Commission

The European Commission responds to Apple’s criticism and distances itself with its story about Siri AI

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Maybe the Apple Intelligence news convince us more or less, and maybe Siri AI still have a lot to prove when it hits devices. But there is a quite concrete reality for European users: if they have an iPhone or an iPad, they will not be able to try out one of Apple’s big bets to iOS 27 and iPadOS 27. The Cupertino company has placed the delay in the field of European regulation, but the story does not end there. What we have seen next is a direct clash between Apple and Brussels over control of AI assistants and the rules that should open them to competition. Brussels’ response. The European Commission has not accepted that reading. According to Reuterss, his spokesman Thomas Regnier said that “the decision not to launch Siri AI in the EU is Apple’s and Apple’s alone,” adding that there is nothing in the Digital Markets Law that prevents the company from introducing new products in the European Union. The message was even more direct when explaining what Apple had asked for during the conversations: to be exempt from its interoperability obligations for at least 18 months. “That is not an option,” Regnier concluded. What is DMA? It is likely that in recent years we have read these acronyms many times, but the DMA is better understood when a specific case appears on the table. The Digital Markets Law is a European competition law that seeks to prevent large platforms from closing access to services, applications and users. In the case of Siri AI, the debate focuses on interoperability: if Apple deploys its own artificial intelligence assistant, it must also allow third-party developers to offer alternative assistants within its ecosystem. Apple as gatekeeper. That framing helps to understand why Brussels does not present the case as a simple calendar decision. Thomas Regnier, quoted by The New York Timesrecalled that Apple is a “gatekeeper” and that “it cannot close the market.” The company itself explains in its documentation on the DMA that the European Commission designated it as such in relation to iOS, App Store and Safari on September 5, 2023, and with iPadOS on April 29, 2024. The bottom line, therefore, is not only when Siri AI arrives, but how the ecosystem opens up to services that compete with Siri AI. What changes for you if you are in Europe. The most visible consequence is simple: if you use an iPhone or iPad in the European Union, Siri AI will not be there when iOS 27 and iPadOS 27 arrive. Apple also leaves out watchOS 27, because the watch needs to be paired with an iPhone that has Siri AI. On Mac and Vision Pro, however, the company does plan to offer the new version of the assistant. What is left behind on mobile and tablet includes the app to review conversations, expanded Visual Intelligence, integrated writing tools and Siri mode in Camera. The proposal that Brussels did not accept. In his statementApple says it designed Trusted System Agent, an intermediary so that other virtual assistants could securely access the same features and capabilities as Siri AI on European devices. The company assures that it also proposed a gradual deployment of that solution over 18 months while it brought Siri AI to the European Union. The bottom of the pulse. Apple presents the delay as a consequence of the DMA and privacy and security risks that, according to the company, have not been recognized by European regulators. Brussels responds from another place: it maintains that the rule does not prevent launching new products in the European Union and that Apple has not found a solution compatible with its obligations. Images | Apple | Pascal Bullan In Xataka | The biggest sign that a foldable iPhone is coming went unnoticed at WWDC

The European Commission wants to sweep Huawei off the map. Spain has told him not so quickly

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The European Commission lhas been trying to expel Huawei for years of their telecommunications networks. And that intention wants to become a binding law, one that would exclude all Chinese teams within a period of 36 months. But there are two countries acting as a retaining wall: Spain and Germany. what’s happening. The European Commission wants to veto Huawei and ZTE citing security reasons. Through a review of the Cybersecurity Regulation, it proposes mandatory elimination of high-risk suppliers. The current draft establishes the mandatory recall of equipment provided by “high-risk suppliers”, assuming a formal veto for Chinese telecommunications companies. The Spain case. In Spain we have a problem with this intention. Telefónica renewed its 5G core contract with Huawei in 2024 and valid until 2030. As relevant information, this 5G core was renewed with the Chinese manufacturer for private equipment, but the contracts for government institutions and business services were awarded to Nokia. In other words, the most sensitive infrastructure is already in European hands. Vodafone –now controlled by Zegona–, maintains the majority of its network with Huawei technology, and although MásOrange has been reducing the presence of the Chinese brand in its equipment for some time (less than 40% in 2027). In short, Large Spanish operators have been using Huawei equipment for years despite the EU’s warnings, and they do not seem willing to simply sweep it off the map. The German case. Something similar happens in Germany. Huawei is still present in more than 60% of the country’s antennas, and although progressive withdrawal plans are already underway, the schedule imposed by Brussels does not seem realistic. Fighting tooth and nail. Both countries have warned the Commission of their concerns in this regard: vetoing China from the European network infrastructure may provoke retaliation, in addition to making the deployment of the network significantly more expensive.to artificial intelligence infrastructure which Europe has been dreaming of for a year and a half. The EU Council requires a majority to approve this plan, so Spain and Germany can look for allies to try to stop it. This would allow the process to be delayed, require modifications and exceptions in the draft, or even end the proposal if it fails to move forward. The possible outcome. With such fierce opposition, the most likely outcome is that there will be no victory for anyone. Spain and Germany may knock down the proposal completely, but they do have enough muscle to deform it. It seems inevitable that, sooner or later, Huawei will disappear from European telecommunications, but the deadlines will not be as immediate as Europe intends, nor is it ruled out that there will be specific exceptions if countries demand it. In Xataka | I tested four Huawei devices at once to evaluate their ecosystem: great hardware, lacks glue

