News - For Consumers

EU Parliament approves US tariff deal, averting price hikes and preserving choice for consumers until 2029. A new EU safeguard clause protects against US trade pressure on consumer protection and digital rules.

130 million Europeans gain new payment system access. Wero and Alliance EuroPA ink deal for interoperable payments, boosting digital sovereignty.

BEUC urges the Irish EU Presidency to prioritize consumer protection in upcoming legislation, warning that digital simplification proposals risk weakening GDPR. The organization advocates for better enforcement of existing rules over rollbacks that may benefit non-European tech firms.

The European Patent Office and its partners are reforming patent examination. Artificial intelligence will be used to boost efficiency, quality, and worldwide harmonization.

Microsoft launches revised Teams location tracking amid criticism, promising greater control and data privacy for users. The feature aims to indicate office presence while addressing privacy concerns.

EU policymakers launch new workflow for secure chip design, keeping sensitive data within the bloc. Globalfoundries Dresden now manufactures Qualinx GNSS chips entirely within EU borders.

The German Bundestag passed its AI Act implementation law, appointing the Federal Network Agency as the central market surveillance authority. This marks a significant step in enforcing the EU's AI Act at the national level.

German survey tools using EU servers offer privacy-friendly alternatives to US-based platforms like MS Forms. Testing focuses on data protection for online surveys and voting.

EU digital regulations delay major tech services like Apple's Siri AI launch in Europe. However, 83% of EU consumers surveyed believe authorities should ensure AI and new tech respect EU rights and values.

DSGVO: Gericht reduziert Millionen-Buße für Deutsche Wohnen deutlich. Berliner Datenschutzbehörde verhängte Bußgeld von 14,5 Millionen Euro gegen Immobilienkonzern.

EU lawmakers are urged to reject the AI Omnibus deal, which weakens AI safeguards and transparency. The agreement, presented as a technical simplification of the AI Act, risks setting a dangerous precedent for the EU's digital rulebook.

Deutsche Wohnen's €14. 5M GDPR fine cut to €900K by court....

EU-Kommission zwingt Meta, KI-Anbietern kostenlosen WhatsApp-Zugang zu gewähren. Brüssel rügt Benachteiligung fremder Assistenten und gibt Meta nur fünf Werktage zur Umsetzung.

EU droht WhatsApp mit Geldstrafen wegen seiner KI-Gebühr. Dies ist Teil einer breiteren Untersuchung zu den Praktiken großer Messaging-Dienste.

WhatsApp faces an EU mandate to allow rival AI chatbots freely within five days or risk hefty fines. Meta is protesting this rare regulatory action.

Office EU launches as a European alternative to Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace, prioritizing data privacy within the EU. The Dutch-based suite, built on Nextcloud Hub and integrating Collabora Online, aims to keep user data in Europe and out of reach of US CLOUD Act access.

Apple's new Siri AI is not coming to the EU on most devices due to DMA rules. The tech giant cited regulatory compliance as the reason for the delayed rollout.

The European Commission rejects Apple's claims that the Digital Markets Act (DMA) hinders its new AI system for Siri. Brussels counters Apple's assertion that the DMA prevents integration of its AI features.

noyb is launching a class action against Austria's CRIF credit agency for alleged GDPR violations. The agency allegedly built a "shadow registry" using personal data to assign scores that impact access to essential services.

Apple ditches Siri AI for iPhones in the EU due to the Digital Markets Act. The new iOS 27 features will not launch in Europe this fall as planned.