Your commercial news round-up: Greenland, social media ban, competition watchdog, solar panels

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US President Donald Trump said the US is exploring a potential Greenland deal after talks with NATO. Meanwhile, the House of Lords has backed a proposed social media ban for teenager, experts have questioned plans to reshape the Competition and Markets Authority, and the government has unveiled a major green‑tech scheme as part of its £15 billion Warm Home plan.

• Following talks with Nato, Trump has announced that the US is exploring a potential deal on Greenland. He backed away from earlier tariff threats and talk of using military force, stating: "We probably won't get anything unless I decide to use excessive force. We'd be unstoppable, but we won't do that.” He stated the meeting had led to the “framework” of a potential deal, but there was no mention of this deal meeting his demand for “ownership” of Greenland, according to BBC News. The emerging plan could allow the US to expand its military presence in Greenland, with officials telling the New York Times that the arrangement may mirror Britain’s sovereign base model in Cyprus. The US already has broad access under longstanding agreements with Denmark and maintains more than 100 personnel at its Pituffik base.
  
  Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said in a statement: "The day is ending on a better note than it began […] Now, let's sit down and find out how we can address the American security concerns in the Arctic while respecting the red lines of the Kingdom of Denmark." Meanwhile, Nato's secretary general said Danish sovereignty over Greenland didn’t come up in his meeting with Trump. Speaking on Greenland’s absence from the meeting, Greenland politician Aaja Chenmitz said: "Nato in no case has the right to negotiate on anything without us, Greenland.”
   
• The House of Lords has backed a proposal to bar under‑16s from using social media. While the Conservative party supports the move, with 251 votes 150, the Labour government has indicated it’ll attempt to overturn it in the Commons as it runs its own consultation. Even so, more than 60 Labour MPs have said they intend to support the restriction. Momentum behind the idea has grown since Australia introduced a similar age limit. Former Conservative schools minister Lord Nash described social media as a “societal catastrophe”, pointing to “overwhelming” evidence linking it to mental health issues, online radicalisation and disruptive behaviour in classrooms. By contrast, Labour peer Lord Knight warned that imposing an age threshold could push teenagers towards “less regulated platforms” and deprive them of the positive elements social media can offer. Speaking on Labour’s plans to overturn the ban, Sir Keir Starmer's spokesperson said: "Our position is clear. We won't accept the amendment […] This is an extremely complex issue. We believe the right thing to do is to gather the necessary evidence and insight before changing the law."
   
• Mergers experts have criticised a UK government proposal to overhaul the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), according to the Financial Times. The plan forms part of a wider consultation aiming to speed up merger clearance. Currently, the CMA reviews mergers that could lead to less competition. The government has suggested replacing it with a panel of members of the CMA board who are more directly accountable to parliament. Critics have warned that it risks political interference and “cronyism” – a practice where jobs are awarded to friends over an independent party. One industry professional with experience in the CMA’s merger function cautioned that: “In extremis, the government may apply pressure in a case that’s in their interest.” Meanwhile, competition lawyer at Geradin Partners and former legal director of the CMA, Tom Smith, commented that the proposal reads like a “wishlist” and said the reforms “will increase the regimes predictability and speed. The government clearly wants to send out some mildly deregulatory vibes”. Despite these concerns, CMA CEO Sarah Cardell stated: “[Proposals will] support the CMA’s commitment to promote competition and protect consumers with a clear end goal in mind: to drive economic growth and improve household prosperity.”
   
• The government has announced that households will be able to access thousands of pounds’ worth of green technology, such as solar panels, to help cut energy costs. The so‑called “rooftop revolution” has been welcomed by the energy and finance sectors, although the Conservative party has warned that the initiative could “saddle households with high ongoing running costs”. The scheme forms part of the broader Warm Home plan, which will deliver £15 billion of support over the next five years. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said: “A warm home shouldn’t be a privilege; it should be a basic guarantee for every family in Britain.” Measures include extending the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, allocating an additional £600 million to cover the full cost of solar panels and batteries for low‑income households, and offering low and zero‑interest loans to households regardless of income.

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