The review comes as the rapid growth of stablecoins and recent policy changes in the United States raise new regulatory challenges for European lawmakers.

Focus on Stablecoins and Foreign Issuers

According to EuroNews, the European Commission is consulting industry stakeholders until 30 September to determine whether MiCA should be reopened.

Several EU diplomats told EuroNews that a revision now appears inevitable, citing both technological developments and concerns expressed by European institutions, including the European Central Bank.

One of the main issues is the regulation of non-EU stablecoin issuers, which are not specifically covered under the current MiCA framework despite operating within the European market.

Trump’s Policies Increase Regulatory Pressure

EuroNews reports that renewed attention on stablecoins follows U.S. President Donald Trump’s support for digital assets and the adoption of the GENIUS Act, which established a regulatory framework for stablecoins in the United States.

Stablecoins are digital assets designed to maintain a fixed value by being linked to traditional currencies such as the U.S. dollar.

According to Artemis Analytics, global stablecoin transaction volumes increased by 72% in 2025, reaching approximately $33 trillion (€28 trillion).

With around 95% of stablecoins backed by the U.S. dollar, European policymakers are increasingly assessing how these assets could affect financial stability and cross-border payments.

Broader Digital Payments Review

The revision is also expected to examine emerging technologies such as tokenisation and distributed ledger technology (DLT).

According to EuroNews, the European Central Bank has already launched new initiatives, including the Pontes and Appia payment infrastructure projects, designed to support next-generation digital payment systems.

The planned MiCA review is expected to help ensure that Europe’s crypto regulatory framework keeps pace with rapid technological innovation while addressing the growing international role of digital assets.

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The legislation was approved by 646 votes in favour, with 12 against and three abstentions.

Compensation rules remain in place

According to EuroNews, passengers will continue to receive compensation when flights are delayed by at least three hours.

Under the new rules, airlines will pay:

• €300 for flights longer than 3,500 kilometres delayed by at least three hours;
• €600 if the delay exceeds four hours or if the flight is cancelled.

Passengers will have nine months to submit compensation claims, while airlines will have 30 days to either pay the compensation or demonstrate that extraordinary circumstances prevented them from doing so.

Free cabin luggage remains guaranteed

The regulation also clarifies the rules regarding cabin baggage.

Passengers will continue to be entitled to carry one free personal item measuring up to 40 x 30 x 15 centimetres.

In addition, airlines will be required to display, from the beginning of the booking process—including on comparison websites and booking platforms—the ticket price including cabin luggage.

However, carriers will still be allowed to offer lower fares for passengers who voluntarily choose to travel without carry-on baggage.

New digital rights for passengers

The revised rules also introduce additional passenger protections.

Airlines will no longer be allowed to charge fees for correcting spelling mistakes in passengers’ names.

Passengers will also have the right to receive digital boarding passes immediately after check-in without being required to create an account or use a dedicated mobile application.

According to EuroNews, the revision of the EU passenger rights regulation began in 2013 and follows years of negotiations between European institutions, member states and the aviation industry.

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The proposal is part of the forthcoming Industrial Accelerator Act and would encourage the use of electric vehicles built largely with European-made components in public procurement and support programmes.

Industry Disagrees on Local Content Rules

At the center of the debate is the European Commission’s proposal requiring 70% local content in electric vehicles to qualify under the new framework.

According to EuroNews, the European Association of Automotive Suppliers supports the proposal, arguing that most electric vehicles already manufactured in Europe contain between 80% and 90% European-made components, based on a study conducted by consultancy Roland Berger.

However, the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association advocates a different methodology that would evaluate the overall value of finished vehicles, including research, engineering and design, rather than focusing solely on locally manufactured parts.

Suppliers Warn of Job Losses

CLEPA argues that the alternative approach would effectively reduce the share of required European-made components to around 50%, with the remaining value coming from activities such as research and development.

According to EuroNews, the organization estimates that such a change could put as many as 350,000 jobs at risk across Europe’s automotive supply chain.

Benjamin Krieger, Secretary General of CLEPA, told EuroNews that measuring only the finished vehicle rather than the origin of individual components fails to adequately protect European manufacturing workers.

