Month: June 2016

Technology to the rescue of finance?

Enter ‘Fintech’ into your favourite search engine. You will discover a whole universe of new technologies, companies and services, all set to revolutionise the way consumers manage their personal financial life. Smart apps and on-line platforms offer consumers tailored banking,...

/ June 30, 2016

Why we must stop geo-blocking for audiovisual services

Geo-blocking is perhaps the most controversial element of the European Commission’s Digital Single Market agenda because it is about challenging a status quo. In an article recently published in POLITICO Europe, Michael Ryan, chairman of the Independent Film and Television...

/ June 24, 2016

Why digital can’t replace cash

We live in a digital era where smartphones rule. These intelligent devices offer consumers instant and convenient access to information, services, shopping, banking and payments. So a logical question is to ask whether banknotes and coins still have a role...

/ June 16, 2016

Can consumers easily produce their own electricity?

For 80% of households in Europe, it would be cheaper to produce their own electricity than to purchase it from an electricity company. How? By installing solar panels. And just imagine how much cleaner the energy market would be if...

/ June 13, 2016

A trans fat-free future

You’ve probably heard of saturated fats in butter, omega 3 in fish, healthy fats in olive oil. But have you ever heard of trans fatty acids (TFAs)? Also called ‘trans fats’ [1], they can hide in processed foods such as...

/ June 9, 2016