pact

Almost everything is more expensive than ever, but televisions are at rock bottom. It is the result of a “suicide pact”

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Technology is in an economic shaker. If we consumers have become accustomed to something, it is that, as the years go by, a product drops in price, even if it is updated with better features. It is clear in the console segment: as each generation progressed, the hardware improved and the price fell. That’s over. Buy a PS5 or an Xbox Series in 2026 It is more expensive than when they came out in 2020. But the consoles They are not the only thing that rises: There is more competition than ever in streaming services and they have all agreed to raise prices from time to time. It’s not just technology: dwellingmedical expenses, cars, meal… However, There is something that has collapsed: televisions. Because although there are very expensive models, the price of televisions has fallen more than almost any other consumer product in the last quarter of a century. And we owe it all to something that one of the industry’s leading glass manufacturers named in a curious way. A 25-year suicide pact. Although there is something else in the equation, something much more important. The “suicide pact” and the mother glass You can say in the comments if you have been walking around a large area this Christmas and have been tempted to buy a new 65-inch TV. Not because you need it, but because you saw it at a ridiculous price. For 400 eurosyou can buy one right now. Inch/price, they are much more attractive than the 24 inches that you can put in the kitchen. These prices on huge televisions do not seem to have been affected by the multiple crises we have experienced in recent years. What if that of the chips, then transportation, that of the Ukrainian warthe current RAM… The price of televisions has followed suit and, although the most cutting-edge OLEDs or risky technologies They have very high pricesan LCD TV is very affordable. In Construction Physics They mention a very interesting fact. In a advertisement On Black Friday 2003, a barely 20-inch LCD television in 4:3 format with a resolution of 640 x 480 pixels (laughing) cost $800. In the same ad, 32-inch CRT TVs for $380 or 27-inch TVs for $150. Today, those TVs are gold for playing retro games, by the way. In Xataka already we started having to talk about different technologies of liquid crystal panels. 21 years ago we were already talking about OLEDs when I was content with a small 15-inch TFT screen to play ‘Age of Empires 2’ and ‘Half Life 2’. In the end. But well, I’m going around the bush. In 2022, Mark J. Perry published in AEI the following graph: He shows us in a crude way what he was saying: the price of LCD technology had been plummeting rapidly while other goods and services increased dramatically. It’s funny to me that I don’t see the computer hardware on the list, we’ll see when I update the graph in a few years… He estimated that, since 2000, the price of televisions had fallen 97%. There are others informationbut the conclusion is the same: prices through the floor in a short time. That crash occurred a decade earlier. In a document of Corningone of the largest glass manufacturing companies, noted the following: “LCD technology continues to grow and there are abundant opportunities to expand both the functionality and performance of displays. So the expansion of LCD technology must be a great success story, right?” “FAKE” In the document, it is clarified that for consumers it is great news because they can access better and bigger televisions at a fraction of the price. Even other technologies such as plasma had to be adapted. In the same Black Friday ad from 2003 we see a Daewoo of 42 inches with 480p resolution for $2,300. I remember that a 50-inch Samsung 1,080p arrived at my house for 700 euros in 2007. However, for the manufacturers, it was not as happy a story as it was for the consumer. “The LCD platform looks like a 25-year suicide pact for display manufacturers,” Corning noted in its report. It is a segment “characterized by hypercompetition, excess investment and periodic lack of profitability, but which at the same time requires sustained investment to differentiate a product that has a low return.” They pointed out that, within that chain, glass manufacturers were still able to make considerable profits, although there was increasing pressure. But that price drop is not limited to extreme competition between a few companies. There is something else behind it, and that “something” is the “mother glass.”. Known as “mother glass” in English, it is a main element in the manufacture of LCD panels. It’s a process which is made up of several stages. On the one hand, there is that mother glass, which is a sheet of glass substrate on which other layers are deposited. Broadly speaking: We have the glass plate on which layers of semiconductors are deposited. Using a photolithography process, TFT transistors and pixel electrodes are marked across the entire sheet. It is something that is repeated several times until the active matrix on the mother glass is completed. The next step is to use another mother glass to which RGB color filters and electrodes are applied. Both glasses are well cleaned, aligned and sealed with perimeter glue. It’s like a sandwich. There we would have a mother glass with many screens, and the next step is to cut them to obtain individual modules. The fourth step is to combine those modules or cells with backlight units, the control PCB and the metal casing to have the complete LCD module. It is tested and, when it is ready, it is delivered to the assemblers, who are the ones who already create monitors, televisions, mobile phones or anything with a screen. Here you can see the process: What is the key? That those large sheets of glass have been increasing in size little by … Read more

