Landmark EU tech rules holding back innovation, Google says
BRUSSELS (Reuters) -Alphabet's Google will on Tuesday warn EU antitrust regulators and its critics that landmark European Union rules aimed at reining in Big Tech are hampering innovation to the detriment of European users and businesses.
The U.S. tech giant will also urge regulators to give more detailed guidance to help it comply with the rules, and ask its critics to provide evidence of costs and benefits to prove their case.
Google is under pressure to address charges under the EU's Digital Markets Act that it favours its own services such as Google Shopping, Google Hotels and Google Flights over rivals. The charges may result in fines of as much as 10% of its global annual revenue.
Earlier this month, Google proposed more changes to its search results to better showcase rival products, but critics say these still do not ensure a level playing field.
"We remain genuinely concerned about real world consequences of the DMA, which are leading to worse online products and experiences for Europeans," Google's lawyer Clare Kelly will tell a workshop organised by the European Commission to give Google critics the opportunity to seek clarifications.
She will say changes implemented by Google to date after discussions with the Commission and its critics have resulted in European users paying more for travel tickets as they cannot directly access airline sites, according to a copy of her speech seen by Reuters.
Kelly will also say European airlines, hotels and restaurants have reported up to a 30% loss in direct booking traffic, while users have complained about clunky workarounds.
Google's other lawyer, Oliver Bethell, will ask regulators to spell out in detail what the company needs to do, and critics to come up with hard evidence.
"If we can understand precisely what compliance looks like, not just in theory, but taking account of on the ground experience, we can launch compliant services quickly and confidently across the EEA," he will say.
The EEA is the 27 EU countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.
"We need help identifying the areas where we should focus. That means bringing real evidence of costs and benefits that we can take account of with the Commission," Bethell said.
The day-long workshop starts at 0700 GMT.
(Reporting by Foo Yun CheeEditing by Mark Potter)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
an hour ago
- The Star
Italy court acquits consultant in India helicopter case
FILE PHOTO: A logo of helicopter maker Leonardo is pictured on their booth during the European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE) in Geneva, Switzerland, May 22, 2017. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse/File Photo MILAN (Reuters) -An Italian appeals court has fully acquitted an Italian-American consultant who had previously settled a charge of international corruption in a case related to a 2010 helicopter contract between defence company Leonardo and the Indian government. According to the ruling reviewed by Reuters, the appeals court in the northern city of Brescia upheld a review request filed by Guido Ralph Haschke, revoking the plea bargain and acquitting him "because there was no case to answer". Haschke, 73, a U.S. and Italian citizen living in Switzerland and an international consultant with a background as a World Bank executive, agreed to a plea bargain of one year and 10 months during the first trial in 2014 after being accused of being a middleman in the alleged corruption. The case was a big political issue in Italy and India when it opened in 2012 and tarnished the company's reputation at a time when India had established itself as one the world's biggest arms buyers. Sentences of under two years for people with a previous clean record are conditional in Italy and do not result in time behind bars. Italy's Supreme Court in 2019 acquitted the defendants in the case, two former executives of the Italian state-controlled defence group previously known as Finmeccanica. That prompted Luca Lauri, Haschke's lawyer to initiate the appeal proceedings that led to a ruling late on Monday, in which, according to a statement released by the law firm, the consultant was accorded "the broadest possible acquittal". Haschke had told Reuters in 2014 that his plea bargain was not an admission of responsibility but a "technical decision to avoid years of trials". The case revolved around corruption allegations related to a contract worth 560 million euros ($660 million) to supply a dozen helicopters to the Indian government. The deal between the defence group and India was subject to international arbitration which ended in 2019, effectively cancelling the contract. ($1 = 0.8467 euros) (Reporting by Emilio Parodi, additional reporting by Giulia SegretiEditing by Keith Weir and David Evans)
The Star
2 hours ago
- The Star
Vietnam approves dual citizenship law to attract skilled foreign workers