Competition With China Intensifies

The disagreement comes as European automakers face mounting competition from Chinese electric vehicle manufacturers, whose lower production costs continue to challenge domestic producers.

According to EuroNews, the Industrial Accelerator Act is intended to reinforce Europe’s industrial base by encouraging greater use of locally produced components while reducing dependence on external suppliers.

As negotiations continue between EU member states and the European Parliament, the final version of the legislation is expected to play a key role in shaping the future competitiveness of Europe’s automotive industry.

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The ruling was issued by the Patent and Market Court in Stockholm, which concluded that Google’s practices caused long-term commercial harm to PriceRunner by giving preferential treatment to its own comparison-shopping platform.

Court Finds Google Abused Its Market Position

According to EuroNews, the court determined that PriceRunner suffered financial losses over several years because Google promoted its own shopping service ahead of competing comparison websites.

Although Klarna had sought approximately 80 billion Swedish kronor (€7.2 billion) in damages, the court awarded 14.3 billion kronor, making it one of the largest damages awards ever granted in Sweden.

The decision builds on an earlier antitrust case. In 2017, the European Commission fined Google €2.42 billion for abusing its dominance in online search, a decision later upheld by the Court of Justice of the European Union in 2024.

Google Plans to Challenge the Decision

Google said it disagrees with the ruling and is reviewing its legal options.

In a statement provided to EuroNews, the company said the changes introduced to Google Shopping in 2017 have supported the growth of hundreds of comparison-shopping services operating across Europe.

The ruling can still be appealed, meaning the final compensation amount could change following further legal proceedings.

Boost for Klarna

PriceRunner filed the lawsuit in 2022, arguing that Google’s search practices reduced its visibility and harmed its business for more than a decade. Klarna acquired the platform the same year and integrated its price-comparison technology into its ecosystem.

Following the court’s decision, Klarna shares rose 11.5% in pre-market trading.

According to EuroNews, the case represents another setback for Google as European regulators continue efforts to strengthen competition and limit the market dominance of major technology platforms.

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Researchers Das Narayandas and Shunyuan Zhang argue that AI belongs to a category of “self-disruptive technologies”—tools that improve performance while making users feel less valuable, less influential or less recognized in their roles.

Identity, Not Technology, Drives Resistance

According to the Harvard Business School study, at least 30% of generative AI projects are expected to be abandoned, often because employees quietly resist adopting them rather than because the technology underperforms.

The researchers say previous explanations have focused mainly on organizational readiness or technical challenges, overlooking a critical factor: employees’ concerns about losing expertise, status and influence within their jobs.

As generative AI increasingly performs tasks such as writing, analysis and decision-making, many workers feel that the most meaningful aspects of their roles are being transferred to machines.

Three Ways AI Can Threaten Professional Roles

The study identifies three main ways AI affects employees’ sense of identity.

Role compression occurs when AI automates higher-value work, leaving employees with fewer responsibilities and tasks perceived as less meaningful.

Control shift reduces managers’ decision-making authority as algorithms increasingly guide business choices.

Span erosion weakens managers’ influence as more employees rely directly on AI rather than human expertise.

Rather than openly opposing AI, many employees adopt what the researchers describe as symbolic adoption—appearing to use the technology while limiting its real impact inside the organization.

Adoption Requires More Than Better Technology

According to the study, companies can improve AI adoption by demonstrating that the technology strengthens, rather than replaces, employees’ expertise.

The researchers recommend redesigning roles, maintaining human oversight in AI-assisted decisions, using AI to support rather than replace judgment, investing in employee retraining and ensuring visible executive support throughout the transition.

Instead of focusing solely on return on investment, organizations should also address employees’ concerns about professional identity.

As Narayandas concludes, companies are more likely to succeed when they show workers not only how AI benefits the business, but also how it enhances their own future roles and careers.

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The latest increases affect Xbox consoles, Macs and iPads, with some products becoming up to $300 (€265) more expensive.

Xbox, Macs and iPads Become More Expensive

According to EuroNews, Microsoft will increase global Xbox console prices by $100 to $150 starting on 1 August.