The European Commission did not like how Spain has imposed the V16 beacon. That has potential consequences.

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The V16 beacon has generated all a wave of criticismboth because of its obligation, and because their capabilities and legislation around it. In this last aspect, the European Commission has confirmed that Spain did not follow the mandatory notification procedure before imposing the connected beacon. From here, the consequences can range from a formal infringement procedure to Spanish courts refusing to apply the rule. It is mandatory, but Brussels has a different opinion. Since January 1, 2026, drivers in Spain are required to carry a V16 beacon connected that, in the event of a breakdown or accident, allows the DGT to geolocate the vehicle. Just like account the executive vice-president of the European Commission, Stéphane Séjourné, in response to the parliamentary question of the PP MEP Dolors Montserrat, this obligation was established by two royal decrees: the 159/2021 and the 1030/2022. The problem is that, according to Séjourné, neither of them was communicated to Brussels before their adoption, something that European legislation expressly requires. Why does that matter? There is a European directive, 2015/1535which obliges Member States to notify the European Commission of any draft technical regulation before approving it. The objective is that both the Commission and the rest of the EU countries can analyze it and detect if it could cause problems for trade or contradict community law. If a State does so, it has a waiting period of three months before being able to adopt the standard. And Séjourné suggests that Spain would have skipped this step entirely. What the Commission has said. The executive vice president of the European Commission confirmed in its response expressly that the Spanish royal decrees “have not been notified in accordance with the procedure of Directive (EU) 2015/1535”. Furthermore, it also warns that, if a Member State fails to comply with this obligation, the Commission “may open a formal infringement procedure under the article 258 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU”. lJudges may not apply the rule. Beyond the sanctions that the alleged infringement may entail, the Commission recalls that the Court of Justice of the EU has already established in its jurisprudence that “national courts must refuse to apply technical regulations that have not been properly notified.” In other words: if you as a Spanish driver They fine you for not carrying the V16 beacon You could, in theory, challenge that sanction by alleging precisely this failure to notify. Minterior market Brussels also warns of another aspect. As the use of danger signaling devices is not harmonized at the European level, each State can regulate according to its traffic regulations. But when very specific technical requirements are imposed on what that device must be like, as is the case with the beacon and its mandatory connectivity, Séjourné warns that this can “become a restriction on free trade within the internal market”, something that would violate article 34 of the TFEU. And now what. The issue, like many others in the country, has become another debate of political colors. Montserrat has demanded the Government to “immediately clarify this situation and act with transparency.” In the absence of knowing more details about it, it seems that we will have to wait to find out if the beacon may end up causing more problems than necessary. Cover image | Guillaume Perigois and DGT In Xataka | The RAM crisis has put the future of smartphones, consoles and computers in check. And the cars are not going to escape either

The European Commission has just opened an investigation into several worrying risks

