Tag: News Story

STORY

The European Commission has opened an in-depth investigation into JD.com’s proposed $2.5 billion acquisition of German electronics retailer Ceconomy. Brussels said it had preliminary concerns that the Chinese company may have benefited from foreign subsidies that could distort competition in the EU internal market.

The inquiry is being carried out under the EU’s Foreign Subsidies Regulation, which is designed to stop non-EU state support from giving companies an unfair advantage in mergers, public procurement or other market activity inside the bloc. The Commission is examining whether JD.com received preferential financing, tax benefits or grants linked to Chinese state-backed bodies.

JD.com has denied that the transaction is being supported by improper subsidies and says the deal is funded through private bank debt and internal cash. The Commission has set a decision deadline of 2 October, making the case an important test of Brussels’ increasingly assertive approach to foreign subsidies and Chinese investment.

STORY

Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar has said his Government is close to reaching an agreement with the European Union on the release of frozen EU funds. The money has been withheld over concerns about rule of law, anti-corruption safeguards and institutional standards under the previous administration.

Magyar said talks in Brussels had made significant progress, although some issues linked to anti-corruption measures remained unresolved. He was due to meet European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen as part of efforts to finalise the package and restore access to EU money seen as important for Hungary’s weak economy and strained public finances.

The funds under discussion include €6.5 billion in grants and €3.9 billion in loans, while a further €7 billion in structural funds remains frozen. Magyar also said Hungary would seek to join the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, a move which would mark a significant change in the country’s relationship with EU oversight institutions.

STORY

European Union foreign ministers have rejected suggestions that Russia should have any say over who represents Europe in possible negotiations over Ukraine. The issue was discussed at an informal meeting in Cyprus, where ministers considered how the EU should position itself if peace efforts move forward.

The comments followed Russian suggestions that former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder could act as a European representative. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and several foreign ministers said Europe would not allow Moscow to choose its interlocutors and that any diplomatic role would have to reflect a common European position.

The discussion came as Ukraine continued to press Europe to take a more active part in any future peace process. Ministers focused on maintaining pressure on Russia, supporting Ukraine and developing a collective EU approach, while acknowledging that appointing a special envoy would be premature at this stage.

STORY

The Council of the European Union has approved a further payment of nearly €2.8 billion to Ukraine under the EU’s Ukraine Facility. The money will be released after the Council concluded that Ukraine had completed a series of required reform and investment steps linked to the seventh instalment of support.

The Council said Ukraine had completed eleven of the twenty steps required for the seventh payment, as well as several outstanding steps linked to earlier instalments. It also said Kyiv had completed some measures earlier than required under the Ukraine Plan, allowing it to receive compensation under a new methodology adopted by the Commission.

The Ukraine Facility provides more than €50 billion in stable financing for recovery, reconstruction and modernisation between 2024 and 2027. Payments are tied to reforms in areas including public financial management, the judiciary, anti-corruption work, financial markets, public assets, energy, transport, the green transition and digital transformation.

STORY

The European Commission has fined Temu €200 million after finding that the online marketplace failed to properly assess and reduce the risks of illegal products being sold to consumers in the European Union. The decision was made under the Digital Services Act, which gives Brussels direct supervisory powers over the largest online platforms operating in the bloc.

The Commission said evidence gathered during its investigation indicated that EU consumers were very likely to encounter illegal items on Temu. It said the company’s 2024 risk assessment relied too heavily on general information about the e-commerce sector, rather than specific evidence about its own platform, including public reports and product testing.

Officials said mystery shopping exercises found serious problems with some chargers and baby toys, including failed safety tests, chemical risks and suffocation hazards. Temu has been given until late August to produce an action plan, while Brussels is continuing wider scrutiny of the platform’s design, recommender systems and product promotion arrangements.

STORY

A £41 million council-led redevelopment of a former Debenhams store in Carmarthen has faced a setback after structural issues led to extra costs and delays.

The Atriwm project will convert the former St Catherine’s Walk department store into a leisure and public services hub, including a 24-hour gym, children’s play centre, electric go-karting, an obstacle course, indoor golf, a council customer service hub and a visitor information outlet. The scheme is funded by the UK and Welsh Governments, which are contributing £28.2 million, alongside £12.8 million from Carmarthenshire County Council.

The council said it was continuing to assess the issues and that a position update would be provided once the necessary information had been gathered. The development is expected to open in 2027, while traffic management on St Catherine’s Street is likely to remain in place until autumn.

STORY

Harborough District Council has launched Working Wonders, a scheme designed to connect local secondary schools directly with employers, businesses and entrepreneurs.

The council is seeking volunteers from a wide range of careers to join a database that schools can use for careers talks, mock interviews, mentoring, CV workshops and workplace visits. The authority said the aim was to give pupils real-world insight into employment and future opportunities.

Councillor Phil King, the council’s deputy leader and portfolio holder for finance, business and tourism, said the project showed the positive difference that could be made when employers and organisations worked together to support the next generation. The project was championed by the HDC Youth Council and launched at the Market Harborough Chamber of Commerce on 27 May.

STORY

Hounslow Council has appointed Councillor Ranjit Gill as Mayor of Hounslow for the 2026–27 civic year, with Councillor Sahibaa Hussain serving as Deputy Mayor.

Gill, who has lived in the borough for more than 40 years, was first elected for Chiswick Gunnersbury ward in 2018 and now represents Osterley and Spring Grove following the May 2026 local elections. The council said he had served on a range of committees and panels, including audit and governance, licensing, housing and environment scrutiny and the pension board.

The new mayor has chosen Age UK Hounslow’s dementia services as his charity for the year. The largely ceremonial role will involve representing the council at civic events, supporting community organisations and acting as an ambassador for the borough.

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Oldham Council could face additional costs if councillors are unable to resolve a political stalemate over who should run the authority following the 2026 local elections.

Local democracy reporting has suggested that previous cases involving divided councils point to potential legal costs and commissioner fees if a deadlock cannot be broken. The situation in Oldham follows Labour losing eight seats, with Reform UK becoming the second largest group, two councillors behind Labour on 16 seats.

The dispute has placed the council’s governance arrangements under pressure at the start of the municipal year. The issue is likely to increase scrutiny of whether parties can reach a working agreement or whether the authority risks a more prolonged period of instability.

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A third member of Bedford Borough Council’s executive cabinet has resigned in a week, with Councillor Sarah Gallagher saying she could no longer serve in an executive where she believed “unethical and corrupt behaviour” was being tolerated.

Gallagher, Conservative councillor for Shortstown and former portfolio holder for customer experience, leisure and culture, criticised the way informal cabinet meetings were being used. In her resignation letter to Mayor Tom Wootton, she claimed decisions were sometimes made and later changed without all cabinet members knowing.

The resignation follows the departures of Councillor Robert Rigby and Councillor Phillippa Martin-Moran-Bryant from the cabinet earlier this month. Gallagher said it had been a real honour to work for residents and highlighted improvements to leisure centres and the appointment of GLL as achievements during her time in the role.