In the United States, the Xbox Series S will rise to $500, while the Xbox Series X will cost up to $800. The company also confirmed it will discontinue the 2TB Xbox model.

Apple has also implemented price increases after CEO Tim Cook recently warned that higher component costs had made price adjustments unavoidable.

The entry-level MacBook Neo will cost $100 more, while the MacBook Air (512GB) and iPad Pro Wi-Fi (256GB) will each increase by $200. The 1TB MacBook Pro will become $300 more expensive, and the iPad Air (128GB) will rise by $150.

Industry analysts cited by EuroNews expect Apple’s iPhone lineup to become more expensive later this year, with premium models potentially increasing by up to $200.

AI Boom Continues to Disrupt Supply Chains

According to EuroNews and statements cited from AP, the rapid expansion of AI data centers has sharply increased demand for memory and storage chips, creating supply shortages across the semiconductor industry.

Apple described the situation as an “unprecedented challenge”, while Microsoft said memory and storage chip costs have already more than doubled and could double again before the end of 2027.

The market remains dominated by manufacturers including Samsung, SK Hynix and Micron Technology.

Industry-Wide Price Increases

The higher component costs are affecting the broader gaming and consumer electronics industry.

According to EuroNews, Sony recently raised PlayStation 5 prices in Europe, while Nintendo will increase the price of the Switch 2 beginning in September.

As AI infrastructure investment accelerates worldwide, analysts expect higher hardware prices to remain a defining trend across the technology sector over the coming years.

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Under the updated policy, families who choose not to purchase reserved seats will receive complimentary seat allocations together after check-in, bringing Ryanair’s approach closer to that used by many other European airlines.

Policy Change Follows Regulatory Scrutiny

The decision comes after the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) opened an investigation into whether Ryanair’s previous seating policy breached consumer protection laws.

According to the BBC, the regulator questioned whether parents were effectively being charged to meet airline obligations requiring young children to be seated alongside a parent or guardian.

Previously, families typically paid around £8 per flight to reserve one seat, allowing accompanying children to be seated nearby at no additional cost.

Ryanair Calls It a “Minor Policy Tweak”

Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary said the airline had “reluctantly” adopted the industry standard, while maintaining that its previous policy complied with legal requirements and provided certainty for families during booking.

Under the new rules, complimentary family seats will generally be allocated toward the rear of the aircraft, as front-row seats are often reserved.

The airline said it does not expect the change to have a material impact on revenue.

Investigation Continues

Despite the policy update, the CMA confirmed that its investigation remains ongoing.

According to the BBC, regulators will assess whether Ryanair’s revised approach fully complies with consumer law and whether families were previously charged unfairly.

Consumer advocacy group Which? welcomed the change but argued that regulatory intervention should not have been necessary.

The organization said it will continue monitoring whether parents are consistently seated next to their children without additional charges under the new policy.

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The measures are designed to help European manufacturers compete against foreign producers that benefit from lower labour costs, state support or less stringent environmental standards.

Anti-Dumping Measures Support Local Industry

According to EuroNews, sectors including steel, chemicals, ceramics, agriculture, automotive, food and textiles have faced growing pressure from low-cost imports in recent years.

One example is Italy’s ceramics industry, centred in the Emilia-Romagna region, which generates around €8 billion in annual turnover and directly employs approximately 20,000 people.

Graziano Verdi, CEO of the Italcer Group, told EuroNews that imports from India have rapidly expanded their market share in Europe by offering products below production costs.

While the EU has introduced tariffs on ceramic imports from India, Verdi argues the measures remain insufficient. He noted that earlier anti-dumping duties on Chinese ceramic products proved far more effective, reducing China’s market share to below 1%.

Protecting Fair Competition

Trade defence instruments are intended to prevent foreign companies from gaining market share through unfair pricing or government subsidies.

According to EuroNews, the European Union had 156 anti-dumping measures and 25 anti-subsidy measures in force at the end of 2023, covering products imported from 19 countries.

The EU also introduced the Foreign Subsidies Regulation in 2023 to prevent companies backed by foreign state aid from gaining an unfair advantage in public procurement contracts.

