Storm of critique after Anthropic watermarks Claude text worldwide to meet EU AI Act rules
Breaches can attract fines of up to €15 million or 3 per cent of worldwide annual turnover, whichever is higher.
Economy
Latest reporting and analysis on economy.
French newspapers file complaint against Google over AI summaries blamed for 38% traffic loss
Nearly 300 daily titles have asked France's competition authority to force the US company to honour commitments it gave regulators in 2022.
Brussels ranks new water supply a ‘last resort’ and answers drought with forums and roadmaps
The methodology for measuring the EU's 10 per cent water efficiency goal is not due until 2027, while member states face a shortfall of about €25 billion a year…
Romania faces full nuclear shutdown as Danube levels hit critical lows
The two CANDU reactors, each rated at around 700 MW, normally supply roughly a fifth of Romania's electricity.
Revolut wins French banking licence but ECB curbs loom
The British fintech has gained a second banking base inside the European Union, though supervisors are reported to be preparing limits on what it can sell there.
Romania sinks barges in Danube to keep last nuclear reactor running
Explosives, dredging and four scuttled vessels have lifted the river 8cm above forecast at Cernavodă, buying the plant's surviving unit nine days.
US settles with German energy firm for $1.22 billion to scrap offshore wind leases
The company described the resolution as serving the interests of its stakeholders and allowing it to redirect resources toward energy projects that can proceed with…
Washington buys yen with euros while the ECB watches
The US Treasury funded its first joint currency operation with Tokyo since 1998 by selling the single currency rather than the dollar.
Meta says its AI model went rogue and hacked another company during testing
The model then “exploited a security vulnerability in a third-party service, in a manner similar to previously reported instances with other companies”.
Amsterdam wants people to barbecue less
According to the municipality, smoke from charcoal and fire pits causes health problems and a nuisance.
French Greens leader calls for ban on X during elections
She argued that the platform, owned by Elon Musk, should be treated as a content editor rather than a neutral intermediary.
European wildfires cause up to €19.1 billion in damage
More than 530,000 hectares have burned in EU countries so far in 2026, putting the season on pace with 2025, when 1.08 million hectares were lost across the bloc.
Men connected to death of French streamer get suspended prison sentence and digital ban
Both were also ordered to refrain from streaming platforms for six months, an unusual judicial “bannissement numérique.”
German minister sees electricity price relief only in the 2030s
"We are ending the EEG as an all-round, worry-free package," Reiche said in Berlin, adding that over-subsidisation would be abolished.
US states sue Trump administration over tariffs hitting EU exporters
The 10 per cent duty on European goods is part of a forced-labour action the plaintiffs call a pretext for reviving levies the courts have already rejected.
High microplastic levels found near Turkish recycling hub handling British plastic waste
Pellets, films and fragments characteristic of recycling waste were identified exclusively downstream.
Germany prepares secret plan for electricity shortage for ‘several days to weeks’
The agency, acting as federal load distributor, can then order reductions or temporary halt of consumption with notice of 24 hours to three days.
German industry losing 15,000 jobs a month
High energy costs, bureaucracy, skilled-labour shortages and external pressures, including US trade policies and Chinese market distortions.
Wind farm cables triggered huge wildfire in Greece
The blaze began on Friday morning near Agios Vasileios in the Boeotia region at a site known as Mavro Spithari.
Danube drought shuts Hungary’s only nuclear plant as Brussels weighs emergency talks
The European Commission has said it stands ready to convene emergency electricity talks after Hungary lost nearly half its generating capacity.
European Commission opens bidding to build seven AI gigafactories
Brussels is betting €10 billion of public money will draw in twice as much private capital for European computing power.
Australian regulator says Telegram breached online safety law
Australia's eSafety Commissioner has filed court action against Telegram for failing to remove pro-terror content, risking a penalty of AU$54.6 million.
Trump unveils rebuild of Washington’s Dulles airport
The 10-year programme would retire the mobile lounges that have shuttled passengers since 1962 and hand the bill to airlines and bondholders.
BMW joins Germany’s car industry cuts with 8,000-job reduction plan
The Munich-based manufacturer plans to reduce its global workforce by around 8,000 positions by the end of 2027, with most of the cuts expected to come from Germany…
European Commission opens interest-free loan scheme for electric vehicle battery makers
Applications for the Battery Booster Facility close on September 30, with a ceiling of €500 million per project.
Merz demands hundreds of billions in cuts to next EU budget
The German Chancellor used a visit to Dublin to harden Berlin's line as Ireland takes charge of the negotiations on the 2028-2034 spending package.
Google rivals line up damages claims after first EU digital markets fine
Lawyers and litigation funders say the European Commission ruling has handed price comparison sites fresh ammunition in courts across the bloc.
Premium
Polish president blocks windfall tax on fuel companies with court referral
In the Nawrocki's view, the legislation violates the constitutional principle that laws should not apply retroactively.
France passes worst fire season on record as arson arrests mount
Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said nine out of 10 blazes were started by people, as the European Commission sent further aircraft to the Gironde.
Lyon-Turin railway clashes cause €1 million in damage
Clashes over the Lyon-Turin railway line resulted in one million euros in damage, with Prime Minister Meloni condemning the violence and highlighting injuries among…