The European Commission has authorised under the EC Treaty state aid rules £3.4 million (€4.32 million) of public funding for a broadband measure in remote and rural areas of Scotland. The measure is the final step to bring affordable broadband services to all Scottish citizens. The European Commission concluded that the aid is well-targeted to achieve this objective and contains adequate safeguards to ensure that Scottish citizens will enjoy the benefits of a competitive broadband market.
[European Commission Press Release]

The European Commission has cleared under the EU Merger Regulation the proposed acquisition of the US-company BEA Systems, an independent provider of middleware software, by Oracle Corporation, also of the US. The European Commission concluded that the transaction would not significantly impede effective competition in the European Economic Area (EEA) or any substantial part of it.
[European Commission Press Release]

The European Commission has cleared under the EU Merger Regulation the proposed acquisition of Scribona of Sweden by the US-based company Tech Data. Both companies are active in the wholesale distribution of information technology products. The European Commission's investigation has shown that the concentration would not significantly impede effective competition in the European Economic Area (EEA) or any substantial part of it.
[European Commission Press Release]

The European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) adopted a policy paper which sets out his role and possible contributions to EU research and technological development (RTD). The policy paper develops possible models of contribution, both in the preparatory stages of an EU Framework Program and with regard to individual RTD projects. The overall objective of these contributions is for the EDPS to promote and reinforce the application of the principle of "privacy by design".
[European Data Protection Supervisor Press Release]

The European Commission has cleared under the EU Merger Regulation the proposed acquisition of Activision Inc., a US publisher of game software, by Vivendi S.A. of France. The European Commission concluded that the proposed transaction would not significantly impede effective competition in the European Economic Area ("EEA") or any substantial part of it.
[European Commission Press Release]

The European Commission has authorised, under EC Treaty state aid rules, €180 million of aid granted by the Italian authorities to Digital Display Devices (DDD) for a new plant for the production of Thin Film Transistor-Liquid Crystal Display (TFT-LCD) panels and partial assembly into TFT-LCD modules for flat screens for TV sets and computer monitors. DDD will be the first producer of LCD panels in Europe, as currently all TFT-LCD panels are produced outside the European Economic Area (EEA), mainly in the Far East. The project will create about 1000 new jobs in Campania, one of the poorest regions in Italy. The European Commission found the measure to be compatible with the requirements of the applicable Regional Aid Guidelines of 1998 and the rules for regional aid for large investment projects of 2002 because it respects the relevant thresholds on market share and production capacity.
[European Commission Press Release]

On 10 April, the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) adopted an Opinion on the European Commission's proposal amending, among others, the European Directive on Privacy and electronic communications, usually referred to as the European ePrivacy Directive. On the whole, the EDPS supports the European Commission's drive to enhance the protection of individuals' privacy and personal data in the electronic communications sector. He particularly welcomes the proposed creation of a mandatory security breach notification system and the possibility for legal persons, such as consumer associations and Internet service providers, to take legal action against spammers. The clarification regarding the inclusion of a number of RFID applications in the scope of application of the Directive also represents a significant progress.
[European Data Protection Supervisor Press Release]

By charging its competitors prices higher than the retail prices which it charged its own end-users, Deutsche Telekom abused its dominant position.
[European Court of First Instance Press Release]

The European Commission has welcomed efforts by the Italian telecoms regulator (AGCOM) to lower termination rates of alternative fixed network operators. In a letter sent to AGCOM, the European Commission agrees with the regulator's proposal for a cost-oriented approach leading to a symmetric termination rate of 0.57 euro cent/min for all fixed network operators by 1 July 2010. At the same time, however, the European Commission remains concerned about inconsistent levels of termination rates across the EU.
[European Commission Press Release]

The European Commission welcomes the judgement of the European Court of First Instance (CFI), upholding in its entirety a 2003 European Commission decision imposing a €12.6 million fine on Deutsche Telekom AG (DT) for abusing its dominant position on the German telecommunications market. For more than 5 years DT charged unfair prices for the provision of local access to its fixed telecommunications network (local loops). This meant that alternative operators could not compete effectively with Deutsche Telekom and German consumers were deprived of the benefits of choice and price competition for more than five years. The CFI ruling is important, not only for German consumers, but also because it confirms that dominant operators who have a regulatory obligation to supply access to their networks cannot evade this obligation through a margin-squeeze price policy.
[European Commission Press Release]

The European Commission introduced rules to harmonise conditions for the take-off of pan-European mobile communication services on aircraft. These services will allow businesspeople and consumers to receive and make calls and messages safely with their own mobile phones while flying all over Europe. This means that the 90% of European air passengers that already carry mobile phones on-board aircraft can remain contactable during flights.
[European Commission Press Release]

