The European Union (EU) brought accusations against China to the World Trade Organization (WTO) on Friday (Feb. 18), alleging Beijing stopped European tech firms from pursuing recourse in foreign courts to defend their own patents.
“It is part of a global power grab by the Chinese government by legal means,” said a European Commission official, Financial Times reported. “It is a means to push Europe out.”
China’s Supreme People’s Court decided in August 2020 that Chinese courts can impose “anti-suit injunctions” that stop a country from taking its case to court outside of China.
Tensions between the EU and China have been growing, and this latest move by the EU follows a separate case opened by Brussels at the WTO. Brussels has alleged that Beijing is taking its frustrations out on EU member state Lithuania over Taiwan. China has blocked all imports from Lithuania over a dispute regarding its relationship with Taiwan, according to reports.
See also: China’s WeChat, AliExpress Added to US Piracy Market List
“EU companies have a right to seek justice on fair terms when their technology is used illegally. That is why we are launching WTO consultations today,” EU executive vice president Valdis Dombrovskis said in a statement, according to reports.
Sweden’s Ericsson, Finland’s Nokia and Japan’s Sharp reportedly lost money following a Chinese supreme court ruling that stopped them from protecting their patents because of licensing deals approved in foreign courts, the European Commission said.
Further, Chinese courts also reportedly set license fees 50% below the market rate previously decided and agreed upon between other technology providers and manufacturers, including Oppo, Xiaomi, ZTE and Huawei.
Read more: ByteDance, Tencent, Alibaba Invest in China’s Regulated Metaverse
Worldwide tenets for telecommunications networks had been set and agreed upon by smartphone makers. The tradeoff was that technology manufacturers would in turn share their patent licenses with others.
If all parties couldn’t come to an agreement on the price, the court was called upon to help everyone reach a consensus — but the cases had to be held in China.
The U.S. is also anticipated to join the EU.
China now has 60 days to respond to Brussels before the case moves to a settlement panel for a ruling.
“The currency of now” takes on a decidedly different form in this poem about the mall’s resurgence. It celebrates the brick-and-mortar comeback fueled by Gen Z’s desire for IRL (in real life) connections and the evolving role of physical space in a digitally-driven world. Join us, with a little help from AI, as we examine this retail revolution, where the “currency” of cool reigns supreme.
The tinsel’s gone, the carols now hushed,
New Year’s returns — cashiers mildly crushed.
A sea of sweatpants, gift cards in hand,
The mall’s a vibe unplanned.
But fear not, dear shopper, the story’s not bleak —
The mall’s plotting comebacks, not just peak weak week.
Gen Z’s in the food court, TikTokking their fries,
While swiping through Depop for vintage thigh-highs.
“IRL’s better!” they might say, “No porch pirates, no wait—
Just tag me @Aritzia, I’ll meet you at eight!”
They crave neon selfies, not screens’ pixelated glow,
So malls built a skatepark where a Sears used to go.
Shopify’s merchants now hawk leather and lace
In pop-ups by Simon — no “online-only” space.
Leap powers the kiosks, the QR code deals,
As D2C brands test if foot traffic feels.
Where Macy’s once stood, now micro-lofts bloom:
“Live above Lululemon!” they might chirp. “Bath bombs in every room!”
A dentist, a daycare, a co-working hub —
The mall’s now a Swiss Army knife, scrubbed of ’80s dud.
Mall of America’s got waterslides looping its floors,
While American Dream’s got a ski slope indoors.
“Why choose between Zara and ziplines?” they could grin,
As Nordstrom becomes Saks Fifth within.
Phones glow like fireflies in this retail ballet:
Price checks on Google, then “U up?” on Tinder (hey).
They scan, they compare, they Instagram the ‘fit—
But still buy the jeans ’cause the vibe’s so legit.
So here’s to the mall — that phoenix of bricks!
No longer a relic of cassette tape tricks.
With Gen Z as hypebeast and Shopify’s might,
It’s part TikTok backdrop, part urbanist’s right.
The future’s bright, chaotic, a bit over-leased …
But hey — at least parking’s finally decreased.