MEO, NOS, Vodafone, Accenture anticompetitive agreement 2016

Update: The Portuguese competition authority fined telecoms and pay TV operators MEO, NOS and Vodafone, as well as consulting firm Accenture, a total of €13.4m for an anticompetitive agreement. The operators coordinated the introduction of advertising shown to customers before they could access automatically recorded TV content. Accenture provided technological and operational support for this coordination.

Glaspoort (KPN)/Delta assets merger 2026 (prohibited)

Update: Following a drawn-out merger control investigation, the Dutch competition authority prohibited the proposed acquisition of part of Delta’s fibre-to-the-home network by Glaspoort, a joint venture between incumbent telecoms operator KPN and pension administrator APG. According to the competition authority, the transaction would reduce competitive pressure on KPN in the wholesale and retail fixed broadband markets, leading to higher prices, less choice and reduced quality of service for customers.

Meta AI alleged tying and access restriction abuses, Italy 2026 (closed)

Update: After the European Commission extended its overlapping investigation to Italy in April 2026, the Italian competition authority closed its prior parallel investigation into whether Meta abused its dominant position in consumer communications apps by tying Meta AI to WhatsApp and by preventing rival AI chatbot providers from accessing the messaging platform.

JD.com/Ceconomy foreign subsidies (pending case)

The European Commission launched an in-depth foreign subsidies investigation into the proposed acquisition of Germany-based consumer electronics retailer Ceconomy by China-based e-commerce group JD.com. The Commission has until 2 October 2026 to decide on the case.

Explainer: EU General Block Exemption Regulation (GBER)

The GBER plays an important role in the EU state aid system by allowing member states to grant aid more swiftly, without prior notification to the Commission for approval, provided the measure meets specific conditions that limit distortions of competition. This report outlines the GBER’s provisions on broadband state aid and highlights proposed changes on which the Commission is consulting until 23 April 2026.

Broadband state aid spending in the EU: latest figures

According to the latest available European Commission data, EU member states spent a total of €4.59bn on broadband state aid in 2024. This was 12% less than in 2023.