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The article states that U.S. technology company Google Inc. formally rejected a demand by the organization the European Union (EU) to change the functions of its Internet search engine on August 27, 2015. According to the article, the formal rejection stems from anti-trust charges levied by the EU against Google in Spring 2015 in a document called a Statement of Objections (SO). The article states that a resolution to the conflict between Google and the EU could be protracted. The article presents comments from antitrust attorney Gary Reback.

The article reports that the European Court of Justice ruled that European Union (EU) patent law does not bar the import of products made from biotechnology materials patented in the EU but not in the country from which it was imported. The judgment went against Monsanto Co., the world's largest seed manufacturer. Monsanto had already settled its claims against the companies which had imported seeds based on its EU patent into the EU.

The article discusses efforts by Chocoladefabriken Lindt & Sprungli AG to trademark a foil-wrapped, chocolate bunny that it manufactures. Although Lindt acquired a European trademark in 2001, competitors continue to sell products that bear a close similarity. The European Union's Court of Justice is expected to deliver a ruling on the matter in June, 2009.

The article reports on Microsoft Corp.'s struggles with Europe antitrust regulations years after it reached a settlement with U.S. Department of Justice in a similar dispute. Neelie Kroes, head of Europe's antitrust office, feels the situation has not improved since she has been in office. A list of various objectives that some industry players including IBM and Sun Microsystems, Oracle and more, want to reach with the EU case against Microsoft is also provided.

Examines the antitrust case involving Microsoft Corp. in Europe, focusing on the market for digital media-player software. Claims of European regulators regarding Microsoft's presence in the desktop software market and competition within the software industry; Number of device manufacturers and software companies that run software using Microsoft's Windows Media Audio (WMA) as a standard; Comments from Mark Mulligan, senior analyst at Jupiter Research, regarding the computers users' preference for ease in computing.

Focuses on two lawyers, Brad Smith and Thomas Vinje, who are working on opposite sides of antitrust case involving Microsoft Corp. and European rivals. Year in which these two lawyers faced each other in the first round of antitrust charges against Microsoft and European rivals; Details of the charges against Microsoft, including that the software maker "bundles" new features into its Windows operating system, resulting in unfair competition; Discussion of Windows Media Player, which is used to play digital songs and videos; When the European Commission sent its final warning to Microsoft regarding punishment unless the company changes the way it sells its products and discloses more information about its software; Vinje's involvement in a case in American against Microsoft on behalf of the Communications Industry Association, whose members include Sun Microsystems Inc. and Yahoo Inc.

The article reports that Panama and Groups United for the Canal, a consortium of European construction industry firms have agreed to arbitration in a dispute over cost overruns in the construction project to expand and deepen the Panama Canal.

The article reports on the varied public response across Europe to the arrest of Dominique Strauss-Kahn, managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), on allegation that he sexually assaulted a hotel employee in New York City.

The article reports in the increase in lawsuits filed against banks in Europe in 2009. European banks are increasingly defending their roles in the sale or structuring of complex financial products. Investors complain that banks did not provide them with sufficient information about the risks hidden in highly complex financial products. Much of the lawsuits are arising from the failure of documentation drafted for transactions more than two years ago to provide information about subsequent catastrophic events.

This article reports on the victory of eBay Inc., an online marketplace, in cases in Europe involving attempts by luxury companies to control who sells their brands online. In Great Britain, a court absolved eBay of responsibility for the sale of fake L'Oreal SA products on its Web site. A similar ruling over a similar case was made earlier in May 2009 by a court in France. The rulings come as European policy makers review the extent of the power of companies to restrict trade through their authorized dealers.

The article reports on a decision by the European Court of Justice to allow GlaxoSmithKline PLC to limit the sale of drugs to low-priced member states that export the same drugs to other countries for profit. Parallel trade of drugs is prevalent in Europe because a key piece of the national health plans in most European countries is that governments can set price caps on drugs while goods can be traded freely among member countries. It is also noted that the court was not clear on where the limits should be ensuring more litigations regarding the matter.

The article discusses a U.S. court ruling that absolved eBay Inc. of responsibility for counterfeit items sold on its auction web site. Retailer Tiffany & Co. had sued eBay. The ruling stands in stark contrast to precedent in Europe, where web sites have a greater responsibility to prevent counterfeit goods from being sold.