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For years, in Europe, when opening Shein We have found an almost infinite showcase of products at very low prices, constant discounts and points systems that turn the purchase into an experience that invites repetition. This model, based on the continuous rotation of the catalog and incentives that invite people to return to the application, explains a good part of its popularity. But it also helps to understand why European authorities have begun to look at it more closely. What seemed like a simple way to buy cheap has ended up entering the European regulatory radar. Formal investigation. The European Commission opened today February 17, 2026 formal proceedings against Shein under the Digital Services Lawwhich establishes the obligations of digital platforms that operate in the community bloc. From this moment on, the investigation enters a more structured phase, with the capacity to demand additional information and evaluate possible non-compliance. Brussels emphasizes, however, that this decision does not prejudge the outcome of the case, so we will have to wait to draw conclusions. What is under examination. The investigation focuses on three specific fronts related to the operation of the platform. On the one hand, it analyzes the systems that Shein has in place to limit the sale of illegal products, including content that could constitute child sexual abuse material, and expressly mentions examples such as child-like sex dolls. It also studies the risks associated with a possible addictive design of the service, such as rewards for interaction that could affect the well-being of users. And, in addition, it reviews the transparency of the recommendation systems that determine what products and content we see, an obligation that in the EU includes explaining the main parameters of these recommenders and offering at least one accessible option that is not based on profiles. behind the scenes. For nearly two years, Brussels repeatedly requested data from Shein to evaluate its compliance with European rules on product safety, user protection and transparency, with requirements dated June 28, 2024, February 6, 2025 and November 26, 2025. Added to that supervision the impact of the known case in France. Let us remember that last November the marketing of child-like dolls was detected through external sellers on the platform, which caused protests and measures by the Government. This chain of events helps to understand why the matter has escalated to a formal procedure. The next steps. With the procedure already underway, the Commission enters a phase of collecting evidence aimed at contrasting the real functioning of the service. This may require additional information, carry out specific controls or maintain direct contact with the company and other actors involved. The legal framework also opens the door to imposing temporary measures, declaring a possible non-compliance or accepting solutions proposed by the company itself to correct the issues that are the subject of the file. What changes for users. For now, the opening of the procedure does not immediately change how we use the platform. The outcome will depend on what the investigation reveals and the response that the company offers to the Commission’s demands. It should be noted that all this occurs without a fixed calendar: European regulations do not establish a time limit to conclude this type of investigation, which can be prolonged depending on its complexity and development. From Xataka we have written to Shein to find out their position and we will update this information when we receive a response. Images | appshunter.io In Xataka | LaLiga’s massive IP blocks are going to go further: they will now require VPN providers to also block IPs

Valve has been charging a 30% commission on Steam for twenty years. Now it’s your turn to explain why before a judge.

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Valve will have to defend its business model before the British courts after the Competition Appeal Court of London authorized on January 26 a class action lawsuit that could cost £656 million, about $900 million. The accusation: the American company abuses its dominant position in the PC games market with commercial practices that keep prices artificially high and limit competition between digital distributors. The demand. Vicki Shotbolt, activist specializing in digital rights and CEO of Parent Zonefiled the legal action in June 2024. It represents approximately 14 million British users who have purchased video games or additional content through Steam since 2018. The case is based on three arguments: first, it questions the 30% commission that Valve charges on each transaction on Steam. The prosecution considers this fee excessive and maintains that it has a direct impact on the final price. The second argument attacks “price parity obligations”: contractual restrictions that would prevent studios and distributors from offering their titles at more competitive prices on other platforms. Valve would have intervened in specific cases when detecting more aggressive discounts outside of Steam. The third point points out a retention mechanism: whoever purchases a base game on Steam must purchase all subsequent downloadable content exclusively on that platform. Other cases. The British case is not an isolated episode. In the United States, independent studios Wolfire Games and Dark Catt Studios filed antitrust lawsuits against Valve in 2021. They were initially dismissed, but the plaintiffs reformulated their arguments and resubmitted them in 2022. A court ordered the two cases to be merged. Since then, any developer, publisher or individual who has paid commissions to Valve on sales since January 28, 2017 can join. David Rosen, founder of Wolfire Games, explained which took legal action after Valve’s direct intervention when it tried to offer lower prices on other platforms. In August 2024, four players from California, Florida, and Missouri filed a separate lawsuit accusing Steam of “strangling competition with blatantly anti-competitive pricing restrictions.” Antitrust. The lawsuits against Valve are part of a broader pattern of antitrust litigation. The most relevant precedent is the confrontation between Epic Games and Apple: the developer of ‘Fortnite’ implemented an alternative payment system that avoided the 30% commission of the App Store. Apple won most points in the litigation, but had problems in certain states such as California. The case against Google had a more forceful outcome: Epic demonstrated that the company had illegally monopolized the Android ecosystem, which will force Google to allow competing app stores on its devices until November 2027. Antitrust. The lawsuits against Valve fit into a broader pattern of antitrust litigation. The most relevant precedent is the confrontation between Epic Games and Apple: The developer of ‘Fortnite’ implemented an alternative payment system that avoided the 30% commission from the App Store. In May 2025Fortnite returned to the Apple store. The case against Google had a stronger outcome: Epic managed to prove that the company had illegally monopolized the Android ecosystem, which will force Google to allow competing app stores on its devices until November 2027. The magnitude of Valve. Steam hosted more than 19,000 video games during 2025, generating total revenues of $11.7 billion. The income that Valve obtains exclusively from its commissions on sales increased from 1.1 billion dollars in 2015 to an estimated 3.2 billion in 2024, tripling in less than a decade. Additionally, Valve produces approximately $50 million in revenue per employee, an exceptional figure even in the technology sector. The London court has not yet set a date for the trial, which will determine whether these practices constitute abuse of a dominant position. If the lawsuit is successful, the affected British users could receive compensation for the extra costs that, according to the accusation, they have been paying for years. In Xataka | Amazon wanted to surpass Steam and spent 15 years spending 250 times more. It has only served them to enter into crisis