Industry representatives warn that without these protections, European manufacturers could struggle to compete, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises facing higher production and energy costs.

Local Manufacturing Remains a Priority

The report highlights the success of anti-dumping measures introduced in 2019 to protect Europe’s electric bicycle industry, which contributed to a decline of more than 80% in Chinese imports.

Dutch bicycle manufacturer Nijland told EuroNews that maintaining production within Europe supports product quality, safety and local employment while helping businesses remain competitive over the long term.

Industry leaders argue that protecting fair competition is essential not only for preserving manufacturing capacity but also for safeguarding jobs, investment and industrial resilience across the European Union.

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The new offering is designed to increase user engagement by targeting the large portion of Spotify’s audience that regularly exercises. The company says around 70% of its users work out at least once a month, while more than 150 million fitness-focused playlists have already been created on the platform.

New Workout Library Launches

According to Forbes, Spotify’s fitness section will launch with approximately 1,400 workout episodes, alongside dozens of curated playlists created by well-known fitness instructors and wellness creators.

The lineup includes content from Yoga with Kassandra, Chloe Ting, Pilates Body by Raven, Sweaty Studio, Abi Mills Wellness and other creators. Most sessions will be available in English, with selected content also offered in Spanish and German.

The workouts will be accessible to both free and Premium users and can be downloaded for offline listening.

Wellness Becomes a Strategic Focus

Spotify says the expansion reflects its ambition to become more than an entertainment platform.

Roman Wasenmüller, Spotify’s Vice President and Global Head of Podcasts, said the company wants to position itself as a daily wellness companion, integrating fitness and wellbeing content into its growing audio and video ecosystem.

According to Forbes, the initiative also builds on the popularity of Spotify’s Prompted Playlist feature, where workout playlists are among the most frequently requested categories.

Competition With Apple Intensifies

The move places Spotify in more direct competition with Apple, whose ecosystem already includes dedicated music, podcast and fitness services.

Unlike Apple Fitness+, which is available only through a paid subscription, Spotify’s new workout content will be accessible to both free and paid users, potentially giving the streaming platform broader reach.

By expanding into fitness, Spotify is seeking to increase the amount of time users spend on the platform while strengthening its position in the rapidly growing digital wellness market.

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Companies including Apple and Microsoft have recently introduced new animated characters, joining a broader trend that marketing experts say is designed to humanize brands and improve customer engagement.

Tech Firms Embrace Friendlier Brand Identities

According to the BBC, Apple recently introduced a blue-and-white animated character informally dubbed “Little Finder Guy” to promote one of its latest laptops on social media.

Microsoft has also unveiled Mico, a smiling avatar designed for its AI assistant, Microsoft Copilot. The company describes the character as an optional visual identity intended to make conversations with AI feel more natural and engaging.

Other technology brands are adopting similar approaches. Google expanded the use of its Android robot mascot by allowing users to create personalized versions, while Reddit refreshed its mascot Snoo and Mozilla transformed its Firefox branding into a dedicated character named Kit.

Building Trust in an AI Era

Marketing researchers cited by the BBC argue that mascots can strengthen brand recognition and loyalty by giving companies a more relatable identity.

Research has shown that brands using mascots are significantly more likely to grow market share compared with those that do not use character-based marketing.

However, some experts believe the resurgence is also linked to growing public skepticism toward large technology companies.

Psychology and technology specialist Nathalie Nahai told the BBC that many consumers increasingly view major tech firms with distrust, making friendly characters an effective way to soften corporate images and improve public perception.

Concerns Over AI-Powered Mascots

The combination of artificial intelligence and digital mascots is also raising new questions.

Some analysts warn that future AI-powered brand characters could interact directly with consumers in highly personalized ways, potentially increasing their influence over purchasing decisions and online behavior.

Despite these concerns, companies continue to invest heavily in character-driven branding. One of the most successful examples remains Duolingo, whose green owl mascot, Duo, has helped the company attract millions of followers across social media platforms.

According to the BBC, marketing experts believe mascots remain effective because they tap into natural human responses to familiar, expressive and emotionally engaging characters—an approach that many brands now see as increasingly valuable in the AI era.

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