European Union

The European Commission gave its green light Thursday for the acquisition of Shazam, a UK music recognition application, by US giant Apple. It said that the move would "not materially increase Apple's ability to target music enthusiasts" and would not restrict access to the Shazam app for streaming services. "Shazam's data is not unique and Apple's competitors would still have the opportunity to access and use similar databases," it said.

The liberalisation of European gas markets is widely recognised as a success by industry analysts. But EU politicians are sometimes reluctant to celebrate it because liberalisation on its own has failed to deliver on another key objective – supply diversification.

The European Commission presented two proposals on Electricity Market Design as part of its Clean Energy Package of November 2016. Discussions on the package have tended to focus on the level of ambition, in particular Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency targets.

A vote on the contentious copyright bill will take place in the European Parliament on 12 September in Strasbourg. The directive aims to ensure that producers of creative content are remunerated fairly online. A number of artists, including Sir Paul McCartney, have supported the bill, while opponents say it could lead to censorship.

The Federal Minister of Interior, Horst Seehofer, described Germany as “a divided country” and the issue of migration as “the mother of all political problems”. EURACTIV Germany reports.

Ahead of the Global Climate Action Summit on 12-14 September, Cambridge-based Prince of Wales's Corporate Leaders Group has called for a worldwide government-mandated net zero carbon emissions target by 2050 to help speed up transition to a low-carbon economy.

CSU European politician Manfred Weber has announced that he will run for the post of EU Commission president after the European elections in 2019. The EPP will decide on November 8 whether it will name Weber, its current parliamentary group leader, as lead candidate. Europe's media are already weighing up the pros and cons of Weber becoming EU Commission President.

After the summer break political life has resumed in the EU and is dominated by the elections to the European Parliament next May. The haggling over the top EU posts has begun, and Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker is pressing ahead with plans to abolish daylight saving time. Commentators observe how two opposing camps are positioning themselves for battle.

Half a year after the poison attack on the former Russian double agent Sergey Skripal and his daughter, Scotland Yard has named and posted photos of the two suspects. They are thought to be affiliated with the Russian military intelligence agency GRU, Prime Minister Theresa May told parliament on Wednesday evening. Does this mean the Skripal case is solved?

Denmark has been rocked by a scandal over welcome rituals at grammar schools. According to reports one of the rituals involves 15 and 16-year-old girls starting upper school being selected to be waitresses at a dinner for pupils of the graduating classes. They are made to follow a dress code that includes wearing red panties and are often subjected to sexual harassment. Danish media are appalled.