Vivendi Hit by EU Chargesheet for Closing Lagardere Deal Too Soon
The European Commission said Friday that 'Vivendi exercised decisive influence over Lagardere before the transaction was notified to the commission.' The issuing of a so-called statement of objections could pave the way for future fines of as much as 10% of their combined sales.
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Yahoo
44 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Amazon UK to battle $5.4bn in lawsuits from retailers and consumers
The UK Competition Appeal Tribunal has authorised two lawsuits from retailers and consumers against online e-commerce giant Amazon for allegedly abusing its market dominance. Both lawsuits allege that Amazon violated Section 18 of the UK's Competition Act 1998 in actions before 31 December 2020, and Article 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU). The proposed class representatives are seeking potential collective damages totalling up to £4bn ($5.4bn) for affected parties, as reported by Reuters. The tribunal has given permission for these cases to proceed as opt-out collective actions. Andreas Stephan, a professor of competition law, is heading one lawsuit on behalf of more than 200,000 third-party sellers. This claim seeks damages of up to £2.7bn. Stephan's legal team accuses Amazon of rigging its "Buy Box" feature to preferentially highlight products that use Amazon's logistics and delivery services. The suit claims that the criteria used by Amazon to select which offers appear in the Buy Box are opaque and biased toward listings that employ Amazon's fulfilment by Amazon (FBA) service over those that use fulfilment by merchant (FBM). It also alleges discriminatory practices in how delivery promises are adjusted for FBM products. In a separate action, consumer advocate Robert Hammond is representing millions of Amazon customers in a lawsuit seeking up to £1.3bn. This case similarly accuses Amazon of anti-competitive behaviour. An Amazon spokesperson was quoted by the news agency: "These claims are without merit and we're confident that will become clear through the legal process. "Amazon has always focused on supporting the 100,000 businesses that sell their products on our UK store, and more than half of all physical product sales on our UK store are from independent selling partners." The legal challenges come amidst regulatory investigations and decisions by competition authorities concerning aspects of Amazon's operations and conduct within its national marketplaces. In January 2025, the retailer was accused of unlawful data tracking of its consumers in the US state of California. The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) sued Amazon in 2023 for using 'manipulative tactics and deceptive user-interface designs' to enrol consumers in Prime subscriptions. "Amazon UK to battle $5.4bn in lawsuits from retailers and consumers" was originally created and published by Retail Insight Network, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
CNBC
an hour ago
- CNBC
Trump arrives in Scotland for golf and bilateral talks as EU trade deal nears
U.S. President Donald Trump, dogged by questions about his ties to disgraced financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, arrived in Scotland on Friday for some golf and bilateral talks that could yield a trade deal with the European Union. Trump told reporters upon his arrival that he will visit his two golf properties in Scotland and meet with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, whom he called a "highly respected woman." As hundreds of onlookers cheered his arrival, Trump reiterated his earlier comment about a 50-50 chance of securing a deal with the EU, adding that it would be his administration's largest trade agreement thus far, if it came together. However, he said there were still "sticking points" with Brussels on "maybe 20 different things." Trump said his meeting with Starmer would be more of a celebration of the trade deal already reached than continued work on it, adding, "It's a great deal for both." Before he left Washington, Trump stated that his administration was working diligently on a potential trade deal with the EU, and Brussels was eager to finalize a deal. Von der Leyen said later she would meet Trump in Scotland on Sunday. EU diplomats say a deal could result in a 15% tariff on EU goods, mirroring a framework accord with Japan reached this week and half of the 30% Trump is threatening to impose by Aug. 1. Trump has sought to reorder the global economy after imposing a 10% tariff on nearly all trading partners in April and threatening sharply higher rates for many countries to kick in a week from now. Trump says the moves will reduce the U.S. trade deficit and generate additional revenue, but economists warn that the new trade policies could drive up inflation. Trump, facing the biggest domestic political crisis of his second term, expressed frustration about ongoing questions about his administration's handling of investigative files related to Epstein's criminal charges and his 2019 death in prison. "You make it a very big thing over something that's not a big thing," Trump told reporters in Scotland, urging them to focus on other prominent Americans with ties to Epstein, including former President Bill Clinton. "Talk about Clinton. Talk about the former president of Harvard. Talk about all of his friends. Talk about the hedge fund guys that were with him all the time. Don't talk about Trump," he said. "What you should be talking about is the fact that we have the greatest six months in the history of a presidency." The Epstein issue has caused a rare breach with some of Trump's most loyal Make America Great Again supporters, and majorities of Americans and Trump's Republicans say they believe the government is hiding details on the case, according to Reuters/Ipsos polling. White House officials are hoping the controversy dies down while Trump is abroad, two people familiar with the matter said. Trump will stay at his Turnberry property on Scotland's west coast this weekend, before traveling on Monday to a golf property in Aberdeen, where he will open a second 18-hole course named in honor of his mother, Mary Anne MacLeod. MacLeod was born and raised on a Scottish island before emigrating to the U.S. As he left the White House, Trump said he looked forward to meeting both Starmer and Scottish leader John Swinney, who had publicly backed Democratic candidate Kamala Harris in the 2024 U.S. presidential election. The trip provides Trump