HANOI: Vietnam has approved amendments to its nationality law, permitting both Vietnamese citizens living abroad and foreigners to hold dual citizenship, as part of efforts to attract more skilled workers to the country. According to Nikkei Asia, the legal changes, enacted last week, have removes requirement to renounce foreign citizenship for nationality applicants. Furthermore, the amendments eliminate the language proficiency and minimum residency requirements. Vietnam is undergoing the largest reform in nearly 40 years, which includes changes to laws, government structures, and a relaxation of investment regulations to stimulate economic growth. This year, Vietnam aims for an 8% economic growth rate, with expectations of double-digit growth in the coming years, aiming to become a high-income nation by 2045. Vietnamese leaders see advanced technology as the key to progress, but the country is currently lacking individuals with cutting-edge experience in science and technology. The change in nationality law is seen as the first step in attracting more foreigners to live and work in Vietnam. The Vietnamese government believes this move will allow the country to leap ahead of its competitors in technology by 2030, especially in artificial intelligence and semiconductors. On Monday (June 30), To Lam, the General Secretary of the Communist Party and the highest-ranking leader in Vietnam, stated: 'I urge overseas Vietnamese to return to their homeland, reconnect with their roots, support each other, and engage with the people in the country to make Vietnam stronger,' he said. He added, 'The homeland is always open to welcome 'citizens far from home' to work together in building and developing the country.' Vietnam has historically been concerned about the security risks posed by dual nationals, as the country has faced long periods of foreign invasions. In the past century, Vietnam has fought wars against France, Japan, the United States, Cambodia, and China, and the country was only unified 50 years ago. Additionally, Vietnam was involved in military conflicts until the 1980s. Today, many Vietnamese families send their children abroad to study, with many choosing the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Europe. A significant number of young Vietnamese have stayed abroad, working for major tech companies such as Google, Meta, IBM, and Microsoft, and are heavily involved in science, technology, and finance. Some have also immigrated permanently. According to a report from the state committee on overseas Vietnamese, there are approximately 6 million Vietnamese living in 130 countries and territories, with 80% residing in developed countries. In reality, dual nationality holders can still live in Vietnam, but they face bureaucratic challenges and are restricted in certain rights. Foreigners living in Vietnam also face various restrictions, including stringent visa requirements, limited access to real estate, and restrictions on banking services, such as stricter requirements for opening bank accounts, accessing home loans, or obtaining attractive interest rates for savings accounts. However, last week, lawmakers relaxed name regulations to make it easier for foreigners to apply for Vietnamese nationality. Previously, Vietnam had strict regulations regarding the names of its citizens. Resolution 57, one of the key pillars of the country's reforms issued in December, focuses on developing science and technology and states that Vietnam will create a 'special mechanism' to attract skilled Vietnamese expatriates and foreigners to live and work in the country. This includes adjustments to nationality policies, granting the right to own homes and land, offering attractive salaries, and improving the work environment. However, government officials, military personnel, and security staff will still be required to hold Vietnamese citizenship, with some exceptions. - The Nation/ANN
The Star
2 hours ago
- The Star
X, India spar over lawyer's 'Tom, Dick, and Harry' remark for government officials
FILE PHOTO: A 3D-printed miniature model of Elon Musk and the X logo are seen in this illustration taken January 23, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo NEW DELHI (Reuters) -A lawyer for Elon Musk's X told an Indian court on Tuesday that every "Tom, Dick, and Harry" government official had been authorised to issue content takedown orders, drawing a sharp rebuke from New Delhi's counsel in the latest clash over content moderation. X has long been at loggerheads with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government over content removal requests. The remarks were made during a hearing on the U.S. firm's challenge to a government-run website it says is a "censorship portal" that allows officials to issue content removal orders. New Delhi says the website is only to swiftly notify companies of their due diligence obligations. India is a critical growth market for X owner Musk, who is getting closer to launching his other key ventures StarlinkandTesla in the country. During the court hearing, X's lawyer, K. G. Raghavan, said it recently received a notice from the railways department to remove a video in which a car was being driven on a railway track. That was news, but the government found it unlawful, he told the court. "This is the danger, My Lord, that is done now, if every Tom, Dick, and Harry officer is authorised," Raghavan told the high court in the southern state of Karnataka. The phrase drew immediate condemnation from India's Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who said "officers are not Tom, Dick, or Harry ... they are statutory functionaries". "No social media intermediary can expect completely unregulated functioning," Mehta said. India's IT ministry and X did not respond to Reuters queries. In 2021, X, formerly called Twitter, was locked in a stand-off with the Indian government over non-compliance with legal orders to block certain tweets. It later complied, but is still locked in a court fight related to the move. (Reporting by Arpan Chaturvedi and Munsif Vengattil; Editing by Aditya Kalra and Alex Richardson)
