EU lawmakers need Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Google CEOs at Feb 1 listening to

EU lawmakers have invited the chief executives of Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Alphabet to a Feb 1 listening to in Brussels as they attempt to crack down on the powers of US tech giants.
The European Parliament will within the coming months present enter into proposals by the European Commission to drive the businesses to play pretty with rivals and to do extra to sort out on-line faux information and dangerous content material or face hefty fines.

“The purpose of the planned hearing is to have an exchange with the chief executive officers of the four globally leading platform companies to learn about their current business models and future concepts as they face the challenges of altering market conditions,” stated an invite despatched to the businesses seen by Reuters.
“The event will contribute to preparing the members of the European Parliament for the upcoming discussions on potential new regulation for the digital sector. For all these reasons, we wish to clarify that this invitation is for the CEOs only.”
The invitation stated lawmakers have been keen to vary the date to a different day in February or March, nevertheless, folks conversant in the businesses doubted they’d take up the invitation.
Earlier on Friday it emerged that Alphabet Chief Executive Sundar Pichai will maintain a video-conference name with EU antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager on Jan. 25, based on a European Commission schedule.
Vestager, who’s pushing for powerful new guidelines, will focus on digital and competitors points with Pichai, a Commission spokeswoman stated.