What do Milka, Bridgestone and Versace have in common? They all chose the newly created ".eu" as the Top Level Domain (TLD) for their online web presence. During the past two years, businesses, NGOs and EU residents have secured over 2.8 million European internet identities, making .eu, at its second birthday, the fourth most popular Top Level Domain in Europe and the ninth worldwide. By promoting an online identity that is distinctly European, .eu helps citizens and businesses to reap the full benefits of the single market and the freedoms that this provides.
[European Commission Press Release]

The European Commission today published a pan-European survey on electronic services in healthcare (eHealth) that shows 87% of European doctors (General Practitioners) use a computer, 48% with a broadband connection. European doctors increasingly store and send patients' data such as lab reports electronically. In using such eHealth applications, doctors and medical services have already improved healthcare in Europe through, for example, more efficient administration and shorter waiting times for patients. The report also highlights where doctors could make better use of ICT to offer services such as telemonitoring, electronic prescriptions and cross border medical services.
[European Commission Press Release]

The European Commission has launched an investigation under EC Treaty state aid rules into state aid proposed by the UK authorities for Channel 4 to help it meet the capital costs of digital switchover. The European Commission will investigate whether this subsidy threatens to distort competition in the European Single Market. The investigation will provide interested parties with the opportunity to comment on the planned measures. The opening of a formal investigation procedure does not prejudge the final outcome.
[European Commission Press Release]

On 26 March 2008, the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) adopted an Opinion on the European Commission's proposal aiming at revising the 2004 EU Council Regulation that sets out minimum standards for security features and biometrics in passports and travel documents. The EDPS welcomes the introduction of exemptions from giving fingerprints based on the age of the person or his/her inability to provide fingerprints. These exemptions are part of the fallback procedures that should be implemented. However, the EDPS still considers these exemptions as insufficient to remedy the imperfections of biometrics, such as the impact of misidentification or failure to enrol.
[European Data Protection Supervisor Press Release]

The European Commission has opened a detailed investigation under the EU Merger Regulation into the proposed acquisition by Finnish company Nokia of Navteq, a US company. Nokia produces mobile phone handsets and Navteq is one of two producers of navigable digital maps, a crucial input for navigation services that can be distributed via mobile handsets. The European Commission's initial market investigation has indicated that the proposed merger raises serious doubts with regards to vertical competition concerns. A decision to open an in-depth inquiry does not prejudge the final result of the investigation. The European Commission now has until 8th August 2008 to take a final decision on whether the proposed transaction would significantly impede effective competition within the European Economic Area (EEA) or a significant part of it.
[European Commission Press Release]

A recent Eurobarometer survey shows that 64% of EU citizens are concerned about data protection issues and feel that awareness and information on these topics are not yet satisfactory. Data controllers in private companies generally agree that the requirements of the data protection law are necessary in order to guarantee a high level of protection for consumers and the fundamental rights of citizens. However, half of them believe that legislation cannot cope with the increasing amount of personal information being exchanged.
[European Commission Press Release]

The EU Council reached a common approach on the amendment of the EU Framework Decision on combating terrorism proposed by the European Commission on 6 November 2008. The amendment up-dates the EU Framework Decision making public provocation to commit a terrorist offence, recruitment and training for terrorism punishable behaviour, also when committed through the internet. The amendment is well-balanced in terms of its effects on freedom of speech and general respect for human rights.
[European Commission Memo]

More than half of Europeans are now regular Internet users, 80% of them have broadband connections and 60% of public services in the EU are fully available online. Two thirds of schools and half of doctors make use of fast Internet connections, thanks to strong broadband growth in Europe. These are the findings of a European Commission report on the results achieved so far with i2010, the EU's digital-led strategy for growth and jobs. The strategy, agreed in 2005, has led to a firm commitment to promoting ICT at EU and national levels. As of 2007, all EU Member States consider ICT development as one of the main achievements in their structural reform programmes. In parallel, the EU institutions have encouraged the building of a single market for online services and increased research funding. A single market for telecoms, promoting cross-border communication services, is, however, still in the making.
[European Commission Press Release]

The European video games sector is dynamic, with expected revenue of € 7.3 billion by the end of 2008. However, public concerns that video games can cause aggressive behaviour, heightened by school shootings such as in Helsinki (Finland, November 2007), have led several national authorities to ban or block video games such as "Manhunt 2". In response, the European Commission has surveyed existing measures protecting minors from harmful video games across the 27 EU Member States. 20 EU Member States now apply PEGI (Pan European Games Information), an age-rating system developed by industry, with EU support, since 2003. In the European Commission's view, industry must invest more to strengthen and in particular to regularly update the PEGI system so that it becomes a truly effective pan-European tool. Also, industry and public authorities should step up cooperation to make classification and age rating systems better known and to avoid confusion caused by parallel systems. A Code of Conduct for retailers should be drawn up within two years on sales of video games to minors.
[European Commission Press Release]