Latest news with #DMA
Euronews
2 days ago
- Business
- Euronews
Dutch competition watchdog's fitness for purpose questioned by reports
The management and governance structure of the Netherlands' national competition authority is ineffective at handling societal, political, policy and organisational developments, according to reports commissioned by the Dutch Economy Minister Vincent Karremans. Currently part of the national Economy Ministry, the Authority for Consumers & Markets (ACM) needs to become a self-governing autonomous decision-making body, according to the reports. One of the reports says that 'roles and responsibilities are too intertwined" with the ministry and that there are too many contingent dependencies. The other, carried out by PwC, concluded that there are problems in ACM's business operations, resulting in 'certain areas where relevant standards or national frameworks are not being met, or are being met to a lesser extent.' The ACM oversees various markets in the Netherlands including energy, telecom, healthcare, transport and postal services; it monitors compliance with regulations and protects consumer interests. With more and more digital legislation being introduced in the last years, the mandate of the ACM has expanded and it now also oversees companies' compliance with the EU Digital Markets Act (DMA) and the Digital Services Act (DSA), rules to ensure fair competition online and to combat illegal content and products. Martijn Snoep, the head of the ACM, told Euronews last December that his agency is 'well equipped' for the new tasks, saying that the regulator planned to have clear enforcement priorities. Staff appointments Currently, the Minister of Economic Affairs appoints the chair and other members of the ACM, nor does the agency have full control over the organisation and personnel policy relating to the rest of its staff. The regulator also lacks budgetary freedom, which, according to the reports, results in 'lack of agility'. 'This is evident, for example, in the policy areas of energy and digital markets, which will result in many new tasks and associated expenses for the ACM in the near future, both in its role as supervisor and (particularly) as regulator,' the reports say. The ACM said in a recent letter that its merger and acquisition oversight is 'currently insufficiently efficient and effective'. In addition, it initiated fewer investigations in 2024 than the previous year, which can be explained by the significant capacity allocated to probes initiated in 2023 that continued into 2024. 'The amount of fines imposed increased slightly in 2024, but has fallen sharply over the past three years compared to previous years. A significant decline in competition is particularly noticeable. [… ] While fines should not be a goal in themselves, they do contribute to the deterrent effect of oversight. This, therefore, remains a point of attention for me,' Minister Karremans said in his letter to parliament. The ACM has initiated an improvement process for its business operations, the letter said. Karremans, part of the outgoing government, said that his successor will have to decide on revising the ACM's organisational structure. The Netherlands will have a parliamentary election on 29 October.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
IMA, DMA support Rotatory Headship demand by AIIMS, PGIMER faculty bodies
New Delhi: The Indian Medical Association (IMA) and the Delhi Medical Association (DMA) have extended support to the joint representation made by the Faculty Association of AIIMS (FAIMS), Delhi, and the Faculty Association of PGIMER , Chandigarh, for the implementation of Rotatory Headship in these institutions. In a letter to Union Health Minister J P Nadda, the IMA said it has received an email from FAIMS and FA-PGIMER on the issue and emphasised that this reform is a long-standing recommendation of various internal committees and has already been adopted successfully by leading national institutions such as the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs), JIPMER, NIMHANS, BHU and CMC Vellore, among others. "IMA extends its full support for the joint representation made by the Faculty Association of AIIMS (FAIMS), New Delhi and the Faculty Association of PGIMER, Chandigarh, requesting the implementation of Rotatory Headship in their respective institutions, as directed by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) in July 2023," the letter said. Globally, this model of democratic academic leadership is a standard practice in universities of international repute, including Oxford and Harvard, it stated. "We believe that timely action on this matter will not only uphold the principles of academic equity and transparency but also reinforce India's commitment to global best practices in institutional governance," the letter by IMA on Tuesday said. The DMA, in its letter to Nadda, said that despite nearly a year of having passed, the policy remains unimplemented. "This prolonged delay has demoralized dedicated faculty, caused institutional stagnation, and undermined the principles of fairness and accountability in academic leadership," it said. The DMA sought the enforcement of the MoHFW directive from July 2023 at the earliest. "Institutionalize Rotatory Headship as a national policy for all centrally funded and NMC-recognized medical Institution in India," it said. Both the Faculty Association of AIIMS, Delhi (FAIMS), and the Faculty Association of PGIMER, Chandigarh (FA-PGIMER), have been demanding immediate implementation of Rotatory Headship -- a democratic and transparent leadership system -- long overdue at these premier institutions.
