BRUSSELS: The European Union (EU) on Thursday approved Google’s US$2.1 billion (RM8.47 billion) purchase of smartwatch maker Fitbit, after the tech titan agreed to conditions including not using health data from European users for advertising.

“We can approve the proposed acquisition of Fitbit by Google because the commitments will ensure that the market for wearables and the nascent digital health space will remain open and competitive,” EU competition chief Margrethe Vestager said, in a statement.

“The commitments will determine how Google can use the data collected for ad purposes, how interoperability between competing wearables and Android will be safeguarded and how users can continue to share health and fitness data.”

The green light from the European Commission comes after it conducted an “in-depth” probe into the takeover over concerns that it would give Google access to users’ health details and an unfair market advantage.

In November last year the tech titan announced it had reached an agreement to buy Fitbit, which produces wearable fitness trackers and watches that communicate with a health monitoring app.

The firms said they hoped to conclude the deal by the end of 2020, subject to regulators signing off on it.

The EU said Google had agreed to a raft of commitments for an initial 10 years to protect personal data and ensure that the acquisition did not squeeze out other smartwatch manufacturers.

“Google will not use for Google Ads the health and wellness data collected from wrist-worn wearable devices and other Fitbit devices,” the Commission said.

Further conditions included allowing other manufacturers to keep accessing Google’s Android operating system and any future updates without it “degrading users experience”.

“The Commission concluded that the proposed transaction, as modified by the commitments, would no longer raise competition concerns,” the statement said.

Google had already promised not to use Fitbit health and wellness data for Google ads, but the acquisition attracted concerns from consumer groups and competition authorities.

Regulators and competitors feared that Google’s own smartwatch performs a similar function and acquiring Fitbit’s user data will strengthen its already powerful position in targeted advertising.

The approval comes as Google and other tech giants face growing scrutiny from authorities around the globe over privacy and competition concerns.

Several US states led by Texas filed a suit against Google on Wednesday over alleged anti-competitive practices, branding it an “internet Goliath” that had eliminated competition in online advertising and was harming consumers. – AFP

Press statement by Vice-President Šefčovič following the fifth ordinary meeting of the EU-UK Joint Committee

European Commission Statement Brussels, 17 Dec 2020 

We have just concluded our fifth ordinary EU-UK Joint Committee meeting on the implementation of the Withdrawal Agreement – co-chaired with Chancellor Michael Gove, by means of videoconference.   Today marks an important milestone. We have endorsed formal decisions and other practical solutions, ensuring that the Withdrawal Agreement is operational in time, as of 1 January 2021. This means that we have delivered on our overarching objective – to protect the Good Friday (Belfast) Agreement, avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland, and maintain peace, stability and prosperity there. This was essential, given the limited time left until the transition period ends at the end of this year. Therefore, I want to thank Chancellor Gove for his personal dedication and solution-driven approach that helped us to reach this important milestone. At the same time, I appreciate the swift approval of the decisions by our Member States. This is also a testament to our shared commitment to the Good Friday (Belfast) Agreement.  

Throughout this year, we have indeed worked tirelessly to ensure that both the letter and the spirit of the Withdrawal Agreement, including the Protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland, are respected and translated into viable solutions. These now provide businesses and people in Northern Ireland with necessary clarity and stability, while we uphold the integrity of our Single Market. Let me highlight the EU’s two main priorities: First, robust working arrangements for the EU’s presence in Northern Ireland so that our representatives can effectively carry out their tasks on the ground. In particular, I welcome that the UK has agreed to provide adequate equipment and facilities, as well as continuous, real-time access to their relevant IT systems and databases, both on the ground and remotely. The second priority, which I strongly welcome, is that the UK has committed to withdraw all contentious parts of its Internal Market Bill, and refrain from introducing any similar parts in its Taxation Bill. Given these reassurances, we were able to find workable solutions for a number of areas, such as the supply of medicines. These solutions will be of a temporary nature and with strict conditions attached.