Google changed the news to summaries made with AI. Now the European Commission has something to tell you

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In March of this year an earthquake shook European publishing houses. The reason was that Google implemented AI Overviews in your search engine. This means that, where links to media news previously appeared, a summary made with AI now appears, with the detriment that this entails for the media, which in some cases They have lost up to 50% of traffic. Now the European Commission has taken action on the matter. What has happened? The European Commission has formally opened a new antitrust investigation against Google. The reason this time is the use of content from media outlets and YouTube creators to feed their AI summaries, all without compensating the creators. The investigation will try to elucidate whether Google is distorting competition by placing unfair rules on the media, while its access to content (especially in the case of YouTube) displaces other competitors of AI companies. In the words of Teresa Ribera, Executive Vice President for a Clean, Fair and Competitive Transition at the European Commission: “AI is bringing remarkable innovation and many benefits to people and businesses across Europe, but this progress cannot come at the expense of the fundamental principles of our societies. That is why we are investigating whether Google has imposed unfair conditions on publishers and content creators, while putting developers of rival AI models at a disadvantage, in breach of EU competition rules.” Why is it important. The research involves questioning the model that Google has built around its generative AI, but it also calls into question the entire problem of the use of foreign content by these tools. Opens the door to reconfiguring the AI ​​market, imposing limits and compensation for original content creators The impact. As we said, the arrival of AI summaries has had a huge impact on media traffic. If readers receive the response without having to make a single click, that traffic is lost and not only that: it is unrecoverable. The worst thing is that to give that answer, Google drinks from the information published by those same media. In the case of YouTube, creators are required to accept a clause so that their content can be used for different purposes, including train your AI. Consequences. The investigation has just begun and there is no set date for its conclusion, which could take years. They will study whether Google has violated the article 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU and the article 54 of the Agreement on the European Economic Area, which prohibit the abuse of a dominant position. If Google is eventually found to have breached these rules, the Commission could force them to take measures to comply with the law, such as compensating creators, allowing them to opt out of having their content appear in summaries, or even removing summaries across the EU, in addition to a possible fine. And now they go… It is not the first time that Google has faced monopoly accusations in the EU. In fact, it is the technology company that accumulates the highest fines. The highest was 4.3 billion for abuse of dominant position with Androidfollowed by 2,950 million for their abuse in the advertising market. He also had to pay 2,420 million for Google Shopping and 1,490 million for AdSense. Images | UnsplashEuropean Commission In Xataka | The EU has spent years fiercely fighting monopolies. Teresa Ribera has other plans for telecos

When Meta forced us to use its AI chatbot on WhatsApp, it did not have a detail: the European Commission

