Tag: European Union

USB type – C will be available in all laptops and smartphones

Electronic devices are back in demand. They can get huge profits from various companies. Consumers are now trying to utilize the various benefits of technological advancements. As a result, many companies are trying to find out ways that can reduce electronic waste.

The waste that is getting generated due to rapid technological change is creating problems for the environment. Electronic devices are getting older and obsolete very quickly. This is creating problems for people also. They need to buy new devices now and then. The worst situation is in the case of the accessories. Things like chargers are the worst hit. There are various types of chargers for different types of electronic devices. This creates a lot of problems for the environment and the public.

But to reduce this issue, the government is discussing following the footsteps of the European Union. The European Union EU decided earlier this year that there will be a USB type – C charging feature for all consumer electronic devices like laptops and mobile phones. It will reduce electronic waste and will also enable people to charge any device using the same cable. 

Now, this step has been directed to all consumer electronic device manufacturers. They have been given a deadline of December 28, 2024. The Indian government is also planning to set the same deadline for the companies in India. It will give some relaxation to the companies to reset the systems for the manufacturing of their devices. Other than that, there will also require some planning in terms of the devices that will be exported to other countries.

https://unsplash.com/photos/4xMAiJZPQXI

Now, the biggest problem, in this case, will be Apple. It is because Apple is the only company which has not been able to provide the USB type – C charging option in its iPhones, which is the major seller. It says that if it does so, then there will be a huge amount of waste because people will then throw away their lightning cables, which will be bad for the environment.

On the other hand, all the Android manufacturers are almost transitioned to USB type – C charging features. It also enables their device to have a faster-charging speed which is not possible in micro-USB cable after a certain extent. Another advantage of USB type – C cable is the ease of use. 

Now, these changes will make sure that there will also be further fewer accessories in the electronic packaging. Just like the phase we are facing right now, in which companies are slowly removing the chargers from their package. But there will be phased implementation of this plan in India. It will enable the users to transition to the new norms smoothly. 

These changes will pave the way for a universal experience for the users. The new rules will also enable that the devices in the future like smartphones and laptops will become more compatible with the advancement that is being implemented in charging technology. These changes will slowly reduce some pressure from the environment also.  

5th European Union-India Competition Week 2022 Inaugurated

 The European Union-India Competition Week, 5th edition, was inaugurated today at the Competition Commission of India (CCI) HQ by Dr. Sangeeta Verma, acting Chairperson, CCI, and Mr Seppo Nurmi, Deputy Head of Delegation of the EU to India & Bhutan. The Competition Week is scheduled to be held during 5-7 December 2022.

In her opening remarks, Chairperson, CCI appreciated the relevance of the Competition Week for capacity building of CCI officers. Dr. Verma also highlighted the ongoing cooperation between CCI and Directorate General for Competition of the European Commission under the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by the two authorities in November 2013. Further, she pointed out that this technical cooperation program has provided a platform for dialogue and exchange of good practices between competition authority officials and experts from the EU and India. She remarked that the topics on the agenda are not only of great contemporary relevance and significance but also quite futuristic. 

In the backdrop of the rapidly changing and evolving digital landscape that is posing new challenges for competition law enforcers and questioning the traditional parameters of competition regulation, she highlighted the need for competition agencies to develop innovative perspectives on how to apply the existing instruments suitably and devise new tools, where necessary.

The practical insights shared by experts from the EU in designing and implementing their digital regulations will lead to very engaging discussions, she added.  

The Deputy Head of the EU delegation, Mr Nurmi, highlighted the India-EU relations that date back to the early-1960s. In reference to the agenda items to be covered in the ongoing India-EU Competition Week, he stated that topics such as experiences in applying antitrust laws to the digital economy/markets, introduction of the EU’s Digital Markets Act, investigating hub-and-spoke agreements & other atypical cartels and competition law & sustainable co-operation; are timely for sharing the views of EU experts. He further stated that the 5th India-EU Competition Week provides a platform to share views from two key economies on antitrust action in digital and technology markets as we attempt to find answers to these challenges and provides an opportunity to discuss how regulation can supplement competition enforcement, as the EU has set the Digital Markets Act in motion.

A short meeting on the sidelines of the competition week was also held between the Deputy Head of the EU delegation and Chairperson, CCI along-with the Secretary and other officials.

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Baltic Countries and their economic transformation

Baltics, also known as the Baltic States is comprised of three countries including Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia. The three countries are situated on the eastern shores of the Baltic Sea. In 1991 the regional governments of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia declared independence from the Union of Soviet Socialists Republics (USSR). Three countries have a collective population of just over 6 million. The three have been one of the better examples which have been progressing well after the breakup of the USSR. Many other former Soviet republics have been suffering the disarray of corruption and political instability.

