Barbara Moens

Today is my first day at the @financialtimes.com. Very keen to talk about all things tech, digital and competition policy. You can reach me at barbara.moens@ft.com

The EU is considering to overhaul its merger rules to curb national powers to block corporate takeovers in a bid to help European companies build the scale to compete with US and Chinese rivals. as.ft.com/r/fd8d0995-3...

European businesses warn Brussels' tech sovereignty push could hit profits and undermine competitiveness “In Europe today we are not truly in the position to substitute all our IT solutions . . . with European solutions,” said Ilse Henne of Thyssenkrupp Material Services www.ft.com/content/95fe...

Deep dive in the transatlantic censorship debate. In Brussels, the US' attacks have been met with disbelief and anger. For Silicon Valley, the spat presents opportunities and risks to appease both the US and European regulators. With @mshannahmurphy.bsky.social www.ft.com/content/37d4...

European military officials are concerned that talk about “tech sovereignty” could have serious consequences for the continent’s security, given their armies’ reliance on US software and networks to run critical systems. “It’s just not possible,” said one. as.ft.com/r/4e816169-1...

The problems, including an EU probe, piling up for the fast-fashion company Shein that has rocked the world of ecommerce since the pandemic. A deep dive with William Langley in HK and Adrienne Klasa in Paris. www.ft.com/content/3779...

Google’s top legal officer Kent Walker warned that Europe risks undermining its own competitiveness drive by restricting access to foreign technology by ‘erecting walls’ as Brussels steps up efforts to reduce its reliance on US tech giants. Interview ⬇️ as.ft.com/r/9ff5c35a-d...

Europe must avoid a “war” between member states and Brussels over speed of deregulation and competitiveness issues, the Belgian PM has warned. On the ground from the Alden Biesen leaders’ retreat w/ @bmoens.bsky.social as.ft.com/r/2cf55296-0...

Europe’s telecom industry is losing momentum in its push to persuade Brussels to loosen the EU’s merger rules to allow more consolidation, especially within countries. as.ft.com/r/3bbcc263-9...

EU capitals have to set aside national interests and finally tackle the bloc’s regulatory inertia, according to António Costa. He called on leaders to “give a very strong political message to their governments.” With @alicemhancock.bsky.social @henryjfoy.ft.com as.ft.com/r/aadb1088-2...

The EU is this week set to approve Universal Music Group’s planned $775mn acquisition of Downtown Music, people briefed on the decision said, despite claims that the deal would hand too much power to the industry’s largest player. www.ft.com/content/627a...

European countries are edging closer to broad social media bans for children, even as doubts persist over how to implement them and the risk of a new battle with US tech groups. A deep dive with Leila Abboud & @NicFildes www.ft.com/content/cf46...

Europe should focus on investing in tech instead of creating more digital legislation, Dariusz Standerski, state secretary at Poland’s digital affairs ministry, said about the upcoming Cloud and AI Development Act and the Quantum Act. www.ft.com/content/ff37...

The EU should not “renounce anything that may be necessary to defend its interests” if US President Donald Trump delivers on his threats, the bloc’s competition chief @teresaribera.ec.europa.eu told the FT. With @andybounds.bsky.social as.ft.com/r/6360241b-a...

Brussels has drawn up detailed options for retaliation, officials said, but is holding back its strongest measure in the hope of a diplomat solution. @hennavirkkunen.bsky.social told the FT the priority is engagement, but that "we have also tools at our disposal here." www.ft.com/content/1ef9...

EU to bar Chinese suppliers such as Huawei from critical infrastructure such as telecom and solar panels, as Brussels rethinks it security and tech policies. as.ft.com/r/06943136-8...

European officials and companies are increasingly concerned over Elon Musk’s possible future control over a strategically sensitive slice of the EU satellite spectrum used for mobile services such as cell phones. More in today's Europe Express newsletter www.ft.com/content/7531...