While farmers fear the pact with Mercosur, one sector brings out the champagne: the automobile industry

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From 35% tariffs to their non-existence through a progressive de-escalation that will advance over time. That is the new scenario that the European Union and Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay have, those countries that make up Mercosur with which the European Union has signed an agreement that will create the largest free trade area in the world. The agreement. After 26 years of negotiations, on January 9, 2026, the news broke: Mercosur (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay) and the European Union they reached an agreement to create the largest tariff-free trade zone in the world. The pact was already almost confirmed but ended up being approved by the European Union with the approval of 21 countries (including Spain) and the votes against of France, Poland, Austria, Ireland and Hungary, as well as the abstention of Belgium. After European approval, The signing will arrive next January 17 in Paraguay. Then a project will be launched that in the next 15 years will end up eliminating the tariffs that exist between both commercial zones. A pact that will make things complicated for the primary sector but which has the European industry as the great winner. And in that industry, the automobile is one of the most benefited sectors. Why the car industry? Until now, exports from the European Union to Mercosur had tariffs of 35% on their shoulders. The pact will eliminate any type of trade barrier over 15 years. It will be gradual but after three decades, vehicle exports to South America will be completely tariff-free. That, according to data collected by The Automotive Tribuneis expected to triple the volume of exports from the European Union to this region. It remains to be seen what steps will be taken year after year but in Infobae They already anticipate that exports are expected to Brazil and Argentina with a maximum quota limit that will expand at the same rate as tariffs are reduced. Spain. One of the countries that can emerge the most strengthened from the agreement in the automobile sector is Spain. Although the figures point to a drop in production and export of automobiles this year, our country is the second European power in vehicle production (behind Germany) and more than 90% of the cars manufactured leave our borders. But, furthermore, our country is a large producer of vehicle components that will also discount tariffs on their exports. The news is especially interesting for a sector that has suffered from the tariffs imposed by the United States Government. And it is that Spain does not send cars to the American country but automobile components. Holy water for Europe. The agreement feels like holy water for European manufacturers. Currently, the cars sold in Mercosur countries are cheaper and have very poor security measures if we compare them with Europeans. Acting without tariffs will allow them to sell more cars and amortize investments than with the European emissions policies their days may be numbered. It is a good outlet for lower priced vehicles and an opportunity to compete with higher quality cars. It allows them follow that Toyota maxim to sell in each market what each market demands. But it also opens the door to compete with China, which was eating up the market by exporting cars in large volumes. They collect in Infobae that the measures that have tried to benefit the entry of hybrids and electric vehicles to Argentina and Brazil have ended up filling these markets with Chinese cars, which represent 80% of imports. USA. It must be taken into account that, in addition, dark clouds had settled on the future of the European automobile industry. Tariffs on exports to the United States they had done enormous damage despite the fact that mostly high-cost vehicles were being sold there. The problem is that the most affordable ones of European origin They are mostly manufactured in Mexico so they have also been bleeding with trade barriers. It is expected that exports to the Mercosur countries, due to purchasing power, will not generate as much money per car sold but they are expected to be much more voluminous. Eliminating tariffs will allow, as we say, to amortize investments in vehicles with lower prices and lower profit margins. They lose. The one that, predictably, will lose will be the local industry. Right now Mercosur has an industry sustained in the production of very specific vehicles for its market and with very high trade barriers that causes a very low volume of imports. Furthermore, they provide feedback to each other since 75% of car imports in Argentina They come from Brazil. Now the industry has the challenge of opening up and being more competitive. The problem for Mercosur is that, due to the cars manufactured, it seems that this sector only has one way and that is one way from Europe to South America. The return, with combustion vehicles and safety standards much less demanding than the European ones, everything indicates that it will be deserted. Photo | Jeanne Menjoulet and Mercedes In Xataka | China has a weapon to circumvent tariffs and protect the secrets of its electric cars: removable kits

