Category: Competition

EU flags fluttering in the wind in front of the Commission headquarters

EU must urgently tackle harm caused by weakened competition

The Commission and EU governments must urgently tackle the problem by more - not less - strictly enforcing EU competition rules, and in particular merger control, writes Vanessa Turner.

/ July 2, 2024
The EU's new Digital Markets Act

Digital Markets Act: Is big tech attempting to thwart new EU rules?

Big tech 'gatekeepers' will have to comply with the EU's new DMA on 7 March 2024. But there are already signs some big tech companies might be trying to thwart the rules, writes Frithjof Michaelsen from our French member, UFC-Que...

/ February 28, 2024
Merger control is essential to ensuring consumer choice.

Why consumers need strong EU merger control

Some big merger decisions are coming down the tracks. To ensure consumer choice and value for money, we need strict merger control write BEUC's Agustin Reyna and Vanessa Turner.

and / January 19, 2024

If Amazon is not a ‘Very Large Online Platform’, who is? 

Last year, the EU adopted a landmark regulation which aims to create a safer and more accountable online environment for consumers, known as the Digital Services Act (DSA). But internet giant Amazon seems to be playing legal tricks to delay...

Authorities must act now against 'greedflation'

Why competition authorities must act now against ‘greedflation’

The cost of living crisis is putting consumers' budgets under pressure. What's more, there's increasing evidence that some of the inflation driving this is being caused by corporate profiteering writes Vanessa Turner.

/ July 17, 2023

Agricultural agreements cannot be a smokescreen for greenwashing and profiteering

Consumers are increasingly worried about the impact of their consumption, including the food they eat. But draft guidelines for the food sector could lead to minimal sustainability improvements as a pretext to restrict competition, writes Emanuela Antolovic.

/ June 20, 2023

The car data hype – no need to worry? Think twice

BEUC’s mobility expert Robin Loos brings us a story from his future self to explain why regulating access to car data is important.

/ February 17, 2022

Making the Digital Markets Act work for consumers – BEUC’s take on Member States position

If you’ve considered leaving WhatsApp, but felt your hands were tied because all the people you know use it, the Digital Markets Act could well be what you were hoping for. It could be a real game-changer for consumers. The...

/ October 29, 2021

Why the Android antitrust case matters to consumers

Today, the vast majority of mobile phones in Europe run on Android, Google’s operating system. In addition, Google Search is the dominant search engine, used by millions of consumers daily to access goods, services, and information on the web. Part...

/ October 1, 2021

To tame the giants, the EU needs to step up competition enforcement

In recent weeks, the debate around the future of competition law in Europe has intensified. This is due not only to new investigations by the European Commission into tech companies, but also because of upcoming proposals to regulate large online...

/ June 22, 2020