Thierry Breton’s resignation from the European Commission comes as a surprise as President Ursula von der Leyen is due to present her team of Commissioners for the next term to the European Parliament on Tuesday.
The European Union’s highest court ordered Apple and Google to pay billions back in taxes and a competition fine respectively, ending long-running legal battles. The two cases were part of EU’s fight to stop tax loopholes and rein in US tech giants.
Many schools across Europe are introducing bans or restrictions on the use of mobile phones amid concerns about their impact on young people’s mental health. While there are no EU-wide rules to tackle the issue, in July EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen also sounded the alarm and vowed to take action.
German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser has ordered passport controls to be resumed along all German land borders in a bid to sharply curb the number of people entering the country without visas.
Mario Draghi, Italian economist and special advisor to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, has presented his long-awaited report on European competitiveness.