The bad news is that the EU is losing in the tariff pact with the US. The good is that Spain is relatively airy

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The European Union He has accepted A 15% tariff on its exports to the United States. Although details about the agreement are still lacking – such that affect the automotive, pharma and semiconductor sector – this significantly clarifies the bases on which trade between the two regions will settle. Among the obvious pergouts, there is an inevitable for us: how this will affect the technological sector in Europe and, particularly, in Spain. The agreement. Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, explained in its statement How the trade between the US and the EU has a value of 1.7 trillions of dollars per year and brings together 800 million people. The key data of the agreement are important. 15% unified tariff. The threat that weighed on Brussels was 30%tariffs. The increase is considerable with respect to the prior to the commercial war initiated by Donald Trump. The agreement is very similar to the one reached between the US and Japan A few days ago. Washington already applied to the EU (false) “reciprocal tariffs with an additional 10% to 4.8% general that already taxed the European products that entered the US before this climb. Even so the tariff is much higher than in the past: according to The World Trade Organization, before Trump reached the presidency the average tariff applied to foreign goods was 2.2% while that of the EU was 2.7%. More and more assignments of the EU. There will be no similar imposition for American products that buy Europe. Besides: Europe must buy energy (especially liquefied natural gas, LNG) to the USor value of about 640,000 million euros over three years. Von der Leyen, of course, has presented the figure as a way of disconnecting more from Russian crude and gas. There will also be European investment commitment in the US arms sector, but there are no figures. Trump Indian that the EU will invest 600,000 million dollars additional to current investments, but did not clarify whether those cited investments in military equipment are included in that amount. Commercial rebalancing. The Commercial Deficit of US goods with the EU It was 235.6 billion dollars In 2024 according to data from the US Census Office: Europe “was winning” so far, but that situation will be “rebuilt” following the agreement, such as highlighted Von der Leyen. Keep in mind that this US deficit was already balanced with the Exchange of digital servicesin which the US has a competitive advantage that supposed Something more than 100,000 million euros with data from 2023. Automotive. The automotive industry has been especially present in negotiations. According to the president of the European Commission, “we should not forget where we come from, today the cars pay 27.5% and we have managed to lower it to 15%. It is the best we could achieve.” German automotive giants such as Volkswagen, Mercedes and BMW were for example very impacted by those 27.5%tariffs. Spain does not manufacture cars that are exported to the United States, which makes The impact in this case Be null. Bad news for steelurgy. In the agreement, yes, there are also negative exceptions. Thus, 50%steel and aluminum tariffs are maintained, something that damages one of the important sectors of the Spanish industry and of course to the European. The EU already responded to those tariffs where it hurt: In soybeans. However, it remains to be seen if there are new details that impact that concrete situation in the future. Von der Leyen said, however, in the CE statement that in those matters “the EU and the United States face the common external challenge of excess world capacity. We will work together to guarantee a loyal world competition. And to reduce barriers between us, tariffs will be reduced. In addition, a quota system will be established”, but there were no specific data on this regard. Spain, little affected. As pointed out The governor of the Bank of Spain, José Luis Escrivá, Spain is a country little affected by the tariff because our exports to the United States are 4.7%, one of the lowest figures in Europe. The impact according to him will be “moderate”, although future classulas may negatively affect that situation. Although in the technological field Spanish exports are reduced, there are sectors such as electrical machinery or automotive components that will see their competitiveness reduced. Semiconductors. In the absence of details, 15% tariffs will also apply to products from the pharmaceutical sector and that of semiconductors, but According to the statement From the European Commission, the tariff “will not apply in the aviation industry, some chups, critical raw materials and some agricultural products.” There are no specific data on the scope of these exclusions of the Araceles, and it seems clear that this agreement still has notable fringes that could cause a sensitive impact on all types of sectors and companies. Gigafactories of AI. The European Union announced in February The research project ai to create “gigafactories” of AI with tens of thousands of ia chips. These projects have been part of the commercial agreement, because in the European Commission statement it is specified that “the US chips will help enhance our AI gigafactories and help the US maintain their technological advantage.” The agreement seems that among other things can stimulate the creation of these data centers in Europe and Spain. Your mobile and your laptop (probably) will rise in price. But the most obvious impact – and practically inevitable – will be that of the price increase. Although Donald Trump established exemptions for electronic equipment such as mobiles and computers in April, he also assured that they would review this matter. In the agreement with the EU there is talk of exemptions to tariffs for semiconductors as those that have already been announced at that timebut there are no specific data that clarify whether these types of products will be free of tariffs. Not only consumers are affected here, but of course companies: the operational costs of computer equipment will … Read more

