All posts tagged: european commission

Inclusion of Russia in 2026 Venice Biennale art fair sparks outcry| Entertainment News

Inclusion of Russia in 2026 Venice Biennale art fair sparks outcry| Entertainment News

Published by Parlour News

ROME — The inclusion of Russia in the line-up of the 2026 Venice Biennale art fair has sparked international outcry, with the European Commission threatening to withhold funding and 22 European countries demanding Moscow stay away again over its war in Ukraine. Inclusion of Russia in 2026 Venice Biennale art fair sparks outcry The scandal at the world’s oldest and most important contemporary art fair has put Italy’s Culture Ministry in the crosshairs. It comes just weeks after the Italian government had to stand by as the International Paralympic Committee allowed Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under their national flags at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympics. Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli is trying to manage the diplomatic fallout, voicing clear opposition to the Biennale’s decision but acknowledging that its governing foundation is independent of the government and acted autonomously when it included Russia in the line-up for its 61st arts festival. Russia has a permanent, historic pavilion in the Giardini exhibition area and under the rules governing the arts fair, has a streamlined process …

EU Invests €1.3 Billion to Boost AI Adoption & Improve ‘Digital Competencies’

EU Invests €1.3 Billion to Boost AI Adoption & Improve ‘Digital Competencies’

Published by Webster

Image: seventyfourimages/Envato Elements The EU is pouring €1.3 billion ($1.4 billion) over the next two years to accelerate the adoption of artificial intelligence technologies. The funding will support the development and testing of “immersive environments” to apply in healthcare for purposes like training and virtual patient assessments. The investment will also support the implementation of the AI Act, which ensures all AI systems developed and used in the EU are done so safely and responsibly. Additionally, it will help build energy-efficient digital public digital infrastructure, including electric vehicle charging ports. Many of the generative AI models powering these initiatives will be created by the EU’s AI factories, specialised research centres using powerful supercomputers. “Securing European tech sovereignty starts with investing in advanced technologies and in making it possible for people to improve their digital competences,” Henna Virkkunen, executive vice-president for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, said in a press release. EU leaders double down on AI to secure digital future Funding will also be allocated toward: Supporting European Digital Innovation Hubs, which offer companies training …

EU Cracks Down on Apple for Anti-Competitive Behavior – Here’s Apple’s Response

EU Cracks Down on Apple for Anti-Competitive Behavior – Here’s Apple’s Response

Published by Webster

Image: mixmagic/Adobe Stock The EU suspects that Apple has breached the Digital Markets Act due to the company not allowing third-party hardware to connect with its platforms. Fines for noncompliance with the DMA can be up to 10% of the company’s total worldwide turnover, rising to 20% in cases of repeated infringement. The DMA applies to “gatekeeper” organisations that have a major economic impact in the EU (at least €7.5 billion in annual revenue in the EU per year for the last three fiscal years) and have more than 45 million monthly active users in the E.U., or more than 10,000 yearly active business users for at least three fiscal years. Must-read Apple coverage E.U.’s guidance for Apple about interoperability compliance Apple has been slapped with two sets of guidance on how to comply with the Commission’s interoperability requirements, relating to iOS connectivity features and the process for handling interoperability requests from developers, respectively. In the first set of measures, the Commission demands improved compatibility between nine iOS connectivity features and third-party devices such as …

Is Google Rigging Search? EU’s Preliminary Findings Are In

Is Google Rigging Search? EU’s Preliminary Findings Are In

Published by Webster

Image: Guillaume Périgois/Unsplash The European Commission claims that Alphabet, Google’s parent company, has breached the Digital Markets Act. The specific allegation is that Google is self-preferencing on Search and the Play Store. The DMA applies to “gatekeeper” organisations that have a major economic impact in the EU (at least €7.5 billion in annual revenue in the EU per year for the last three fiscal years) and have more than 45 million monthly active users in the E.U., or more than 10,000 yearly active business users for at least three fiscal years. SEE: Advocacy Groups Criticise European Commission for Weak Regulation of Apple, Google More Google news & tips Google’s under scrutiny for Search and Play Store practices The European Commission has published preliminary findings on Alphabet and how it could be preventing competition. The concerns relate to two issues: self-preferencing in Google Search and “steering rules” in Google Play; these issues were looked into as part of a non-compliance investigation opened in March 2024. The DMA bans self-preferencing, which is when a dominant platform favours …

'Zelensky Challenged Trump' US Blames Ukraine For Intel Cut, Russia Mocks 'Napoleon Macron'

'Zelensky Challenged Trump' US Blames Ukraine For Intel Cut, Russia Mocks 'Napoleon Macron'

Published by Webster

Polish PM Donald Tusk declared Europe capable of defeating Russia in any conflict as EU leaders met in Brussels to boost support for Ukraine. The bloc discussed an €800 billion defense investment plan while addressing concerns over US President Trump’s shift away from Kyiv. Zelensky welcomed EU backing amid growing tensions. Meanwhile, Russia condemned Macron’s nuclear remarks as a threat, and US envoy Keith Kellogg blamed Ukraine for strained intelligence ties following Zelensky’s combative stance in a recent White House meeting. n18oc_crux Disclaimer: We do not own any of the content, ideas, images, or text presented here. All rights belong to their respective owners. For more information and to view the original source, please visit the following link: Source link