EU competition chief @teresaribera.ec.europa.eu is facing a delicate tightrope on how the EU will police mergers, while also deciding on new leadership at DG Comp. Ribera wants a decision soon and prefers a woman that is “sound" and "respected," she told the FT. www.ft.com/content/2c9c...

This year, the EU faces a difficult balancing act as it wants to enforce its digital rules without provoking Trump into siding with Russia on Ukraine. "You’re just a little bit more quiet perhaps than you otherwise would be” said Fiona Scott Morton. www.ft.com/content/ca6f...

The EU needs to stand behind its digital rule book and green standards while deepening the single market to ensure the EU remained competitive in a global economic race, said the bloc’s competition chief @teresaribera.ec.europa.eu With @henryjfoy.ft.com as.ft.com/r/c975fe85-2...

Brussels to open formal investigation into Italy today, to assess whether Rome's "golden powers" to block mergers break EU law top scoop from crack team @bmoens.bsky.social @paolatamma.bsky.social @amykazmin.bsky.social on.ft.com/4phhTt8

🤖 Can Brussels balance its desire to set guardrails for AI with its need to attract investment? Must-read deep dive on how the EU botched its attempt to regulate artificial intelligence - and now is trying to desperately fix it, by @bmoens.bsky.social @melissahei.bsky.social on.ft.com/4o59nws

Brussels wants 10% of EU defence spending boom to be ploughed into home-grown "disruptive" military tech such as AI & quantum computing "We have to of course look from where we are buying [defence] products," EU tech chief @hennavirkkunen.bsky.social tells @bmoens.bsky.social & I on.ft.com/4r6V9Ol

Brussels is considering stronger rule of law safeguards for future entrants to prevent bringing "Trojan horses" into the EU, the bloc's enlargement chief @martakos.ec.europa.eu told the Financial Times. With @henryjfoy.ft.com www.ft.com/content/9493...

Meta and Apple are in the final stages of agreeing a deal with European regulators to change a range of business practices to settle antitrust cases with Brussels, as the US Big Tech groups seek to avoid a series of escalating fines. Great scoop from @bmoens.bsky.social on.ft.com/4q7W3d1

The EU wants to reduce its tech reliance on US and China via a new Apply AI strategy, seen by the Financial Times, which promotes digital sovereignty. The bloc warns AI can otherwise be “weaponised” by rivals. With @henryjfoy.ft.com on.ft.com/3WkfSjs

The EU is preparing to start technical work on Ukraine and Moldova joining the bloc despite Hungary’s blockade of advancing accession talks, according to officials briefed on the process. With @henryjfoy.ft.com @benhallnews.bsky.social @christopherjm.ft.com on.ft.com/3IGHwnE

Prove your rules don’t target US tech or fix them, Trump’s ambassador to Brussels warns EU “Obviously, if we’re going to have a good relationship going forward, you can’t have legislation that punishes... your ally,” Andrew Puzder tells @financialtimes.com w @bmoens.bsky.social on.ft.com/4nUQVXH

(Another) big digital EU-US scoop from @bmoens.bsky.social EU targets Apple, Google and Microsoft over online financial scams, as Brussels probes US Big Tech groups and Booking Holdings over handling of fake apps and search results - despite Trump's ire at EU tech regulation on.ft.com/46OYxoJ

Big story in the battle between Brussels and Big Tech: The EU is poised to exclude Meta, Apple, Google and Amazon from a new system to share citizens’ financial data, in the face of Trump’s retaliation threats @bmoens.bsky.social & @paolatamma.bsky.social with the news on.ft.com/46tA9Yv

Draghi puts the boot into Brussels, blaming "inaction", "inertia" and "complacency" for failing to implement economic reforms that mean the EU has fallen further behind global rivals such as China & the US on.ft.com/48hey86 w crack competitiveness crew @bmoens.bsky.social & @paolatamma.bsky.social

Despite orders to “modernise the EU’s competition policy”, and rising pressure from industry to clearly define her vision, Ribera has moved cautiously - while prioritising other political interests A brilliant insight into the EU’s antitrust uncertainty by @bmoens.bsky.social on.ft.com/3K14tSH

One year on, implementation of Mario Draghi's recipe for Europe's economic renaissance is shy and partial, as EU headspace has been preoccupied with crisis mode, analysis found. @alicemhancock.bsky.social @bmoens.bsky.social www.ft.com/content/4423...