The Chinese solar sector wanted to save itself from overproduction with a pact. Just managed to sink faster

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Despite being a reference country World Cup in renewable energy, China Face a perfect storm In its solar sector: price collapse, red margins and an uncontrolled overproduction. Given this situation, more than 30 solar manufacturers agreed to stop the offer to stabilize the market, imitating the OPEC model. A kind of “Solar Cartel” in the style of oil exporting countries. It hasn’t done very well … Six months later, the result has been a disaster. Far from stabilizing, production has reached historical maximums, the facilities have tripled and losses continue to accumulate. According to Bloombergdifferent executives in the sector have publicly expressed their frustration and accuse their competitors of betraying the collective pact. OPEC style? Some of the big Chinese photovoltaic companies seem to be following the example of OPEC. As He explained Oilprice, the famous oil sign has been adjusting its production to influence global prices. The logic is clear: if the offer is limited, the price drop is contained and war between producers is avoided. Something similar is happening in the solar sector. Longi, Tongwei and Ja Solar have signed a “self -discipline” agreement under the Chinese association of the photovoltaic industry. The reason? Profitability is falling as panel prices, modules and wafers continue to fall. The pact seeks to set production fees by 2025, depending on the installed capacity and market share of each company. Chronicle of an announced death. Like Santiago Nasar at 5:30, this pact also had an inevitable ending. Unlike the oil market – dominated by state giants – the Chinese solar sector is private, fragmented and fiercely competitive. According to Bloombergthe agreement was not binding or contemplated sanctions. It was nothing more than a declaration of good intentions. And while some expected others to fulfill, many took the opportunity to gain market share producing even more. The result was excess supply, prices in free fall and sunken balances. No rules and every machine. According to Oilpricethe plan included limiting new investments, raising the technical requirements and increasing from 20% to 30% the minimum capital required for new projects. The government also implemented measures to cool the overheated sector. However, instead of containing themselves, companies intensified production so as not to lose relevance. According to data cited by Bloombergsolar facilities tripled in a year, and manufacturers have not closed or reduced operations significantly. The damage has been tangible. Longi Green Energy, one of the leaders of the sector, reported in the third quarter of 2024 a loss of 174 million dollars (1,261 million yuan), its first major fall since 2016. In the words of the company itself, collected by Oilpricelast year marked the first collective loss of the sector in almost a decade. The Chinese government has already hardened the conditions for new investments, and there are voices that ask for a firmer intervention. But the truth is that the “OPEC Solar” has failed loudly. The market remains overflowing, depressed prices and competition more wild than ever. The mirage of coordination. Try to coordinate a privatized and fragmented industry with a voluntary pact has been, as has detailed Bloomberg, an idea “condemned from the beginning.” Far from an orderly cartel, the attempt has exposed the structural weaknesses of the Chinese solar model: brutal efficiency, but without rules or firewalls. China continues to lead the world in installed capacity for renewables. But its solar manufacturing sector now faces a hard truth: in a market without discipline or referees, surviving is more difficult than producing. Image | Grégory Roose (Pixabay) Xataka | China’s energy paradox: an ‘electrostate’ that continues to feed on coal