Euractiv
4 days ago
- Business
- Euractiv
Meta's pay-or-consent ad model could still face fresh DMA fines
The European Commission is still considering whether to impose further fines on Meta over its advertising model under the Digital Markets Act (DMA) following a €200 million decision against the social media giant's pay-or-consent ad practices earlier this year. Meta was fined €200 million under the EU's DMA in April over an advertising model that offers Facebook and Instagram users a binary choice of paying to access an ad-free version of the services or agreeing to be tracked for Meta's ad targeting. The Facebook and Instagram owner tweaked the pay-or-consent ad model in November 2024, offering users a lower price to access an ad-free version of its services and claiming it would reduce the amount of personal data used for ad targeting free users. But the Commission fine handed down in April was for Meta's practices prior to those changes. On Wednesday, the Commission confirmed to Euractiv that it has sent a letter to Meta related to the ongoing DMA proceeding – on what the Commission's spokesperson, Thomas Regnier, described as "the remaining issues". The Commission would not confirm exactly what these are or whether Meta's subsequent changes to the ad model are sufficient to rectify the company's non-compliance. "We are considering the next steps, including the possible application of periodic penalty payments in case of continuous non-compliance, as already indicated in the non-compliance decision," Regnier added. In June, Meta confirmed to Euractiv that it had introduced limited changes to its advertising model, primarily tweaking the wording and design flow of the text that its app users see. Separately, the social media giant also announced that it would be appealing the Commission's decision and fine. Under the DMA, each day of non-compliance after a deadline has passed can lead to penalty payments of up to 5% of a gatekeeper's average daily worldwide turnover. (nl)
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Meta Facing European Showdown on 'Pay-or-Consent' Ad Model
Meta is sizing up for another showdown with European tech regulators this week over the company's alleged violations of Europe's antitrust legislation, the Digital Market Act (DMA). On Friday, the European Commission, the European Union's executive branch, warned Meta that it may start issuing daily fines, potentially amounting to more than $150 million a week, unless the Facebook and Instagram parent company properly complies with the DMA. More from The Hollywood Reporter Bob Vylan Lose Visas, Dropped by UTA Following "Death to IDF" Chant at Glastonbury 'Squid Game' Creator Weighs in on American Spinoff Reports and Explains That Surprise Cameo Netflix Takes Victory Lap Through Seoul With Massive 'Squid Game' Parade Under the legislation, the EU can fine companies as much as 5 percent of their average daily worldwide turnover for violations. For Meta, which reported a global turnover of $164.5 billion in 2024, or around $450 million a day, a 5 percent daily fine would amount to $22.5 million. In practice, the EU rarely issues fines anywhere near the maximum allowed under the law. At issue is Meta's so-called pay-or-play plan, under which users of Facebook or Instagram in the EU must either consent to allowing their data to be used for personalized ads, or pay a monthly subscription (starting at €9.99/$11.75) for an ad-free experience. The European Commission has argued this all-or-nothing approach violates the DMA because it doesn't provide an alternative that uses minimal personal data, as required under the regulation. Meta tweaked its plan in November 2024 supposedly to reduce the amount of data used for targeted ads, but the Commission remains unconvinced that Meta is in compliance with the law. For its part, Meta has accused the EU of 'moving the goalposts' during compliance discussions and of unfairly targeting its business model. 'The European Commission continues to discriminate against an American company's business model,' a Meta spokesperson told Reuters on Friday. 'A user choice between a subscription for a no-ads service or a free ad-supported service remains a legitimate business model for every company in Europe — except Meta.' Meta and other U.S. tech companies have tried to frame the DMA and other international regulation as an attempt to unfairly punish them while supporting or subsidizing home-grown firms. It's a narrative the Trump government has also adopted. Over the weekend, Canada dropped its digital services tax, a levy on the revenue large platforms earn from Canadian users, in a bid to restart trade negotiations with the US. Trump has pulled out of talks, citing the tax, which he called a 'blatant attack' on U.S. companies. The DMA targets large online platforms, so-called gatekeepers, with restrictions designed to combat anti-competitive behavior. The legislation sanctions platforms that use their dominant market position to unfairly favor their own services or products, prevent developers from using third-party payment platforms, or track users for targeted advertising without consent. The EU fined Apple €500 million ($570 million) for DMA violations in April. Last week, Apple made significant changes to its terms of service in the EU to comply with the DMA involving third-party apps, such as those from music streamer Spotify or Fortnite maker Epic Games on its App Store. Instead of taking its customary 30 percent commission for App Store sales of third-party apps, in the EU, Apple's commission will range from 2 percent to 13 percent, depending on the various choices made by third-party developers. The European Commission was holding a meeting on Monday to poll users and developers like Sweden's Spotify about the changes and decide whether they are compliant with the DMA. In a statement, Apple said it still disagreed with the European Commission regarding the DMA and mentioned its 'plan to appeal' the fine. The Hollywood Reporter has reached out to the European Commission for comment. Best of The Hollywood Reporter How the Warner Brothers Got Their Film Business Started Meet the World Builders: Hollywood's Top Physical Production Executives of 2023 Men in Blazers, Hollywood's Favorite Soccer Podcast, Aims for a Global Empire
