Legislators in the European Union have informed Alphabet, Facebook, Apple, and Amazon that they are open to delaying a potential hearing beyond February 1, its initially scheduled date, Reuters reported.
The European Parliament had invited the leaders of the firms to a hearing in Europe to aid them in forming an opinion on stringent new regulations that the European Commission had put forward. Parliament’s economic affairs committee provided the invitations.
That committee is “willing to consider rescheduling and looking into alternative dates later than the originally planned date of Feb. 1,” per a letter viewed by the news outlet. Legislators are willing to hold the hearing in March of February, Reuters reported.
Antitrust watchdogs in the bloc want the tech companies to stop business practices designed to maintain their leading positions and dominate smaller competitors. They also want the companies to take further actions to remove harmful and illicit content on their systems, with large financial penalties for those who fail to do so.
In December, the European Commission revealed comprehensive possible new rules for digital services that would cover social media, online marketplaces and other platforms, providing first drafts of the Digital Services Act (DSA) and Digital Markets Act (DMA).
“The two proposals serve one purpose: to make sure that we, as users, have access to a wide choice of safe products and services online. And that businesses operating in Europe can freely and fairly compete online just as they do offline,” Margrethe Vestager, executive vice-president of the European Commission for A Europe Fit for the Digital Age, said in a release at the time.
Andrew Finch, a prominent figure in U.S. antitrust law and former top official at the Justice Department during the first Donald Trump administration, has made the move to Cravath, Swaine & Moore from rival firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison. Finch, who most recently co-chaired the antitrust practice at Paul Weiss, is set to join Cravath’s litigation department as a partner in New York.
According to Reuters, Finch’s tenure at the Justice Department, where he served as principal deputy assistant attorney general and acting assistant attorney general in the antitrust division between 2017 and 2019, underscores his expertise in the field. His work in government, alongside his clients at Paul Weiss, including Spirit Airlines, Uber, and Mastercard, makes him a valuable addition to Cravath’s team. At Cravath, Finch will focus on advising clients on antitrust investigations, litigation, and merger reviews, according to the firm’s announcement.
In a statement, Faiza Saeed, Cravath’s presiding partner, highlighted Finch’s credentials, noting that his experience “will be invaluable to our clients as they navigate an increasingly complex regulatory environment.” Saeed’s comments reflect the growing demand for expert guidance in the fast-evolving antitrust landscape.
The news of Finch’s departure from Paul Weiss comes just after the inauguration of President Donald Trump for his second term, a timing that adds another layer of significance to the move. A Paul Weiss spokesperson expressed well wishes to Finch, acknowledging his contributions to the firm.
Cravath’s decision to bring Finch aboard is part of a broader trend where the firm, historically known for promoting from within, has increasingly looked outside for top-tier talent. In recent years, Cravath has recruited several former government officials, including a trio of regulatory experts in 2022 to open a new office in Washington, D.C. This follows the 2022 hire of Noah Phillips, a former commissioner at the U.S. Federal Trade Commission during the Trump administration, who now co-chairs Cravath’s antitrust practice alongside Christine Varney, a former U.S. assistant attorney general for antitrust under the Obama administration.
Source: Reuters
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