The article reports on the decision of Alstom SA to join the inquiry as a co-plaintiff in a bribes-for-business investigation of the company. Swiss and French prosecutors are probing into the matter. According to the article, this right to join an ongoing criminal investigation or proceeding as a party claiming injury could be lost once the company is found liable for criminal offenses. Alstom legal maneuver is the result of the "Wall Street Journal" report that former company employees paid bribes to win contracts in South America and Asia.

The article reports that Microsoft Corp. will appeal the decision of the European Commission to impose a fine of $1.38 billion for its failure to comply with the antitrust ruling under European Union law. In a statement on May 9, 2008, Microsoft said that the appeal covers the imposition of fine. A brief on an earlier battle with the commission over allegations about monopolistic behavior in relation to Sun Microsystems is offered.

The article reports on the start of the trial on criminal charges over the bankruptcy of Parmalat SpA, more than four years after the firm acknowledged a crushing debt that led to what is regarded as the biggest corporate bankruptcy in Europe. Among the 24 former executives who are facing charges of fraudulent bankruptcy and criminal association include founder Calisto Tanzi and his right-hand man Fausto Tonna. Accordingly, the charges carry a maximum of 15 years in prison.

This section offers world news briefs. According to the International Air Transport Association, the slowing of global airfreight volumes in October 2007 is a sign that the airline industry is facing challenging conditions. A $355 million fine was meted by European regulators against five companies for fixing prices of chloroprene rubber. The motion to dismiss a $2.79 billion claim against Harrah's Entertainment Inc. by members of the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe was denied by a federal judge in upstate New York.

The article reports on the possible delay of a merger between Netherlands-based Mittal Steel NV and Luxembourg-based Arcelor SA due to a pending lawsuit filed at European courts by Arcelor minority shareholders. The shareholders have demanded that the payment terms of their stock acquisition deals with Arcelor must be subject to Dutch or French law where greater shareholder protections are available. It is believed that the merger would continue irrespective of the courts decision.

Examines why salt is so hard to drive out of the American diet. Average intake which is about 3,400 milligrams of sodium a day which has increased over the years despite the health risks attributable to it; Story behind how the food industry became addicted to salt which is one of imperfect food science, stubborn consumer taste and political lobbying; What salt does to fix imperfect products; Recent lawsuit which has been filed against the Food and Drug Administration for inaction on salt reduction; Tougher regulations on salt content in Europe; Lobbying against salt restrictions which come from the Salt Institute; Ill effects of too much salt consumption.

Reports on the legislative reform enacted in Ireland as a means of regulating personal injury lawsuits. Spread of the lawsuits to Ireland and Europe from America; Efforts of business owners to lobby legislators to enact reforms; Nature of the guidelines, which allows an arbitration body to review cases, prevents lawyers from representing clients in front of the body and restricts the method of compensation for lawyers.

Reports that the music recording industry will target Internet piracy in Europe, largely based on the positive results of lawsuits in the United States. Comments from Allen Dixon, general counsel of the London-based trade group International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, regarding the likelihood of lawsuits; Statistics related to the revenue-loss in Europe as the result of illegal file-sharing; Percentage drop in 2003 U.S. music sales, indicating they were much smaller than in Europe and are seen as a motivating factor in the decision of European-based industry officials to file lawsuits; Number of legal music download sites available in Europe.

Reports that a growing number of Europeans are filing shareholder lawsuits against corporations, as of May 2001. How this imitates the same trend in the United States; Examples of suits, including the case brought by lawyers Jens-Peter Gieschen and Hans Joachim Wiebe against Deutsche Telekom AG; Legal strategy of both sides; Why shareholder lawsuits are less likely to succeed in Europe than in the U.S., due to securities regulations.

Reports on the concerns of European investors on the lawsuit against DaimlerChrysler AG. Importance of European attitudes for the automobile company; Issue regarding the alleged deception of investors in the 1998 merger of DaimlerChrysler; Criticism on the lawsuit.

Provides news briefs on business in Europe as of November 24, 2000. Information on the revised merger offering of Royal Dutch/Shell Group for Australian oil-and-gas producer Woodside Petroleum; Settlement of a wrongful-dismissal claim against Germany's Commerzbank; Profit posted by British venture-capital and buyout investor 3i Group for the third quarter.

