As regulatory expectations rise and market risks grow more complex, the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission is showing that stricter supervision, tougher enforcement, and deeper digital capabilities will define its approach heading into 2026, a year that will see Cyprus take on the Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
France’s data protection authority, the CNIL, has imposed a €3.5 million fine on a company for unlawfully using the personal data of its loyalty program members to fuel targeted advertising on a social network. The sanction, adopted on 30 December 2025 and announced publicly on 22 January 2026, stems from long-running practices that the regulator says breached core principles of EU data protection law and affected more than 10.5 million people.
Poland’s consumer protection authority has launched proceedings against Bolt, Tchibo, and Zara, alleging that each company may have misled consumers through environmental claims that were vague, incomplete, or presented without sufficient context.
The European Data Protection Board and the European Data Protection Supervisor responded to the European Commission’s proposed “Digital Omnibus on AI,” a package designed to simplify aspects of the implementation of the AI Act. The goal, according to the Commission, is to make the rules easier to apply in practice. The message from Europe’s privacy watchdogs is that simplification is welcome but only up to a point.
The Supreme Administrative Court of Finland has drawn a firm line under a long-running merger dispute, leaving intact a €600,000 penalty imposed on Valio for breaching conditions attached to its acquisition of foodservice wholesaler Heinon Tukku.
The European Commission has unveiled a new package of measures aimed at strengthening the European Union’s cybersecurity resilience, as cyber and hybrid threats increasingly target essential services, businesses, and democratic institutions across the bloc.
The President of the Polish Office of Competition and Consumer Protection (UOKiK) recently announced formal charges against Samsung Electronics Polska, alleging that the company’s approach to publishing and labeling online reviews may mislead consumers. If the allegations are confirmed, the company could face a fine of up to 10 percent of its turnover.