{ "data_version": "1", "schema": "https://whatledto.com/data", "id": "european-commission", "name": "European Commission", "kind": "regulator", "url": "https://whatledto.com/who/european-commission", "description": "", "same_as": [], "timelines": [ { "slug": "digital-game-ownership", "title": "Do You Own Your Games? The Crew, AB 2426 and the Buy-Button Lawsuits", "url": "https://whatledto.com/events/digital-game-ownership", "json": "https://whatledto.com/events/digital-game-ownership.json", "role": "Received the Stop Destroying Videogames initiative and declined to propose a legal obligation to preserve playability after sale.", "entries": 5, "updated_at": "2026-10-17T01:48:04.811832+00:00" }, { "slug": "us-canada-trade-war", "title": "The US–Canada Trade War: From the Fentanyl Tariffs to Section 338 and Dollar-for-Dollar Retaliation", "url": "https://whatledto.com/events/us-canada-trade-war", "json": "https://whatledto.com/events/us-canada-trade-war.json", "role": "EU executive body whose president made the associate-membership proposal.", "entries": 1, "updated_at": "2026-10-14T06:23:01.265281+00:00" }, { "slug": "nvidia-acquisitions", "title": "Nvidia's Dealmaking: From Mellanox and the Failed Arm Bid to Groq and Hugging Face", "url": "https://whatledto.com/events/nvidia-acquisitions", "json": "https://whatledto.com/events/nvidia-acquisitions.json", "role": "EU merger authority that cleared Run:ai after Italy's Article 22 referral and is expected to review the pending Hugging Face acquisition.", "entries": 6, "updated_at": "2026-10-14T04:57:05.710223+00:00" }, { "slug": "xbox-game-pass", "title": "Xbox Game Pass: The Price Rise, the Reversal and the Metered Cloud", "url": "https://whatledto.com/events/xbox-game-pass", "json": "https://whatledto.com/events/xbox-game-pass.json", "role": "EU regulator whose Activision cloud-streaming commitments run until October 2033.", "entries": 0, "updated_at": "2026-10-14T03:03:06.677631+00:00" } ], "entries": [ { "timeline": "us-canada-trade-war", "id": 1464, "url": "https://whatledto.com/events/us-canada-trade-war#n1464", "date": "2026-09-16", "date_precision": "day", "title": "Von der Leyen proposes EU associate membership for Canada", "summary": "European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed opening the way for Canada to become the European Union's first associate member. Mark Carney welcomed a proposal for a Canada-EU alliance beyond CETA.", "type": "announcement", "entities": [ "Ursula von der Leyen", "Mark Carney", "European Commission", "European Union", "Canada", "CETA" ], "parties": [ "ursula-von-der-leyen", "mark-carney", "european-commission", "european-union", "canada", "ceta" ], "sources": [ { "url": "https://cyprus.representation.ec.europa.eu/news/2026-state-union-address-president-von-der-leyen-2026-09-16_en", "outlet": "European Commission", "published": "2026-09-16", "quote": "“So, I would like to work with you on opening the door for Canada to be the first associate member of the EU.”" }, { "url": "https://www.pm.gc.ca/en/news/readouts/2026/09/16/prime-minister-carney-meets-president-european-commission-ursula-von-der", "outlet": "Prime Minister of Canada", "published": "2026-09-16", "quote": "“The Prime Minister welcomed the President’s proposal for Canada and the EU to move beyond the Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) to a far stronger, more ambitious alliance in the future.”" } ] }, { "timeline": "digital-game-ownership", "id": 1025, "url": "https://whatledto.com/events/digital-game-ownership#n1025", "date": "2026-06-16", "date_precision": "day", "title": "The Commission says it cannot require publishers to keep games playable", "summary": "In its formal answer the Commission concluded it could not propose a legal obligation to keep video games playable once they stop being sold, pointing to intellectual property and copyright constraints. It offered instead to work on a code of conduct for managing the end of a game's life.", "type": "regulatory", "entities": [ "European Commission", "Stop Destroying Videogames" ], "parties": [ "european-commission", "stop-destroying-videogames" ], "sources": [ { "url": "https://outof.games/news/9185-the-european-commission-answers-to-the-stop-killing-games-movement/", "outlet": "Out of Games (European Commission communication)", "published": "2026-06-16", "quote": "In its reply, the Commission cannot propose a legal obligation to keep video games playable after they stop being provided