Reports on a court ruling in France ordering the United States (U.S.) Web site Yahoo! Inc. to comply with French law. Significance of the ruling and other European Union consumer-right laws on foreign investments in Europe; Efforts of Internet companies to make their U.S. Web sites comply with laws in other countries.

Presents several economic and business-related news briefs in Europe as of November 22, 2000. Details on the signs of slowing economic growth manifested in Germany; Plans of Louis Vuitton Moet-Hennessy company to purchase Samaritaine department store in Paris, France; Information on the retrial faced by military journalist Grigory Pasko who was acquitted of treason charges.

Reports that Microsoft Corp. have submitted statements and studies to the European Commission's antitrust department in Brussels, Belgium in relation to the antitrust case filed against the company in November 2000. Issues raised by the case; Information on the law that forces companies to disclose business secrets in the name of fair play; Rules on the reverse engineering of software.

Provides business-related news briefs from Europe as of September 19, 2000. German regulators' ruling on the need for Deutsche Post to deliver mail at discount rates for competitors; Acquisition of TI Group by Britain's Smiths Industries; Accusation filed against Russian media tycoon Vladimir Gusinsky by Gazprom, Russia's state-controlled gas monopoly.

Presents business news briefs from Europe and Africa as of August 18, 2000. Lawsuit against Air France over compensation of families of victims in the crash of a Concorde; Operating profit of E.On of Germany in the first half of 2000; Fight of South African tourism against negative perceptions of the country.

Presents business-related news in Europe as of August 9, 2000. Charges filed by the European Commission against Deutsche Post; Percentage of decline in the unemployment rate in Germany as of July; Decline in the profits of chemicals company BASF in the first half of 2000.

Presents business news briefs from Europe as of July 6, 2000. Increase in the expected pretax profit of British retailer Dixons Group; Formal investigation of former Bank of France governor Jacques de Larosiere; Selection of British airports operator BAA to operate the retail and catering operations at Logan International Airport in Boston, Massachusetts.

Reports that the European automobile industry awaited the ruling of a European court on Volkswagen's appeal of a fine levied against the company by antitrust authorities in 2000. Accusations against Volkswagen AG; Other car makers that have been charged with similar offenses; Implications of a ruling against Volkswagen; Focus of the case against the company.

Reports that the United States court decision to split Microsoft Corp. into two companies could give some relief on its antitrust battles in Europe. Opportunity offered by the ruling to the European Union; Comments from Steve Ballmer, chief executive of Microsoft.

Reports on the opening of the trial of Kurdish rebel leader Abdullah Ocalan in Turkey on May 31, 1999. Implications to the relations between Turkey and Europe; Account about the indictment read out to the court; Likely outcome of the case.

Presents business-related news briefs from Europe as of April 14, 1999. Comments from former Italian Prime Minister Roman Prodi about the European Union's trade relation with the United States; Alliance between Deutsche Bank of Germany and Banco di Napoli of Italy; Legal proceedings against DaimlerChrysler.

Presents business-related news briefs in Europe. Approval by the shareholders at Olivetti to increase its capital to acquire Telecom Italia; Plan of UBS, a Swiss bank, to sell some of its real estate; Decision of Boris Berezovsky, a business tycoon, to face the criminal charges against him.

Reports the Kurdish riots throughout Europe with the arrest of Abdullah Ocalan, leader of the Kurdistan Workers' Party. Number of Kurds killed in Germany; Stance of the United States on the issue.

Reports on a law suit filed against Ford Motor Company in a federal court in New Jersey, accusing the company of using European slave labor during World War II. Circumstances surrounding the labor; What are the demands of the suit; Allegations brought against Ford's senior executives.

Reports that the European Court of First Instance in Luxembourg, ruled against allowing United International Pictures, the world wide distribution of three major Hollywood studios, access to public funds for marketing European movies. Reasons for the court's decision; Details on other problems faced by the company.

Reports on the significance of the arrests of two European Commission officials on the consideration given to fraud against the European Union budget. Arrest of Greek official George Tzoanos; Comment from a commission spokeswoman; Judges and police being confronted with legal texts; EU's budget spending by the commission.