Search

European officials are concerned about the Biden administration's continuation of protectionist trade policies that were initiated by Donald Trump. Despite President Biden's declaration that "America is back," he has maintained trade barriers, excluded European companies from subsidies, and imposed tighter restrictions on Chinese access to American technology. European diplomats and officials are questioning whether the U.S. can be relied upon to support the rules-based trading system, leading to fears of economic conflict between the two allies. While the EU has taken steps to support its own industries, it remains hesitant to embrace the U.S. approach, which is seen as similar to tactics favored by Beijing. [Extracted from the article]

The diplomat said Li was told "it's impossible to split Europe from America" and that Europe wouldn't withdraw support from Ukraine. "Russia's brutal war against Ukraine is making the context for the EU-China relationship more complex", Valdis Dombrovskis, the EU's trade chief, said Thursday. [Extracted from the article]

For the companies, the EU approval could make it easier for Microsoft to present the U.K. decision as an outlier, including during a U.K. appeal process, some antitrust lawyers and analysts said. Keywords: wsjcorp; Computers/Consumer Electronics; Software; Applications Software; Consumer Goods; Computing; Games Software; Leisure/Travel Goods; Technology; Regulation/Government Policy EN wsjcorp Computers/Consumer Electronics Software Applications Software Consumer Goods Computing Games Software Leisure/Travel Goods Technology Regulation/Government Policy N.PAG N.PAG 1 05/17/23 20230516 NES 230516 European Union decision comes after rejection from U.K. regulator threatened the deal's prospects An EU antitrust regulator approved Microsoft's $75 billion deal to buy games company Activision Blizzard on Monday, a win for the two companies after a U.K. regulator rejected the deal in April. [Extracted from the article]

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS I What impact is the ruling by the U.K. regulator likely to have on the Microsoft-Activision deal? Keywords: wsjcorp; Computers/Consumer Electronics; Software; Applications Software; Dolls/Toys/Games; Market Research/Public Relations; Public Relations; Advertising/Marketing/Public Relations; Business/Consumer Services; Consumer Goods EN wsjcorp Computers/Consumer Electronics Software Applications Software Dolls/Toys/Games Market Research/Public Relations Public Relations Advertising/Marketing/Public Relations Business/Consumer Services Consumer Goods N.PAG N.PAG 1 04/28/23 20230427 NES 230427 U.K. antitrust regulator rejects transaction, saying it would hurt competition in videogame industry Photo: Jae C. Hong/Associated Press The U.K.'s antitrust watchdog rejected Microsoft Corp.'s MSFT 7.24% increase; green up pointing triangle $75 billion deal to buy game maker Activision Blizzard Inc., ATVI -11.45% decrease; red down pointing triangle raising big questions about whether the combination will ever get done and disrupting both companies' short-term strategies. [Extracted from the article]

The ministers agreed to impose a price cap if month-ahead prices remain above 180 euros a megawatt hour, equivalent to $191, on the European Union's main trading hub for three consecutive days. Russia's invasion of Ukraine has sent prices for the fuel soaring across the continent, prompting the emergency measure Graph: Robert Habeck, Germany's climate-action minister, and French Energy Minister Agnès Pannier-Runacher at a meeting in Brussels. [Extracted from the article]

The proposal from the European Commission, the bloc's executive body, would set a limit on month-ahead prices on the EU's main trading hub. Europe's carbon border tax aims to protect European manufacturers from competitors in countries that haven't regulated carbon-dioxide emissions. [Extracted from the article]

Grail merger put at risk as antitrust regulator diverges from U.S. decision, says $7.1 billion acquisition would harm innovation and choice. [Extracted from the article]