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The European Commission has been fiercely fighting against monopolies in the technology sector for years. The persecution of Microsoft in the early 2000s it was just the beginning. In 2018 the EU imposed a historic fine on Google for abuse of dominant position with Android and last year they fined Facebook for the same reason. According to Financial TimesMeta is going to sit again in the dock accused of monopoly, this time for the Forced integration of Meta AI in WhatsApp. In the spotlight. The European Commission has not commented on the matter, but according to sources consulted by the Financial Times, Brussels is already investigating Meta for the integration of Meta AI into WhatsApp and the announcement will take place imminently. The case will be conducted under traditional monopoly laws and not under the Digital Markets Act or DMA. The accusation. The investigation has not yet been confirmed by the European Commission, but internal sources have revealed that the main reason is the deployment of Meta AI within WhatsApp, its AI chatbot. As we saw in its day, there is no way to avoid being activated and there is no option to hide it either. Let us remember that WhatsApp is the most used messaging app in the world, with 3 billion active users. Meta is already being investigated for this reason the competition authority in Italywhich considers that the integration of Meta AI “could limit production, market access or technical development” in the AI ​​chatbot sector. Goal returns to the bench. Just a year ago, Meta entered the select club of companies fined by the European Commission for violating the antitrust rules of the European Union. On that occasion, the product that was the object of the accusation was Facebook, more specifically for forcing the use of Facebook Marketplace, which, like Meta AI in WhatsApp, was activated without users’ permission. After several years of research, The Commission concluded that the company had violated the law and made them pay a fine of 800 million euros. Also in April of this year They had to pay 200 million for the case that required consent to the transfer of data. Historical fines. Facebook has come out cheap if we compare it with other sanctions, such as more than 4.3 billion that Google had to pay for abuse of dominant position with Android, and it has not been the only one that Mountain View has had to pay. In September of this year The EU fined Google 2.95 billion euros for abusing its position in the digital advertising market and currently Brussels is preparing another case by how they rank media results in their search results. USA against. The Trump administration has charged against the DMA and EU fineswhich he described as unfair and discriminatory, threatening to start a tariff war. Europe’s response was forceful: technological regulation “is a sovereign right of the EU.” Obviously the heads of the technology companies have also positioned themselves against it and earlier this year, Mark Zuckerberg called on the US government to that would protect technology companies from “European censorship”so we can assume that this new research will not have been very amusing. Judges in the US also see monopolies. At the same time as the criticism is occurring, in the United States there are also antitrust cases against big technology companies, such as the one that Google lost in 2024 and that threatened to force them to sell Chrome, although in the end they dodged the bullet. Goal too carried out a similar case recently in which accused them of monopoly over WhatsApp and Instagrambut in this case they won. We will see what happens if Europe makes its case against WhatsApp official. Images | European Commission, Xataka Android In Xataka | The United States seems determined to break its monopolies. And it has an obvious victim between its eyebrows: Google

Microsoft 365 will have cheaper versions worldwide. It is the result of the antitrust pressure of the European Commission

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Soon, many Microsoft Office customers worldwide can access cheaper subscriptions. It is not a promotion or isolated commercial gesture, but the result of years of Brussels. Microsoft has accepted change your strategy to close an antitrust investigation I could cost him expensive. With this agreement, the company dodges a possible fine and the European Commission reinforces its image as guardian of the rules that govern the digital market. The European Commission confirmed that Microsoft must maintain versions of Office 365 and Microsoft 365 without Teamsyour communication tool, at a clearly lower price compared to the editions that include it. These conditions will be in force for at least seven years and will be complemented with interoperability and data portability commitments for a decade. The American company has indicated that it will implement changes globally. Microsoft undertakes to lower prices and open its ecosystem The origin of this pulse dates back to July 2020, When Slack denounced Microsoft to the European Commission For packaging Teams within Office, claiming that it made it difficult for users to choose alternatives. Three years later, Brussels opened a formal investigation To evaluate whether this practice was abuse of dominant position in the collaborative software market. The case focused on the impact of Teams integration on competitors such as Slack and other business communication platforms. To reduce the pressure, Microsoft began taking action before a resolution arrived. In October 2023 he disaggregated Teams of his suites for commercial clients in the European and Switzerland Economic Space, with lower prices for those who chose not to include the tool. In April 2024 he extended this policy to the rest of the world, withdrawing for new business clients the traditional editions with Teams and introducing “without teams” plans along with an independent license. These steps sought to show good regulatory will and simplify the catalog for multinational companies, but did not suffice to close the file. With the agreement announced this month, the measures become mandatory and more ambitious. Microsoft must guarantee a significant price difference and allow customers to migrate to versions without teams without penalties. It should be noted that to benefit from these sales, organizations must hire the new plans or make the change to renew subscriptions; There will be no automatic discounts for those who maintain current contracts. It also undertakes to facilitate that rival services integrate Office applications into their platforms and that users export Teams data to other tools, reducing change barriers. This valued the measure, Teresa Ribera, executive vice president of the European Commission for the clean, fair and competitive transition: “With today’s decision, we make binding for seven years or more Microsoft’s commitments to end their linking practices that could be preventing their competitors effectively competing with Teams. Therefore, today’s decision opens the competition in this crucial market and guarantees that companies can freely choose the communication and collaboration product that best suits their needs.” Microsoft published concrete examples of prices that will enter vigor in November this year: In Enterprise plans, the difference will be up to 8 euros per user per month; In the Business Standard and Premium plans, it will be around 3 euros. Of course, domestic users and students will not see changes: their subscriptions of Microsoft 365 Personal or family did not include payment teams and are not affected by the new framework. In any case, this episode arrives at a time where the commission has intensified its scrutiny about large technological in recent years, with multimillionaire sanctions to companies such as Google, which recently imposed a fine of 2,950 million euros. However, Brussels face a diplomatic challenge: the US president Donald Trump has criticized these measuresthreatening to activate section 301 of the Commerce Law as a response. Images | Ed Hardie | Microsoft In Xataka | The EU has put Apple against the strings: none of its options guarantees that its devices remain the same