commercially." }, { "url": "https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX%3A52026XC03601", "outlet": "European Commission, Official Journal of the European Union", "published": "2026-07-09", "quote": "“This Communication sets out the Commission’s legal and political conclusions on the initiative, the action it intends to take, its reasons for doing so and the envisaged timeline.”" } ] }, { "timeline": "digital-game-ownership", "id": 1023, "url": "https://whatledto.com/events/digital-game-ownership#n1023", "date": "2026-02-23", "date_precision": "day", "title": "Organisers put their case to two commissioners", "summary": "The initiative's organisers met Executive Vice-President Henna Virkkunen and Commissioner Michael McGrath, the hearing the ECI Regulation entitles them to before the Commission replies.", "type": "other", "entities": [ "European Commission", "Henna Virkkunen", "Michael McGrath", "Stop Destroying Videogames" ], "parties": [ "european-commission", "henna-virkkunen", "michael-mcgrath", "stop-destroying-videogames" ], "sources": [ { "url": "https://outof.games/news/9185-the-european-commission-answers-to-the-stop-killing-games-movement/", "outlet": "Out of Games (European Commission communication)", "published": "2026-06-16", "quote": "On 23 February 2026, the initiative organisers presented the objectives of their initiative in a meeting with Executive Vice-President Henna Virkkunen and Commissioner Michael McGrath, accompanied by European Commission officials, in line with Article 15 of the ECI Regulation." } ] }, { "timeline": "digital-game-ownership", "id": 1022, "url": "https://whatledto.com/events/digital-game-ownership#n1022", "date": "2026-01-26", "date_precision": "day", "title": "The initiative is submitted to the Commission with 1,294,188 verified signatures", "summary": "After national verification, Stop Destroying Videogames became one of the few citizens' initiatives to reach the Commission, which then had six months to answer.", "type": "other", "entities": [ "Stop Destroying Videogames", "European Commission" ], "parties": [ "stop-destroying-videogames", "european-commission" ], "sources": [ { "url": "https://outof.games/news/9185-the-european-commission-answers-to-the-stop-killing-games-movement/", "outlet": "Out of Games (European Commission communication)", "published": "2026-06-16", "quote": "The 'Stop Destroying Videogames' initiative was submitted to the European Commission on 26 January 2026, after having gathered 1,294,188 verified statements of support." } ] }, { "timeline": "digital-game-ownership", "id": 1019, "url": "https://whatledto.com/events/digital-game-ownership#n1019", "date": "2025-07-08", "date_precision": "day", "title": "Stop Killing Games passes a million signatures in the EU", "summary": "The European Citizens' Initiative started after The Crew went dark crossed one million signatures in at least seven member states, the threshold that forces the European Commission to respond. Organisers Aleksej Vjalicin and Daniel Ondruska had until the end of July to collect them.", "type": "other", "entities": [ "Stop Destroying Videogames", "European Commission" ], "parties": [ "stop-destroying-videogames", "european-commission" ], "sources": [ { "url": "https://www.euronews.com/next/2025/07/08/citizens-petition-to-stop-killing-games-reaches-1-million-signatures-likely-triggering-eu-", "outlet": "Euronews", "published": "2025-07-08", "quote": "A European Citizens' Initiative called Stop Killing Games surpassed one million signatures in at least seven member states, which is the threshold to force the Commission to consider issues raised by the public." } ] }, { "timeline": "nvidia-acquisitions", "id": 716, "url": "https://whatledto.com/events/nvidia-acquisitions#n716", "date": "2025-01-10", "date_precision": "day", "title": "Nvidia seeks annulment of Run:ai referral decision", "summary": "Nvidia brought an action seeking annulment of the European Commission's October 31, 2024 decision on Italy's referral request. The action concerned the Run:ai transaction.", "type": "legal", "entities": [ "Nvidia", "Run:ai", "European Commission", "General Court of the European Union" ], "parties": [ "nvidia", "run-ai", "european-commission", "general-court-of-the-european-union" ], "sources": [ { "url": "https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=OJ%3AC_202501124", "outlet": "Official Journal of the European Union, Case T-15/25", "published": "2025-02-24", "quote": "The applicant claims that the Court should: — annul Commission’s decision of 31 October 2024, on the request