky.social · 25/06/2025
As the tennis season gathers pace, a reminder that there is an almighty #antitrust fight going on between players and governing bodies. The lawsuit though has been narrowed down a little. www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/202...
sportsbusinessjournal.com
PTPA updates complaint in ATP, WTA antitrust lawsuit
The PTPA has submitted an updated complaint in its antitrust lawsuit against tennis’ governing bodies as the org has taken out critiques of the tour schedule from players who are not named as plaintif...
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lewiscrofts.bsky.social @lewiscrofts.bsky.social · 25/06/2025
After a quiet time on the M&A front, the @ec.europa.eu & @teresaribera.ec.europa.eu make a significant move. A new in-depth probe into the tieup Mars & Kellanova. Together, they make loads of household food (think: chocolate, biscuits, crisps, cereal). /1 ec.europa.eu/commission/p...
ec.europa.eu
Commission opens in-depth investigation into the proposed acquisition of Kellanova by Mars
The European Commission has opened an in-depth investigation to assess, under the EU Merger Regulation, the proposed acquisition of Kellanova by Mars. The Commission has preliminary concerns that the
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lewiscrofts.bsky.social @lewiscrofts.bsky.social · 25/06/2025
EU has set out its stall for subsidizing the green transition. In a new state aid framework @teresaribera.ec.europa.eu is trying to direct public funds to producing clean tech & helping rollout of renewables. The major sweetener: allowing energy intensive sectors relief from high electricty costs.
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lewiscrofts.bsky.social @lewiscrofts.bsky.social · 11/01/2025
Mark Zuckerberg of Meta making his plea to Donald Trump for the US to defend its tech companies in the face fo EU regulatory intervention. Tim Cook of Apple had made a similar plea in October. List from about 21st minute www.youtube.com/watch?v=7k1e...
youtube.com
Joe Rogan Experience #2255 - Mark Zuckerberg
YouTube video by PowerfulJRE
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Stanley Pignal @spignal.bsky.social · 04/12/2024
It's hard to describe just how dull the Merkel memoirs are.
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lewiscrofts.bsky.social @lewiscrofts.bsky.social · 26/11/2024
Right, let's test out the "network effects" doctrine...
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