He wants to charge a commission to Nvidia and AMD, and he doesn’t know if he can do it

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In the middle of last April the US Department of Commerce imposed new restrictions to the export to China of the GPU for artificial intelligence (AI) H20 of Nvidia, which in practice caused this chip to stop reaching the Chinese clients of this company. After weeks of negotiations, and even, of several “face to face” Between Donald Trump and Jensen Huang, Nvidia has made the Department of Commerce allow him to re -give his Chinese clients its H20 chip. However, this permission has not left for free: hereinafter will deliver to the US government 15% of income which will obtain in China for the sale of this and other GPU. AMD has run this same luck, so there is no doubt that this Trump administration strategy establishes an unpublished precedent by forcing some US companies to deliver to the State a percentage of their sales income in another country. Nvidia and AMD have accepted this condition, but it is perfectly possible that it does not prosper. The export clause favors them. Not even the government is convinced that its strategy is legal In the current scenario it is surprising that the US administration has reached this agreement with Nvidia and AMD without making sure before what is pursued is legal. But it is just what has happened. Karoline Leavitt, White House spokeswoman, has made this statement: “At this time this agreement remains with these two companies, but could expand in the future to other companies (…) Legality and mechanics are still being resolved by the Department of Commerce.” The US government does not rule out a commission similar to that it wants to receive from NVIDIA and AMD to other companies As we have just seen, the US government does not rule out charging a commission similar to that it wants to receive from Nvidia and AMD to other companies, but it still does not have the legality of this agreement yet. And it is normal that it does not have it closed. Article I, section 9 of the US Constitution Says the following: “No tax or tariff will be imposed on the articles exported from any state.” This is the export clause that I have mentioned a few lines above. In practice, this article can cancel the collection of the commission of 15% to NVIDIA and AMD for three reasons. The first is that it is essentially an export tax, and, therefore, clearly violates this clause. In addition, the Export Control Reform Law 2018 specifically prohibits charging for export licenses. And finally, although it is not less important, this measure with all likelihood will be received as a tax by decree and without the approval of the Congress, which is the only power with the authority to impose taxes. Nvidia and AMD, on the other hand, have in their favor a precedent that can exempt them from paying the commission that the Trump administration wants to charge. In 1998 The US Supreme Court annulled a tax of port maintenance with which the government intended to tax the value of the burden that passed through US ports, including exports. That scenario was not very different from the current one. We will see if the Department of Commerce finally manages to legally cement the commission of 15% to NVIDIA and AMD. Image | Nvidia | Gage Skidmore More information | CNBC In Xataka | Ten Chinese companies in Chips and IA have allied with a common goal: to put an end to the domain of Nvidia

It is so unusual that the government has created a commission for possible crises