for referral by Italy to the Commission pursuant to Article 22(1) of the EU Merger Regulation." } ] }, { "timeline": "nvidia-acquisitions", "id": 682, "url": "https://whatledto.com/events/nvidia-acquisitions#n682", "date": "2024-12-20", "date_precision": "day", "title": "European Commission clears Run:ai unconditionally in its first post-Illumina Article 22 case", "summary": "Although the deal fell below EU turnover thresholds, Italy's competition authority referred it to Brussels under Article 22 and the Commission opened a review in November. It found Run:ai had no significant position in GPU orchestration software and that customers had credible alternatives, and approved the deal without conditions; the US Justice Department had also examined it.", "type": "regulatory", "entities": [ "European Commission", "Nvidia", "Run:ai", "U.S. Department of Justice" ], "parties": [ "european-commission", "nvidia", "run-ai", "us-department-of-justice" ], "sources": [ { "url": "https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/api/files/document/print/en/ip_24_6548/IP_24_6548_EN.pdf", "outlet": "European Commission", "published": "2024-12-20", "quote": "The European Commission has approved unconditionally, under the EU Merger Regulation (‘EUMR'), the proposed acquisition of Run:ai Labs Ltd (‘ Run:ai ') by NVIDIA Corporation (‘ NVIDIA' ). The Commission concluded that the transaction would raise no competition concerns in the European Economic Area (‘EEA')." } ] }, { "timeline": "nvidia-acquisitions", "id": 713, "url": "https://whatledto.com/events/nvidia-acquisitions#n713", "date": "2024-09-30", "date_precision": "day", "title": "Italy refers Run:ai transaction to European Commission", "summary": "Italy's competition authority submitted an Article 22 referral request concerning Nvidia's proposed acquisition of Run:ai. The request was sent to the European Commission.", "type": "regulatory", "entities": [ "Nvidia", "Run:ai", "Italian Competition Authority", "European Commission" ], "parties": [ "nvidia", "run-ai", "italian-competition-authority", "european-commission" ], "sources": [ { "url": "https://ec.europa.eu/competition/mergers/cases1/202516/M_11766_10599624_2741_6.pdf", "outlet": "European Commission, Case M.11766", "published": "2024-10-31", "quote": "On 30 September 2024, the Italian NCA submitted their Referral Request to the Commission." } ] }, { "timeline": "nvidia-acquisitions", "id": 711, "url": "https://whatledto.com/events/nvidia-acquisitions#n711", "date": "2024-08-06", "date_precision": "day", "title": "Italy calls in Nvidia's proposed Run:ai acquisition", "summary": "Italy's competition authority considered Nvidia's proposed Run:ai acquisition to meet applicable conditions of the Italian Competition Act. The authority exercised its call-in power over the transaction.", "type": "regulatory", "entities": [ "Nvidia", "Run:ai", "Italian Competition Authority", "European Commission" ], "parties": [ "nvidia", "run-ai", "italian-competition-authority", "european-commission" ], "sources": [ { "url": "https://ec.europa.eu/competition/mergers/cases1/202516/M_11766_10599624_2741_6.pdf", "outlet": "European Commission, Case M.11766", "published": "2024-10-31", "quote": "On 6 August 2024 the Italian NCA considered that the Transaction prima facie met the applicable conditions of the Italian Competition Act." } ] }, { "timeline": "digital-game-ownership", "id": 1032, "url": "https://whatledto.com/events/digital-game-ownership#n1032", "date": "2024-06-19", "date_precision": "day", "title": "European Commission register publishes Stop Destroying Videogames initiative", "summary": "The European Citizens' Initiative register published Stop Destroying Videogames. The initiative calls for publishers selling or licensing games in the EU to leave games playable.", "type": "regulatory", "entities": [ "European Commission", "Stop Destroying Videogames", "Video-game publishers" ], "parties": [ "european-commission", "stop-destroying-videogames", "video-game-publishers" ], "sources": [ { "url": "https://citizens-initiative.europa.eu/initiatives/details/2024/000007_en", "outlet": "European Citizens' Initiative register", "published": "2024-06-19", "quote": "This initiative calls to require publishers that sell or license videogames to consumers in the European Union (or related features and assets sold for videogames they operate) to leave said videogames in a functional (playable) state." } ] }, { "timeline": "nvidia-acquisitions", "id": 