Germany and France have signed a pact to reconfigure the continent

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The debate on nuclear energy It seems more alive than everbut it is not something new. He has been on the table for a couple of years and began to intensify with the closure of nuclear plants. Two years ago, Germany hill its last three nuclear centrals within politics, Energy. This measure was taken by the to an accident similar to Fukushima And it was reinforced by The Ukraine Wara cocktail that generated an intense national debate. Now with the arrival of the new Friedrich Merz Chancellor, the situation has taken another course. The firm. At a time where the European Union It is focusing All its efforts towards the energy transition, two countries have sealed an alliance that will change the paradigm of the contain. Germany has stopped blocking France’s efforts so that nuclear energy receives the same treatment as renewables in EU legislation, according to He has reported Financial Times. This decision marks a radical change regarding German position, which until now opposed to consider nuclear energy as a green source. THE PACT. The agreement has established three key points for nuclear energy. First, the Pink hydrogenproduced from nuclear energy, is classified as “green”, granting the same status as renewable hydrogen. Second, pejorative references against nuclear in EU legal texts will be eliminated, facilitating its inclusion in future energy regulations. Finally, this covenant could be key for nuclear energy to receive EU financing. A reactivation. The German Foreign Minister Friedrich Merz is using this agreement to reactivate Franco-German cooperation and advance in European energy policy. All this, motivated under the need of the German country to maintain competitive electricity prices and ensure stable energy supply. As They have detailed In the London environment, the agreement would open a door to future conversations about the possible integration of Germany into the French nuclear shield, a deterrent to the Russian threat. And the renewable boom? If something characterizes Germany It is his commitment to self -consumptionsurpassing Spain. In fact, last year more than 60% of electricity consumption came from clean sources, but the dependency by Gas remains highespecially during periods of Dunkelflautewhere renewable intermission can threaten the stability of the electrical system. So are they going to reopen centrals? No, there will be no reopening of conventional nuclear power plants. However, new nuclear technologies are being explored that could position Germany as a European reference. According to Financial Timesone of the technologies will be the small modular reactors (SMR), which have advantages in terms of safety, flexibility and smaller scale. In addition, the development of nuclear fusion is being promoted, with the announcement of firm support to the plant of Proxima Fusiona project that seeks to move towards a safer nuclear energy and No long -term radioactive waste. But wasn’t there a controversy? In 2022, the EU implemented green taxonomy to classify sustainable investments. However, since its approval, this regulation already includes nuclear energy and natural gas as transition energy sources, a movement that generated great controversy at the time. In this way, this new pact can bring a tail, because Austria remains the only member state that strongly opposes nuclear energy, while Belgium and the Netherlands are reconsidering their nuclear policies, as They have pointed out In Financial Times. Forecasts At the moment this pact has two approaches. In the short term, the agreement wants to stabilize energy prices and guarantee shared nuclear infrastructure. In the long term, Germany aspires to position itself as a leader in advanced nuclear technologies, especially in nuclear fusion and SMR, in addition to consolidating itself as a European reference of green hydrogen. This new turn that is taking Germany will transform the European energy balance and is another ingredient for the debate of the nuclear, which remains latent in the continent. However, in this context, one might ask if this position will not even intensify the divisions between the Member States, fueling tensions around common energy policy and complicating the transition to a more sustainable model. Image | Lnbiggs Xataka | A power in nuclear energy is emerging as the best alternative to Russia and China for the West: South Korea

There is a non -proliferation pact of nuclear weapons. In 2025 what we need is one that avoids murderous robots