and Starmer with an opportunity to strengthen their already warm ties, with key issues on the agenda, including ending Russia's war in Ukraine, according to British and U.S. sources. The deteriorating situation in Gaza is also likely to come up. Starmer on Thursday said he would hold an emergency call with France and Germany over what he called the "unspeakable and indefensible" suffering and starvation being reported there, and called on Israel to allow aid to enter the Palestinian enclave. Gaza health authorities say more than 100 people have died from starvation, most in recent weeks. Human rights groups have said mass starvation is spreading even as tons of food and other supplies sit untouched just outside the territory. Since being elected last year, Starmer has prioritized good relations with Trump, stressing the importance of Britain's defense and security alliance with the U.S., while working to clinch the first tariff-reduction deal with the U.S. in May. The framework agreement reaffirmed quotas and tariff rates on British automobiles and eliminated tariffs on the UK's aerospace sector, but left steel tariffs in place. Starmer is expected to press for lower steel tariffs, but sources close to the matter said it was unclear if any breakthrough was possible during Trump's visit. Trump has described Scotland as a "very special place" and made a similar trip there in 2016 during his earlier presidential run, but he will not necessarily receive a warm welcome. About 70% of Scots hold an unfavorable opinion of Trump, while 18% have a favorable opinion, according to an Ipsos poll conducted in March. Scottish police are gearing up for protests on Saturday in both Aberdeen and Edinburgh, the country's capital. Trump will return to Britain from Sept. 17-19 for a state visit hosted by King Charles. It will make Trump the first world leader in modern times to undertake two state visits to the United Kingdom. The late Queen Elizabeth hosted him at Buckingham Palace for a three-day state visit in June 2019.
Los Angeles Times
an hour ago
- Los Angeles Times
Trump's trip to Scotland as his new golf course opens blurs politics and the family's business
EDINBURGH, Scotland — Lashed by cold winds and overlooking choppy, steel-gray North Sea waters, the breathtaking sand dunes of Scotland's northeastern coast rank among President Trump's favorite spots on Earth. 'At some point, maybe in my very old age, I'll go there and do the most beautiful thing you've ever seen,' Trump said in 2023, during his New York civil fraud trial, talking about his plans for future developments on his property in Balmedie, Aberdeenshire. At 79 and back in the White House, Trump is making at least part of that pledge a reality, landing in Scotland on Friday as his family's business prepares for the Aug. 13 opening of a golf course bearing his name. Trump will be in Scotland until Tuesday, and he plans to talk trade with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The Aberdeen area is already home to another of his courses, Trump International Scotland, and the Republican president is also visiting a Trump course near Turnberry, about 200 miles away on Scotland's southwest coast. Trump said upon arrival Friday evening that his son is 'gonna cut a ribbon' for the new course during his trip. Eric Trump also went with his father to break ground on the project back in 2023. Using a presidential overseas trip — with its sprawling entourage of advisors, White House and support staffers, Secret Service agents and reporters — to help show off Trump-brand golf destinations demonstrates how the president has become increasingly comfortable intermingling his governing pursuits with promoting his family's business interests. The White House has brushed off questions about potential conflicts of interest, arguing that Trump's business success before he entered politics was a key to his appeal to voters. White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers called the Scotland swing a 'working trip.' She added that Trump 'has built the best and most beautiful world-class golf courses anywhere in the world, which is why they continue to be used for prestigious tournaments and by the most elite players in the sport.' Trump went to Scotland to play his Turnberry course during his first term in 2018 while en route to a meeting in Finland with Russian President Vladimir Putin. But this trip comes as the new golf course is already actively selling tee times. 'We're at a point where the Trump administration is so intertwined with the Trump business that he doesn't seem to see much of a difference,' said Jordan Libowitz, vice president for the ethics watchdog organization Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, known as CREW. 'It's as if the White House were almost an arm of the Trump Organization.' During his first term, the Trump Organization signed an ethics pact barring deals with foreign companies. An ethics framework for Trump's second term allows them. Trump's assets are in a trust run by his children, who are handling day-to-day operations of the Trump Organization while he's in the White House. The company has inked many recent lucrative foreign agreements involving golf courses, including plans to build luxury developments in Qatar and Vietnam, even as the Trump administration negotiates tariff rates for those countries and others. Trump's existing Aberdeenshire course has a history nearly as rocky as the area's cliffs. It has struggled to turn a profit and was found by Scottish conservation authorities to have partially destroyed nearby sand dunes. Trump's company also was ordered to cover the Scottish government's legal costs after the course unsuccessfully sued over the construction of a nearby wind farm, arguing in part that it hurt golfers' views. The development was part of the massive civil case, which accused Trump of inflating his wealth to secure loans and make business deals. Trump's company's initial plans for his first Aberdeen-area course called for a luxury hotel and nearby housing. His company received permission to build 500 houses, but Trump suggested he'd be allowed to build five times as many and borrowed against their values without actually building any homes, the lawsuit alleged. Judge Arthur Engoron found Trump liable last year and ordered his company to pay $355 million in fines — a judgment that has grown with interest to more than $510 million as Trump appeals. Weissert writes for the Associated Press. AP writer Chris Megerian in Washington contributed to this report.
