EU and the UK
date: 13/09/2019
EU-funded researchers detect signs of water on potentially habitable planet
Researchers from University College London (UCL) have detected water vapour in the atmosphere of a potentially habitable planet which is eight-times bigger than Earth and with temperature that could support life. Dr Angelos Tsiaras, Dr Ingo Waldmann and Professor Giovanna Tinetti used archive data from 2016 and 2017 captured by the ESA/NASA Hubble Space Telescope and developed open-source algorithms to analyse the starlight filtered through the atmosphere of the planet, called K2-18b. The results revealed the molecular signature of water vapour as well as indicating the presence of hydrogen and helium. Dr Waldmann and Professor Tinetti both received grants for their research from the European Research Council (ERC). The UK has received the highest number of core grants (starting, consolidated and advanced) - 1,895 totalling €3.4 bn (slightly over £3bn) since the launch of the ERC in 2007.
European Commission clears acquisition of Kantar by Bain Capital Investors
On 10 September, the European Commission approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, the acquisition of Kantar of the UK by Bain Capital Investors of the US. Kantar provides data, research, consulting and analytics services, including market research, media measurement and marketing and communication services at global level. Bain Capital Investors is a global private investment firm. The Commission concluded that the proposed acquisition would raise no competition concerns because the companies are not active in the same markets, nor in any related or complementary markets.
European Commission clears acquisition of Heras by Equistone
On 12 September, the European Commission approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, the acquisition of sole control over the entire business of Heras consisting of companies in Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden and the UK by Equistone of the UK. Heras is active in the supply of perimeter protection solutions and services, such as fencing systems, gates and barriers and their maintenance and repair. Equistone is a mid-market private equity investment firm operating across Europe. The Commission concluded that the proposed acquisition would raise no competition concerns given that the companies' activites do not overlap.
Latest news on the Article 50 negotiations can be found here