In 2002 Baltic countries applied for membership in the European Union (EU) and by May 2004 all the three countries joined the EU. They also gained membership in NATO by March 2004.

Downtown Tallinn

Baltic independence in 1991

It’s truly astounding how the three countries have developed since 1991. None of them were independent since 1940. The three countries had large Russian minorities and many Soviet soldiers were still stationed there. There were no major national institutions and banking infrastructure with a crumbling economy. There was a growing homegrown national moment against the ruling government since the 1980s. The homegrown fronts won the republican parliamentary election against the ruling party in early 1990 and were allowed to govern but with limited power. The Russian president at that time, Boris Yeltsin had not contested their newly declared independence in 1991. The Baltic also witnessed no violence when the three governments had declared their independence.

The three nations also had almost no natural resources, unlike USSR which was resource-rich. They were still in a very vulnerable situation with a small population and no military of their own. Even though the countries were linguistically distinct with different languages, but people in all three countries had a united drive to strive for a better future. The three had implemented reforms with a shared vision. The governments of the three shared many policies, ideas, and experiences. The Baltic States also valued their new independence with a lot of enthusiasm and didn’t take it for granted. The other ex- USSR countries often had to ask for assistance from Russian Federation and also formed new alliances with the Russian government. Baltic countries on the other hand tried to stay away from joining the post-Soviet Commonwealth of Independent States. In the subsequent years, all the three countries adopted radical economic policies and Estonia was the first mover and Latvia and Lithuania would follow suit. In 1994 Estonia introduced a flat income tax at just 24 percent and the other two also implemented the policies. Currently, Lithuania has a tax rate of just 15 percent which is one of the lowest. With early and fast deregulation and privatization, the Baltic countries were able to capture a large amount of foreign direct investment. Estonia also radically transformed its public sector with various digitalization implementations and less reliance on paperwork. Latvian and Lithuania’s transformation in this area was not as drastic but after some time both of them followed Estonia’s footsteps.  Transparency International ranks Estonia No. 17, Lithuania 37, and Latvia 42 out of 175 countries on its Corruption Perception Index for 2020. This is a commendable ranking considering they all the three are a relatively new entrant to the EU and many other EU countries have lower ranks than the three.

Success attributions

The success can also be attributed to the generous support that the three countries received from the international community and funds granted by the EU, World Bank, and the IMF. In 2008 Baltic suffered from the global economic crisis. The three soon adopted the Euro as their currency to avoid any future liquidity freeze issues that they experienced at that time. The economies al the Baltic rebounded quickly and due to good monetary measures, the three have a very low public debt. Baltic governments have also made swift progress in the Education sector and the three have attained commendable rankings in the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Estonia has done a very commendable task in this area with top 10 rankings in many assessments.  But the Baltics also face many challenges with population loss due to low birth rate and emigration. Proximity and hostility with Russia still is a challenge that the tiny nations have to endure.        

Brexit Negotiations Now Scheduled to October

The United Kingdom (UK) left the European Union (EU) on 31 January 2020. A transition period is now in place until 31 December 2020. During this period the UK must comply with all EU rules and laws. Virtually nothing will change for businesses or for the public. There will be changes after the transition period, whether or not an agreement is reached on the new relationship between the UK and the EU.

Talks between UK and European Union negotiators will continue into October, the UK government said, ending only days before a key meeting of EU leaders the bloc says is the deadline for the two sides to reach a comprehensive trade agreement.

The UK left the EU at midnight on 31 January 2020.  A transition period is now in place until 31 December 2020. During this period all EU rules and laws will continue to apply to the UK. Virtually nothing will change for businesses or for the public. This will give everyone more time to prepare for the new agreements that the EU and the UK intend to make after 31 December 2020.

On 17 October 2019 the UK and the EU reached an agreement on the conditions for the UK’s departure from the EU (Brexit), and on a transition period until 31 December 2020.

On 17 October 2019 the UK and the EU reached an agreement on the conditions for the UK’s departure from the EU (Brexit), and on a transition period until 31 December 2020.

Negotiators will meet on the weeks of August 17, September 7 and September 28, the British government said in a statement on Friday.

EU leaders are pushing to reach a deal before the meeting to allow time for any trade accord to be implemented before the post-Brexit transition period expires on December 31.

A fifth round of talks between ended last week with both sides saying they are still far from reaching an agreement. Without one, businesses face the imposition of tariffs and quotas from next year.