eu

EU report – the digital future could be stressful

December 4, 2018 by Anna

In a new report, EU-OSHA publishes the findings of a major 2-year project to anticipate the effects of digitalisation on occupational safety and health (OSH) in the EU.

The final results of this foresight project highlight developments in ICT-enabled technologies, the potential impact of these technologies on the nature and organisation of work, and the challenges and opportunities to OSH that they may bring.

Increased monitoring of workers, 24/7 availability, frequent job changes and the management of work by algorithm can raise levels of workers’ stress.

ArcelorMittal: sale agreed for four EU steel plants

October 24, 2018 by Anna

ArcelorMittal has received a binding offer from Liberty House Group for the acquisition of ArcelorMittal Ostrava (Czech Republic), ArcelorMittal Galati (Romania), ArcelorMittal Skopje (Macedonia) and ArcelorMittal Piombino (Italy).

The four assets are part of a divestment package the Company agreed with the European Commission during its merger control investigation into the Company’s acquisition of Ilva S.p.A (‘Ilva’).

Transaction closing is subject to the completion of the Company’s acquisition of Ilva, and conditional on EU approval and the conclusion of information consultations with local and European Works Councils.

EU expected to make it more difficult for foreign companies to buy European companies

September 29, 2017 by David Edwards

The European Union is re-examining the rules governing takeovers of European companies by investors from outside the EU.

The reassessment comes in the aftermath of the takeover of German robotics and industrial automation company Kuka by Chinese household appliances maker Midea.

Midea’s acquisition of Kuka – for about $4 billion – was said by Bloomberg to be part of a “global acquisitions spree” by the Chinese company. [Read more…] about EU expected to make it more difficult for foreign companies to buy European companies

Robots will become ‘electronic persons’ under European Union plan

June 23, 2016 by Abdul Montaqim

The European Union is considering giving robots human rights under a plan to classify them as “electronic persons” and making their owners liable to pay taxes on their behalf, according to Reuters.

What’s been called a “robot revolution” in recent years has led to millions of robots of all types being built and utilised in almost every area of society – from robotic arms in the manufacturing industry, through autonomous vehicles in transportation, to domestic or service robots in commercial buildings and in the home.

No one knows exactly what the robot population on Earth is, but it’s likely to overtake segments of the human population in some countries within a decade or two. Moreover, a very large proportion of future robots are likely to be humanoids.

This massive growth of robotics and autonomous technologies has led the European Parliament’s committee on legal affairs to draft a resolution saying “that at least the most sophisticated autonomous robots could be established as having the status of electronic persons with specific rights and obligations”. [Read more…] about Robots will become ‘electronic persons’ under European Union plan