Belgium is open to discuss riskier ways to maximise profits arising from Russian immobilised assets, provided the EU shares the legal risks, its foreign minister told @lauramdubois.ft.com and me - an option just suggested by Ursula von der Leyen in her SOTEU. on.ft.com/4m5yFt9

The Europe-US trade deal was meant to bring some stability for European business. It has not worked out like that. @bmoens.bsky.social explains why in this column www.ft.com/content/84f8...

ASML and Mistral agree €1.3bn blockbuster European AI deal on.ft.com/3IbzeUu

EU hits Google with €2.95bn antitrust fine for search advertising practices, in the face of Trump’s threat of retaliatory tariffs over Brussels’ digital regulations @bmoens.bsky.social @financialtimes.com on.ft.com/4mOkV7k

Ursula von der Leyen has appointed Michele Piergiovanni to her cabinet as competition adviser, amid tensions in the European Commission over enforcing the bloc’s antitrust rules in the face of threats from US President Donald Trump. More in today’s Europe Express on.ft.com/481ZATp

Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg has raised the EU’s Digital Markets Act directly in a meeting with US President Donald Trump, the company said. It showcases how how Big Tech is using the Trump administration to lobby against the EU’s digital rules. on.ft.com/45ZLz69

The EU must be prepared to walk away from a trade deal with the US if Donald Trump acts on his threats to target the bloc unless it waters down its digital legislation, Teresa Ribera said. “We cannot be subject to the will of a third country.” With @henryjfoy.ft.com on.ft.com/47OlOrR

Europe’s roads and rail unfit for war with Russia, EU transport chief warns https://on.ft.com/4l3dace

EU transport commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas said he is aiming to spend €17bn on overhauling the continent’s infrastructure to boost military mobility https://on.ft.com/44Tc7qu

Linsey McCallum will lead DG Competiton ad interim as the bloc has not yet decided who will ultimately replace Olivier Guersent, people briefed on the decision said. Background on the potential successors here ⬇️ on.ft.com/4lKC5Cs

Can Europe break free of American tech supremacy? The EU's dependence on US groups for critical digital infrastructure is scaring executives and policymakers - and making stark the dearth of homegrown alternatives @bmoens.bsky.social with today's @financialtimes.com big read on.ft.com/40Wl3c4

The European Commission has stalled one of its investigations into Elon Musk’s X for breaking the bloc’s digital transparency rules, while it seeks to conclude trade talks with the US. With @henryjfoy.ft.com on.ft.com/410Q0Mb

💥Von der Leyen botches €2tn EU budget proposal with chaotic infighting, as Brussels officials & member state diplomats warn her centralised & top-down approach has compromised launch of the bloc’s biggest ever common budget w dreamteam @paolatamma.bsky.social & @bmoens.bsky.social on.ft.com/3IyMD8Y

As fierce policy battles lie ahead for the EU's antitrust 'ayatollahs', they have to choose a new top civil servant for DG Competition. The decision will offer the first sign of how far the bloc might open the door to bigger-is-better mergers within the single market. www.ft.com/content/742d...

The chief executives of large European companies including Airbus and BNP Paribas have urged Brussels to halt its landmark artificial intelligence act ahead of key provisions kicking into force in August. With @tim.fo www.ft.com/content/a825...

The EU will set out plans on Wednesday to pool funding and expertise in quantum to build a competitive European ecosystem in the key technology. Interview with the EU's tech chief @hennavirkkunen.bsky.social on why this is important for the EU's tech sovereignty. www.ft.com/content/57b4...