677, "url": "https://whatledto.com/events/nvidia-acquisitions#n677", "date": "2021-12-02", "date_precision": "day", "title": "FTC sues to block the Arm acquisition as a vertical threat to chip competition", "summary": "The Federal Trade Commission voted 4-0 to challenge the deal, arguing that owning Arm would let Nvidia stifle rivals that depend on Arm designs in data center CPUs, automotive and DPUs, and give it access to competitors' confidential information. The UK's CMA had already opened an in-depth probe on national-security and competition grounds and the European Commission a Phase 2 review.", "type": "legal", "entities": [ "Federal Trade Commission", "Nvidia", "Arm", "UK Competition and Markets Authority", "European Commission" ], "parties": [ "federal-trade-commission", "nvidia", "arm", "uk-competition-and-markets-authority", "european-commission" ], "sources": [ { "url": "https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2021/12/ftc-sues-block-40-billion-semiconductor-chip-merger", "outlet": "Federal Trade Commission", "published": "2021-12-02", "quote": "The Federal Trade Commission today sued to block U.S. chip supplier Nvidia Corp.’s $40 billion acquisition of U.K. chip design provider Arm Ltd. Semiconductor chips power the computers and technologies that are essential to our modern economy and society." } ] }, { "timeline": "nvidia-acquisitions", "id": 674, "url": "https://whatledto.com/events/nvidia-acquisitions#n674", "date": "2020-04-16", "date_precision": "day", "title": "China's SAMR clears Mellanox with conditions after a year-long review", "summary": "Thirteen months after signing, China's State Administration for Market Regulation became the last authority to approve the deal, attaching behavioural conditions for six years: no bundling of GPUs with networking gear, supply on fair and non-discriminatory terms, and no restricting Chinese customers' access. The EU, Mexico and the US waiting period had already cleared.", "type": "regulatory", "entities": [ "Nvidia", "Mellanox", "State Administration for Market Regulation", "European Commission" ], "parties": [ "nvidia", "mellanox", "state-administration-for-market-regulation", "european-commission" ], "sources": [ { "url": "https://nvidianews.nvidia.com/news/nvidia-receives-approval-to-proceed-with-mellanox-acquisition-from-chinas-antitrust-authority", "outlet": "NVIDIA Newsroom", "published": "2020-04-16", "quote": "NVIDIA today announced that it has received approval from all necessary authorities to proceed with its planned acquisition of Mellanox, as announced in March 2019. The latest approval by China’s State Administration for Market Regulation follows antitrust approval from the European Commission and Mexico and the expiration of the waiting period under U.S. antitrust laws." } ] } ], "often_with": [ { "id": "european-parliament", "name": "European Parliament", "url": "https://whatledto.com/who/european-parliament", "json": "https://whatledto.com/who/european-parliament.json", "shared_timelines": 2 }, { "id": "microsoft", "name": "Microsoft", "url": "https://whatledto.com/who/microsoft", "json": "https://whatledto.com/who/microsoft.json", "shared_timelines": 2 }, { "id": "nvidia", "name": "Nvidia", "url": "https://whatledto.com/who/nvidia", "json": "https://whatledto.com/who/nvidia.json", "shared_timelines": 2 }, { "id": "uk-competition-and-markets-authority", "name": "UK Competition and Markets Authority", "url": "https://whatledto.com/who/uk-competition-and-markets-authority", "json": "https://whatledto.com/who/uk-competition-and-markets-authority.json", "shared_timelines": 2 }, { "id": "ubisoft", "name": "Ubisoft", "url": "https://whatledto.com/who/ubisoft", "json": "https://whatledto.com/who/ubisoft.json", "shared_timelines": 1 }, { "id": "gamestop", "name": "GameStop", "url": "https://whatledto.com/who/gamestop", "json": "https://whatledto.com/who/gamestop.json", "shared_timelines": 1 }, { "id": "sony", "name": "Sony", "url": "https://whatledto.com/who/sony", "json": "https://whatledto.com/who/sony.json", "shared_timelines": 1 }, { "id": "sony-interactive-entertainment-llc", "name": "Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC", "url": "https://whatledto.com/who/sony-interactive-entertainment-llc", "json": "https://whatledto.com/who/sony-interactive-entertainment-llc.json", "shared_timelines": 1 } ], "license": { "holder": "What Led To", "terms": "https://whatledto.com/methodology#reuse", "summary": "Quote entries with attribution and a link to the entry; do not republish whole timelines or train models on the text." } }