In the news: Is Europe about to loose access to Facebook and Instagram?
Irish regulators asked Facebook's Meta to stop sending European data to the US, Greece finds relief in economic policies, introducing the big guns in Italy's general elections, and Russian travel ban.
Do enjoy it while you can. You maybe have only weeks left to post your holiday pictures on Instagram and message your friends and family on Facebook. Mother company Meta could shut down its service for EU customers after the summer.
In July, Ireland’s privacy regulator concluded that Meta was unlawfully transfereing data from European users to the US. The regulator decided to prevent Facebook from using standard contractual clauses (SCCs) for the transfer. The Irish decision followed a 2020 European Court of Justice ruling that deemed flows of data between Europe and the US illegal, POLITICO reported.
You can still use the platform since the decision is pending review by European authorities. The Irish regulator received objections from its European counterpart and will take the next months to resolve them.
🇮🇹 All eyes on Italy
Italy’s general election might take place only in more than a month, but key players are already on the move. Euractiv features a portrait of ‘Woman, mother, Christian’ Giorgia Meloni, leader of the far-right Brothers of Italy.
Politico reported that former prime minister Matteo Renzi and unsuccessful Rome mayoral candidate and former Industry Minister Carlo Calenda will join forces. Their two centrist parties, respectively Azione and Italia Viva, will march side by side to the next elections. The campaign’s logo even features the parliamentary group Renew Europe, as they try to “replicate the dynamics of the European Parliament”. Renzi and Calenda pledged to convince Mario Draghi to stand as Prime Minister one more time.
🇬🇷 Greece: End of the European oversight
Next week will mark an important milestone for Greece: the country will leave the EU’s enhanced surveillance framework, which monitored its economic and policy development.
“After 12 years … a difficult chapter for our country comes to a close,” said the minister, Christos Staikouras [Greece finance minister]. “Greece returns to a European normality and will no longer be an exception in the euro zone.” Source: Euractiv1
The exit from the framework was confirmed by a letter from the Commission’s Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis and Economy Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni.
Hopefully, this achievement will allow Greece to find a more sustainable path to growth and improve its stance in the European and global economy.
Two years ago, the excellent youtube channel Economics Explained released this study of Greece's economic situation. Highly recommended.
🇷🇺 Poll: Should we ban Russian citizens to move or travel through Europe?
The Czech Presidency of the EU is considering setting up a travel ban for Russian citizens, following a proposition from Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and encouraged by several EU member states. Do you think a travel ban is a good idea?
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