E.U. Approves Synopsys and Ansys Merger

E.U. Approves Synopsys and Ansys Merger

Published by Webster

The European Commission on Jan. 10 conditionally approved the $35 billion acquisition of simulation software company Ansys by chip design software provider Synopsys. It represents the biggest tech deal since Broadcom acquired VMware for $69 billion in 2023. The approval is subject to Synopsys divesting its optics and photonics software arm and Ansys selling its PowerArtist tool, which is used for analysing power consumption in digital chips. These divestitures will require separate E.U. approval before the merger can proceed. “In a world where complex chips need increasing amounts of power, innovative software tools, like those offered by both Synopsys and Ansys, help chip designers build chips that consume less power to the benefit of customers and the environment,” Teresa Ribera, executive VP for Clean, Just and Competitive Transition, said in a statement. “We were concerned that this acquisition may have significantly harmed competition in certain global markets for design software for chips or other products.” What’s hot at TechRepublic Competition concerns addressed Synopsys first announced the acquisition in January 2024, claiming it wanted to expand …

UK, US, EU Authorities Launch New AI Safety Institutes

UK, US, EU Authorities Launch New AI Safety Institutes

Published by Webster

This week, authorities from the U.K., E.U., U.S., and seven other nations gathered in San Francisco to launch the “International Network of AI Safety Institutes.” The meeting, which took place at the Presidio Golden Gate Club, addressed managing the risks of AI-generated content, testing foundation models, and conducting risk assessments for advanced AI systems. AI safety institutes from Australia, Canada, France, Japan, Kenya, the Republic of Korea, and Singapore also officially joined the Network. In addition to signing a mission statement, more than $11 million in funding was allocated to research into AI-generated content, and the results of the Network’s first joint safety testing exercise were reviewed. Attendees included regulatory officials, AI developers, academics, and civil society leaders to aid the discussion on emerging AI challenges and potential safeguards. The convening built on the progress made at the previous AI Safety Summit in May, which took place in Seoul. The 10 nations agreed to foster “international cooperation and dialogue on artificial intelligence in the face of its unprecedented advancements and the impact on our economies …

EU Fines Meta Nearly €800 Million over Facebook Marketplace

EU Fines Meta Nearly €800 Million over Facebook Marketplace

Published by Webster

It’s been a tough week over at Meta HQ, as the European Commission has slapped the tech giant with another fine for tying Facebook Marketplace, its classified-ad service, to Facebook and using non-public advertising data. Authorities are demanding €797.72 million for Meta, which is essentially giving Marketplace an unfair advantage over competing digital storefronts. Marketplace was set up in 2016 as a way for individuals to buy and sell items over social media, typically furniture. EU says Meta violates antitrust laws, restricts competition The Commission has two main problems. The first is that “all Facebook users automatically have access and get regularly exposed to Facebook Marketplace whether they want it or not,” and competitors cannot reach the same level of exposure. The second is that competitors must consent to Meta using their data if they want to advertise on Facebook or Instagram. This data could benefit Marketplace, and the Commission says that requiring it is “unjustified, disproportionate and not necessary for the provision of online display advertising services on Meta’s platforms.” The U.K.’s Competition and …

EU Investigates NVIDIA Deal With Run:ai

EU Investigates NVIDIA Deal With Run:ai

Published by Webster

The European Commission recently announced investigations into NVIDIA’s proposed acquisition of Run:ai, an Israel-based provider of a compute management platform, and Apple’s iPadOS to assess compliance with the bloc’s Digital Markets Act. GPU supplier NVIDIA announced its plans to buy Run:ai in April, which it said was “to help customers make more efficient use of their AI computing resources.” Run:ai’s platform dynamically allocates GPU resources, whether on-premises, in public clouds, or at the edge, allowing companies to get the most out of their hardware and reduce operational costs. The two companies have been working together since about 2020. The deal is worth $700 million, according to TechCrunch, and NVIDIA does not currently have plans to change Run:ai’s business model. The deal remains on hold until it is cleared of competition concerns by the authority. Commission claims acquisition could affect market competition Italy flagged the deal to the E.U. Merger Regulation, which allows for mergers that don’t have an E.U. dimension but could impact trade and competition within the region. While it does not meet the …

Apple Must Pay Back €13 Billion in Unpaid Taxes to Ireland, E.U. Court Rules

Published by Webster

Apple has been ordered to pay back €13 billion ($14.4 billion) worth of tax to Ireland by the European Court of Justice. Two of its subsidiaries illegally received tax benefits between 1991 and 2014, as these benefits were not available to other companies. Ireland issued tax rulings favouring Apple Sales International and Apple Operations Europe in 1991 and 2007, respectively. Both companies were incorporated in Ireland but were not tax residents. The rulings allowed them to calculate their taxable profits in the country based only on the activities of the Irish branches. However, because their head offices were outside Ireland and decisions related to the intellectual property licences were made in the U.S., the rulings meant that profits generated by the companies’ IP licences were excluded from their tax base. Other Irish companies could not benefit from the same rulings. Apple paid a corporation tax rate of 0.0005% in 2014, while Ireland’s headline rate has been 12.5% since 2003. “Ireland granted Apple unlawful aid which Ireland is required to recover,” judges said in a press …