The European Commission has requested consultations at the World Trade Organization (WTO) to challenge China's practices regarding intellectual property rights. The EU alleges that China has empowered its courts to set binding worldwide royalty rates for EU standard essential patents without patent owners' consent, potentially violating the WTO's Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights Agreement. This action focuses on protecting EU high-tech industries, particularly in the telecoms sector, and follows unsuccessful negotiations with China. If consultations fail to resolve the issue within 60 days, the EU may escalate to requesting a WTO panel ruling.

The European Commission has launched an anti-dumping investigation into imports of polyamide yarns from China, following a complaint lodged on 16 June 2025 by the Ad Hoc Coalition of European Producers of Yarns of Polyamide. The investigation, covering the period from 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2025, will examine allegations of dumping and raw material distortions, particularly regarding polyamide polymers which comprise 45-53% of production costs. The Commission may impose provisional measures within 7-8 months, with the investigation set to conclude within 14 months. The probe will also assess whether duties lower than the dumping margin would suffice to remove injury to EU producers.

The European Commission has initiated an anti-dumping investigation under Article 5 of Regulation (EU) 2016/1036, on protection against dumped imports from countries not members of the European Union, into imports of 2-phosphonobutane-1,2,4-tricarboxylic acid (PBTC/PBTCA)—an alkyl phosphonic acid—and its sodium salt, tetrasodium hydrogen 2-phosphonatobutane-1,2,4-tricarboxylate (PBTC-Na₄)—originating in the People’s Republic of China (PRC), following a complaint lodged on 7 August 2025 by LANXESS Deutschland GmbH. The complainant alleges that imports are being dumped and are causing injury to the Union industry. It further claims that domestic prices and costs in China are not appropriate due to significant distortions within the meaning of Article 2(6a)(b) of the basic Regulation.

The European Commission has announced that it has initiated an investigation into Snapchat’s compliance with child protection rules under the Digital Services Act (DSA). The investigation will assess whether the platform provides a high level of safety, privacy and security for minors, focusing on five areas: (1) the adequacy of Snapchat’s age‑assurance measures; (2) safeguards against the grooming and criminal exploitation of minors; (3) the suitability of default account privacy and safety settings for children; (4) the effectiveness of measures preventing the spread of content related to prohibited products and (5) the accessibility and user‑friendliness of mechanisms for reporting illegal content. According to the Commission Snapchat may have breached the DSA by exposing minors to grooming attempts and recruitment for criminal purposes.

The European Commission has initiated a review of the EU safeguard measure on steel imports, following a request from 13 EU Member States. The Commission cites the challenging situation facing the EU steel sector, exacerbated by global overcapacity and decreased EU demand, as the basis for the review. The investigation will run until 31 March 2025, with any potential changes requiring approval by EU Member States through a qualified majority vote. If approved, modifications could take effect from 1 April 2025. The current safeguard measure will remain in force until its scheduled expiration on 30 June 2026.

The European Commission has announced the initiation of a safeguard investigation to assess whether measures are needed to protect EU manufacturers of grain-oriented electrical steel (GOES), a specialised steel product used in electrical equipment such as power transformers which are essential for transmitting electricity from power plants to end users and which is therefore considered critical to the security of the EU’s energy infrastructure.

The European Commission has endorsed the integration of the voluntary Code of Practice on Disinformation into the EU Digital Services Act (DSA) framework. This integration, effective from 1 July 2025, establishes the Code as a benchmark for determining platforms' EU DSA compliance. The Commission has stated that full adherence to the Code may be considered an appropriate risk mitigation measure for Very Large Online Platforms and Search Engines. Additionally, the Code's commitments will be subject to annual independent audits under the EU DSA. The Commission has provided recommendations for implementation, including finalising the Rapid Response System and enhancing data provision for reporting purposes.

The European Commission has adopted a Regulation establishing a Flight Emissions Label (FEL) to standardise the calculation of flight emissions. The Commission has announced that airlines operating within or departing from the EU can voluntarily participate from February 2025, with full implementation set for July 2025. The FEL aims to provide passengers with transparent information on greenhouse gas emissions, combat greenwashing, and promote fair competition in the aviation sector. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency will oversee emission estimations, utilising a harmonised methodology based on factors such as aircraft type and fuel consumption.

The Commission has introduced an information and communication technologies (ICT) Supply Chain Security Toolbox, developed with Member States and EU Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) through the NIS2 Cooperation Group, to create a common EU approach to identifying and mitigating cybersecurity risks in ICT supply chains. The toolbox will help Member States and public and private actors to bolster the security of ICT supply chains in the EU as set out in the proposed Revised Cybersecurity Act presented on 20 January 2026. It also proposed a trusted ICT supply chain framework under the revised EU Cybersecurity Act and published two risk assessments on connected vehicles and border detection equipment.

The European Commission has introduced a new customs surveillance system to monitor metal scrap imports and exports. The measure forms part of the Steel and Metal Action Plan (SMAP) adopted in March 2025 and aims to address declining scrap availability in the EU. The Commission will collect detailed trade flow data through Q3 2025 to determine if additional measures are needed, responding to concerns about scrap exports and the impact of US 50% tariffs on steel and aluminium products. The system includes monthly public reporting of trade statistics.

The European Commission has launched a consultation on four draft initiatives to establish technical specifications and requirements for data on alternative fuels infrastructure. These include specifications for data format, frequency, and quality; common technical requirements for a standard application interface; additional data types; and standards for wireless recharging, electric roads, vehicle-grid communication, and hydrogen. Feedback on these initiatives is open from 2 to 30 December 2024, with responses influencing the final regulations.

The European Commission has sent requests for information to YouTube, Snapchat and TikTok under the EU Digital Services Act (DSA) to examine how their recommender systems operate and assess the risks they pose. YouTube and Snapchat have been asked to provide information regarding the parameters used by their algorithms to recommend content to users and their role in amplifying systemic risks such as mental health, electoral process and the protection of minors. TikTok is to share details about the measures taken to avoid the manipulation of the service by malicious actors and how it mitigates risks such as elections, pluralism in media and civic discourse. The platforms have until 15 November 2024 to respond, and the Commission may initiate formal proceedings if responses are insufficient, with potential fines for incomplete or incorrect information under Article 74(2) of the EU DSA.