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In 1139 Pope Innocent II prohibited The use of the crossbow. He then described it as “a detestable weapon for God and unworthy for Christians,” although he considered it valid to fight the infidels. The measure was not taken into account, and the crossbow continued to be used in later centuries. The history of weapons has always been linked to these prohibitions, and now there is a especially delicate: the one that affects the so -called “murderous robots.” Prohibited weapons. That example of the crossbows ended up being just one of the many that have surrounded the evolution of the military weapons and its application to war conflicts. In 1970 the Nuclear Non -Proliferation Treaty To avoid the use of nuclear weapons, but international law also prohibits the use of chemical, biological or antipersonnel mines. These agreements are not usually ratified by all countries of the world, but by the vast majority. Beware of autonomous weapons. As indicated In ReutersThe United Nations Organization has called a meeting to regulate the segment of autonomous weapons controlled by artificial intelligence. This type of armament is increasingly used in modern war conflicts, and experts warn: it is time to put limits to the use of this lethal technology. The Ukraine War as an example. What is being lived in the Ukraine war is a sign of how this type of autonomous weapons are being used. The drones and robots They are being used Notable form against Russian troops, and there is already drones throwing drones to attack other drones. The relevance From this type of weapons it has been even affected by the commercial war between the US and China, which makes DANGER PRODUCTION AND EXPORT of these autonomous vehicles. In The New York Times They already warned of the rise of the fearsome “kamikaze drones” and their use in this conflict. Ten years talking about prohibiting murderous robots. In Xataka we have been talking about the danger of weapons with AI and drifting towards the famous “murderous robots”. He debate On the potential prohibition of murderous robots It comes from afarand organizations like Human Rights Watch has been trying to ban them since 2015 before it’s late. The researchers themselves already They warned of that danger In 2017 and Brad Smith, president of Microsoft, claimed that these murderous robots They are “unstoppable”. However, there are many countries that They have continued developing them, and there is no consensus when putting limits in this dangerous area. Deadline. The Secretary General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, has established that 2026 is the deadline for all countries to establish clear rules in the use of weapons with artificial intelligence. His words are clear: these autonomous armament systems are “politically unacceptable, morally disgusting” and should be prohibited. “ There is no consensus. What is missing is the aforementioned consensus: Alexander Kmentt, head of armament control in the Austrian Foreign Ministry, explained it: “Time is pressing to stop the nightmares that some of the most prestigious experts warn,” he said. Some great personalities of the technological world such as Elon Musk or Demis Hassabis They already warned of the problem in 2018 and asked the UN to ban autonomous weapons. The military resists. Diplomatic efforts face military controls, which according to Reuters resist regulation because that could blur the advantages posed by these technologies on the battlefield. This last meeting of the Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCWfor its acronym in English) is the last edition of some meetings that have been held since 2014. Participants have been necessary “a legally binding treaty” for UN countries. But some countries prefer to go to their rhythm. Many countries support that general agreement, but USA, Russia, China and India prefer to have national regulations or that existing international laws are applied, according to Amnesty International. A US Pentagon spokesman said in Reuters that “we are not convinced that existing laws are insufficient” and stressed that autonomous weapons could raise a lower risk for civilians than conventional weapons. And since there is no regulation, there is proliferation. The lack of these limits is causing a clear development of this type of autonomous weapons. The experts of Future of Life Institute They have monitored the deployment of about 200 autonomous weapons systems in Ukraine, the Middle East and Africa. Russian forces have deployed some 3,000 kamikaze drones Veter in Ukraine, according to that data, and as we have indicated in several occasions In Xataka, that country has in these drones one of its Critical elements To attack Russian goals. Duality. As my partner Javier Jiménez said In a fantastic theme That he prepared in 2018, another of the problems with this debate is that “it is very difficult to determine what to prohibit and what not in a world as strongly computerized as the war.” The key is not so much in technological and ethical, and here we are facing a dual technology capable of being used for civil and military purposes. Here the reflection was clear: “No one is going to give a strategic military asset for an ethical issue,” he said. He added as a conclusion that “beyond alarmism, we need tools” to identify, monitor and control the development of these weapons because “neither good intentions nor self -control have worked well in the past.” A lot of money at stake. But as always, one of the factors of this industry is that there is a lot of money at stake, and more when there is a renewed fever for Increase defense budgets. Laura Nolan, of the Stop Killer Robots activist organization, made it clear that there is no guarantee that technology companies will be responsible when developing these systems: “In general, we do not trust that industries are self -regulated … there is no reason why defense or technology companies must be more worthy of trust.” In Xataka | Ukraine has found a solution to China’s veto in drones: it’s called Hell, it’s a “home” missile and … Read more