We are also making sure that the rights of our citizens and UK nationals are protected. Going in detail, we have today endorsed the second Joint Report on Residence Rights and agreed on its publication. In a transparent manner, it provides an update on national residence schemes in the EU and the UK. And it also outlines outreach and assistance measures to support EU citizens and UK nationals, including vulnerable groups, and to inform important stakeholders, such as employers. I want to stress that we take legal certainty for all people concerned very seriously. To demonstrate, just one figure – more than 90% of UK nationals residing in the EU can already apply for a new residence status in our Member States. The UK has also provided reassurances as to its settlement system for EU citizens. We will continue to work with the Member States and monitor this issue closely.

Let me conclude by underlining that I am committed to continue paying full attention to the implementation of the Withdrawal Agreement in 2021, with a focus on how our mutually agreed solutions work on the ground. To that effect, with Chancellor Gove, we have agreed today that the Joint Committee will continue to meet at least quarterly during the upcoming year.

The European Parliament has issued an ultimatum to EU and UK negotiators, saying it will not ratify a deal by the end of the year if it is reached any later than this Sunday.

                                                    <p class="no_name">MEPs and chief EU negotiator <a class="search" href="/topics/topics-7.1213540?article=true&tag_person=Michel+Barnier" rel="nofollow">Michel Barnier</a> have warned that this would mean a short period of “no-deal” terms in which legally tariffs would have to be levied on trade between the EU and UK.</p>
                                                    <p class="no_name">There has been some progress in the talks but the issue of fish is very much unresolved, Mr Barnier told MEPs, The Irish Times understands, warning that there needed to be a deal within days or there would be a period of no-deal.</p>
                                                    <p class="no_name">“We give until Sunday to <a class="search" href="/topics/topics-7.1213540?article=true&tag_person=Boris+Johnson" rel="nofollow">Boris Johnson</a> to make a decision. The uncertainty hanging over citizens and businesses as a result of UK choices becomes intolerable,” said <a class="search" href="/topics/topics-7.1213540?article=true&tag_person=Dacian+Ciolos" rel="nofollow">Dacian Ciolos</a>, the president of Renew Europe, the group in which <a class="search" href="/topics/topics-7.1213540?article=true&tag_organisation=Fianna+F%C3%A1il" rel="nofollow">Fianna Fáil</a> sits.</p>
                                                    <p class="no_name">“Michel Barnier and his team has our full support as we head to the <a href="/news/world/brexit">Brexit</a> moment of truth.”</p>
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                                                                                                                    <p class="no_name">In a joint statement, the heads of the parliament’s political groups said the parliament “stands ready to organise an extraordinary plenary session towards the end of December” to ratify a deal.</p>
                                                    <p class="no_name">However, it would not do so if a deal came any later than Sunday, it warned, insisting that the parliament must have a copy of a provisional text “as soon as possible” to begin scrutinising it.</p>
                                                    <p class="no_name"><a class="search" href="/topics/topics-7.1213540?article=true&tag_person=Manfred+Weber" rel="nofollow">Manfred Weber</a>, the head of the powerful European People’s Party of <a class="search" href="/topics/topics-7.1213540?article=true&tag_organisation=Fine+Gael" rel="nofollow">Fine Gael</a>, reiterated that a deal would only be ratified if it arrived by Sunday.</p>
                                                    <p class="no_name">“After that we cannot reasonably scrutinise the deal before the end of the year. The agreement is too important to rush through parliament,” Mr Weber said.</p>
                                                    <p class="no_name">National governments technically have the power to provisionally apply trade agreements until they are ratified, after a proposal by the <a class="search" href="/topics/topics-7.1213540?article=true&tag_organisation=European+Commission" rel="nofollow">European Commission</a>. </p>

                                                    <p class="no_name">However, the commission has long been warning that the alternative to ratification in December is a temporary period of no deal.</p>
                                                    <p class="no_name">Nevertheless there would be significant pressure to do whatever possible to minimise the economic damage of no-deal terms, making for a potentially fraught political fight within the EU’s institutions.</p>