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An exceptional cosmic carambola looms over Spain. Until Three solar eclipses will cross the Spanish territory In less than three years, starting with the most spectacular of all: the total solar eclipse of August 2026, which will obscure a third of the country. It is so unusual that the government has mobilized thirteen ministries to create a contingency commission. The eclipses trio. On August 12, 2026, a total solar eclipse will draw a 200 km line From the northwest to southwest Spainentering through Asturias and dating Castellón to cross the Balearic Islands just at sunset. The totality phase will last about two minutes on the central line. It will be the first eclipse of this type in the Peninsula since 1905. On August 2, 2027, the shadow of a total solar eclipse will enter through the Bay of Cádiz, crossing the strait and leaving Almeria. Ceuta, Tarifa, Cádiz Capital and part of Malaga will enjoy almost five minutes of dark in mid -morning. It will also be one of the longest eclipses of the century. On January 26, 2028, Spain will also live an annular solar eclipse. The “Fire Ring” will travel the country from Southwest to Northeast shortly before sunset. From Huelva, Sevilla and Córdoba to Valencia, Aragon and part of the Balearic Islands. The annularity will be around seven minutes and will be seen with the sun. Outside the strip it will be observed as partial. The government mobilizes. “The eclipses trio will be an unprecedented astronomical phenomenon, which can virtually only be seen in Spain between 2026 and 2028”, Minister Diana Morant affirmed. “In the Government we are already working to face the logistics and security challenges that this historical event will mean.” The magnitude of the event has led the Council of Ministers to Approve the creation of a special commission To organize and coordinate all actions. It will be formed by representatives of thirteen ministries. From science and transport to interior, defense or ecological transition, through the National Astronomical Observatory and the great astrophysical institutes of the country. The Secretary of State for Science, Juan Cruz Cigudosa, will preside over the Commission, which hopes to convene the first meeting at the end of August. The challenges of eclipses trio The chaotic experiences lived in the United States during the eclipses of 2017 and 2024 already put on the table the main open fronts: Congestions and accidents. The government expects an influx of hundreds of thousands or millions of people. The strip of totality of the eclipse of 2026 will only touch land in Greenland, Iceland and a much more populated and sunny country: Spain. The foreseeable result is the collapse of highways and secondary roads, with kilometer traffic jams that could block the passage to emergency vehicles. Oregon is the mirror in which nobody wants to look: he had Your overflowing access roads for three days in 2017. Infrastructure overload in emptied Spain. Many of the best observation points They are found in rural or coastal areas With limited resources. The sudden arrival of hundreds of thousands of people could cause the exhaustion of basic services such as drinking water, food, fuel or bathrooms. Mobile coverage could also saturate, leaving those same incommunicado people. The government plans to enable “minimum services” at the observation points. Extreme fire risk. Total solar eclipses will coincide with summer: drought, high temperatures and thousands of cars parked in fields and gutters. It is the perfect recipe for a disaster. The risk of forest fire will shoot. The precedent is, again, A fire in Oregon in 2017 which forced to evacuate hundreds of households in the middle of the totality zone a few days before the eclipse. Pest of false eclipses glasses. Looking directly at a solar eclipse without adequate protection can cause retinopathy, Irreversible damage in the retina. To see an eclipse it is crucial to wear approved glasses with ISO 12312-2. The problem is that with each eclipse the falsifications between vendors that make their August proliferate. In 2017, Amazon had to withdraw thousands of units and reimburse money from buyers. The first big photovoltaic blackout. A challenge of the 21st century. Spain has 25% of installed solar power. A total eclipse will cause an abrupt fall of the photovoltaic generation of up to 20 GW in less than an hour, followed by an equally fast climb when the sun reappears. Managing this undercut and the peak that follows will be a major challenge for Red Electrica, which will have to coordinate energy reserves to guarantee the stability of the system, as European operators did during the eclipse of 2015. Tourist saturation and its effects. Astronomical tourism is a blessing, but it can also be a problem. Airbnb talks about An 830% increase In rural accommodation searches by August 2026. prices fired in hotels and rentals, temporary gentrification and the possible displacement of the usual tourist are expected. In addition, there may be an impact on labor productivity: workers taking the day to see the phenomenon. The United States estimated losses of almost 700 million dollars during working hours. The unpredictable meteorology. The whole plan can jump through the air if clouds appear. A forecast of covered skies would cause massive displacement at the last minute to places with a better prognosis, multiplying chaos on roads. Astrophysico Alejandro Sánchez summed it up in The country: “Due to the unpredictable of the weather conditions, it is as if we did not know where the World Cup final will be celebrated until a few hours before.” The public cost and the environmental footprint. Deploying a device from this magnitude has a cost: traffic reinforcements, health, mass cleaning … to which the environmental footprint must be added: abandoned garbage, erosion of natural places and carbon emissions of millions of displacements. Problems that the contingency commission will have to value. A historical opportunity Despite the challenges, the Iberian trio of eclipses It will be a golden opportunity for science, education and … Read more

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