Euronews
5 days ago
- Business
- Euronews
Exclusive: US pitches role in EU regulatory surveillance in trade deal
The US is pitching the creation of a new advisory body for the Digital Markets Act (DMA) involving those companies subject to enforcement of the regulation a voice, in the context of negotiations over an EU-US trade deal, according to three sources familiar with the matter. The EU will never accept the idea however according to two of the sources. On Saturday, Trump posted a new set of letters to his social media platform Truth Social, declaring 30% tariffs on the EU and Mexico starting 1 August, a move that could cause massive upheaval between the United States and two of its biggest trade partners. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen quickly responded by noting the bloc's 'commitment to dialogue, stability, and a constructive transatlantic partnership.' On Sunday, she emphasised that reaching a negotiated solution remains the priority, but that the EU is ready to respond with countermeasures. The DMA regulates the largest online platforms with a view to protecting the rights of consumers and curbing any abusive behaviour by dominant tech players. Under the rules, companies face fines of up to 10% of their global annual turnover for non-compliance. Peter Navarro, a senior Trump advisor, has openly accused the bloc of waging "lawfare" against US Big Tech through the DMA and its sister Digital Services Act (DSA) regulation. In response, the EU has said it will 'not make any concessions on its digital and technology rules' as part of any trade negotiations with the US. The DMA already has an advisory board, which plays a consultative and strategic role in its implementation, supporting the Commission in oversight and enforcement. The board is made up of independent experts and representatives from relevant national authorities and regulatory bodies, however, and is not supposed to be a body of representatives drawn from the enforced entities. The sources did not expand on what form the advisory body touted by the US would take, beyond giving influence over the enforcement methods. "The fact that the US proposed setting up an advisory board for the DMA, where those who might be affected would actually sit, that certainly won't happen, and there will be no exceptions for US companies under the DMA," one source said. The Commission has repeatedly said that DMA probes are conducted strictly according to the regulation, which does not discriminate against companies on the basis of country of origin. But the fact that most of those under its scope are US tech giants means that the decisions are now seen through the lens of the brewing trade war. On both sides of the Atlantic, EU digital legislation has become a red line in the negotiations over tariffs: the US considers the DMA and DSA – which covers illegal content online – as non-tariff barriers to their trade with the EU, while the EU refuses to amend these regulations, which were adopted in 2022. Sovereignty Commission Vice-President Teresa Ribera told Euronews on 27 June that it is impossible to for the EU to backtrack on its digital rules. 'We are going to defend our sovereignty. We will defend the way we implement our rules, we will defend a well functioning market and we will not allow anyone to tell us what to do,' she said. Without changing the rules, the Commission could nonetheless finesse implementation of the DMA, according to Christophe Carugati, a Brussels-based tech consultant. Investigations and fines could become the exception in the DMA enforcement. 'To calm the US, the idea could be to settle disputes formally or informally through dialogue. That will implicitly 'pause' the investigations,' he told Euronews. Non-compliance investigations launched over the past year under the DMA have resulted in relatively low fines compared to those imposed on Big Tech under the Commission's previous mandate. Apple has received a €500 million penalty and Meta was fined €200 million, the former for preventing developers from steering consumers to alternative offers, the latter for its 'Pay or Consent' advertising model. In April, EU officials said that the lower fines reflected the short duration of the violations since the DMA implementation started in 2023 but also the Commission's current focus on achieving compliance rather than punishing breaches. Simplification US tech giants could also seek to benefit from the Commission's simplification agenda to secure some relief from regulatory enforcement. In May, Amazon, IBM, Google, Meta, Microsoft and OpenAI called on the Commission to keep its upcoming Code of Practice on General-Purpose AI (GPAI) 'as simple as possible', as reported. EU Tech Commissioner Henna Virkkunen is currently carrying out a digital fitness check, which will result in an 'omnibus' simplification package to be presented in December. She aims to identify reporting obligations in existing digital legislation that can be cut to ease pressure on enterprises, particularly SMEs. The question remains whether that simplification package will also cover the DMA, DSA and the AI Act. Virkkunen has always said that despite facing criticism from former Trump advisor and X-owner Elon Musk, the laws are fair and equitable. "Our rules are very fair, because they are the same rules for everybody who is operating and doing business in the European Union. So, we have the same rules for European companies, American companies, and Chinese companies," Virkkunen told Euronews in April.