Mercedes broke out for uncovering the anti -petitive pact

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The European Commission has imposed A sanction of 458 million euros to 15 car manufacturers for its involvement in an illegal pact on recycling. Paradoxically, the scandal was uncovered thanks to Mercedes-Benz, who participated in the framework, but when exposing him to European regulators he obtained total immunity. A pact not to compete. According to the commissionthe manufacturers involved agreed two key practices. On the one hand, not paying vehicle dismantlers, starting from the idea that recycling was a profitable enough business to not have to remunerate it. They did it under a strategy that they baptized as “zero treatment cost.” On the other, they agreed not to make public data on the percentage of recyclability of their vehicles or on the amount of recycled materials used in the manufacture of new cars. The objective was to prevent this information from generating competitive pressure between brands or expectations among consumers. The infraction. These practices went against the Directive 2000/53/CE On vehicles out of use, which establishes that the last owner must be able to deliver his car to a drain without any cost. If necessary, it is the manufacturers themselves who must assume that expense, in addition to adequately informing the recycling and reuse data. The detail of the fines imposed by the EU. The highest sanction has been for Volkswagen, with 127.7 million euros. They are followed by Renault/Nissan with 81 million, and Stellantis with almost 75 million. Toyota, BMW, Ford, Hyundai, GM, Suzuki, Mazda and Volvo also appear on the list, with amounts ranging between 1 and 25 million euros. The ACEA (European Association of Automobile Manufacturers) has also been sanctioned, in this case with a fine of 500,000 euros. The investigation concluded that it acted as a facilitator of the Pact, having organized numerous meetings and coordinated contacts between the manufacturers involved. Mercedes-Benz is fought from fines. Although he participated in the illegal agreement, Mercedes-Benz has not been fined. It was the company that went to the commission in 2019 and activated the clemency program, revealing the existence of the cartel and providing key evidence. If he had not done it, he would have faced a penalty of 35 million euros. Stellantis, Mitsubishi and Ford also subsequently collaborated, which allowed them to obtain reductions in their fines under the same procedure. A pact that crossed borders. The European Commission did not act alone. The investigation was coordinated with the United Kingdom competence authority (CMA), which announced additional sanctions for more than 77 million pounds (about 92 million euros). Among those fined by the British competence authority are Ford and Volkswagen. Challenging times. The news does not arrive at the best time for the sector. The European car industry is under pressure, partly because of the accelerated growth of the sector in China, which threatens to change the global balance. To that are added commercial tensions with the United States, which recently announced new vehicle import tariffs. In the words of Teresa Ribera. The Spanish Commissioner who leads the competition efforts in the European Commission has left a forceful statement: “Today we have taken energetic measures against the companies that were conspired to prevent competition in recycling.” Along these lines, he pointed out that they will not tolerate this type of practices. Images | Yunus Yildiz | Sara Kurfeß | Olga Nayda In Xataka | The extension of the MOVES III Plan is bittersweet: 400 million euros for the electric car and the same problems always

Saudi Arabia has sealed a key pact to dominate the AI

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Saudi Arabia is launched into the conquest of the Artificial Intelligence (AI)entering fully into the battle to lead one of the most promising businesses of the moment. The country, whose economy continues to depend largely on oil, has been looking to diversify its sources of income for years. A key piece of this ambitious plan is neom, A futuristic city that, for now, resembles more an industrial estatebut that aspires to become a luxury tourist destination and an innovation center. Oxagon, the city’s industrial center, will be the headquarters of a huge 1.5 Gigaw Data Center. Until now, most of the language models we use have been trained in infrastructure that operated on the megawatt scale, but the industry is stepping on the accelerator towards the gigawatts. There are the projects announced by goal and Oracle To prove it. This runaway growth is also exerting pressure on the energy sector of many countries. A “sustainable” project raised in several stages According to a statement released this weekthe Saudi Datavolt company will be in charge of leading the works. It is not yet clear if they will begin this year, but it has been confirmed that the data center will be built in phases. The initial investment, of 5,000 million dollarswill allow operations to start in 2028. From then on, the capital flow is expected to continue and that the works continue to advance until reaching the expected power, all under a “sustainable” approach. The announcement indicates that the data center will have “an integrated high density computer ecosystem and an energy efficient infrastructure.” One of the promises of the NEOM is sustainability. The government has promised that it aims to produce “100% clean” energy from sources such as solar energy, wind energy and the largest hydrogen plant in the world. It is no secret that they will need a lot of energy to boost this and other AI data centers in the place. The International Energy Agency (AIE) He has indicated thatin 2022, the global electricity consumption of the data centers was between 1 % and 1.3 %, and everything indicates that it will continue to increase significantly in the next decade. This scenario is promoting a Resurgence of nuclear energya source capable of satisfying the needs of large data centers and doing it stable. Now, it remains to be seen if Saudi Arabia, that still does not have nuclear plantsHe will advance in his plans. As Datavolt has pointed out, the project aims to turn Saudi Arabia into a regional reference in digital innovation and artificial intelligence. However, it is not the only country in the Middle East that aspires to lead this technological career. United Arab Emirates is also betting strongly in that regard, and proof of this is its recent multimillionaire investment To lift in France a 1 Gigavatio AI data center, part of the largest AI campus in Europe. Images | Neom | Datavolt In Xataka | Neom seems crazy, but Saudi Arabia does not take the brake and begin to build a cube in which 20 Empire State fit

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