The French Commission Nationale de l’informatique et des Libertés (CNIL), known for its strict interpretation and zealous enforcement of the General Data Protection Regulation (who can forget the €50 million fine it imposed on Google?), must now partially change its draft guidelines on cookies and other trackers after a ruling of the Conseil d’État.   The … Continue reading CNIL, Europe’s strictest Data Protection Authority, is not invincible after all →

The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (“ACCC”) published today a Statement of Issues outlining its preliminary views on competition concerns arising from the proposed acquisition of Fitbit (a company that develops, manufactures and distributes wrist-worn wearable devices) by Google.  The Australian watchdog raises two main concerns regarding the proposed acquisition. First, that it is likely … Continue reading The ACCC publishes Statement of Issues on the Google/Fitbit merger →

Digital technologies have considerably changed the way commerce and distribution work. Internet sales are growing exponentially. Numerous offline retailers are now marketing their products and services online, and “pure play” retailers, almost exclusively active in internet sales, have emerged.  At the same time, digital technologies (e.g. smartphones, tablets, augmented technologies) are increasingly forming part of the … Continue reading The Autorité de la concurrence publishes study on competition and e-commerce →

Yesterday marked the beginning of a busy summer on the regulatory front, as the European Commission fired the starting gun for the regulation of digital platforms.  The Commission launched a public consultation on the Digital Services Act (“DSA”), a much-awaited package announced in the political guidelines of the new Commission and in the Commission’s Communication “Shaping … Continue reading Countdown to the ex ante regulation of online platforms: the Commission launches public consultation and publishes inception impact assessment →

Google’s proposed acquisition of Fitbit “has the potential to be a game-changer”, the European Consumer Organisation (“BEUC”) warns in a report published recently outlining the merger's competition concerns and harms to consumers. The effects of the combination of Google’s unparalleled market power across several digital markets and Fitbit’s exceptional dataset could be felt, according to … Continue reading BEUC raises concerns over the Google/Fitbit merger →

The EU Institutions are working towards the adoption of a Digital Services Act package to clarify the roles and responsibilities of online platforms, to maintain effective competition in markets characterised by large platforms acting as gatekeepers and significant network effects, and to tackle the dissemination of illegal content and the sale of illicit, dangerous or counterfeit … Continue reading BEUC argues that self-regulation of digital platforms is not enough →