The European Commission (i.e. the European Union’s Executive Body) has started a new 5-year political mandate on 1 December 2019 under the leadership of its new President, the German Ursula von der Leyen. Three overarching priorities are woven into the EC policy agenda until 2024: (1) sustainability/climate neutrality (under the new European Green Deal), (2) digitalization and (3) supporting the European economy. The COVID-19 outbreak in Q1 2020 has inevitably had a strong impact on these policy priorities – but it did not change the planned direction of travel, quite on the contrary: many of the planned policy initiatives now play a major role in the COVID-19 economic recovery efforts. At the forefront of these recovery efforts is the EU Recovery Instrument, (see overview) aiming at revitalizing the suffering European economies in the years to come.
In this European Commission, the digital portfolio is led by Executive Vice-President (EVP) Margrethe Vestager (Danish) who is also handling the Competition portfolio, and the Commissioner for Internal Market, Thierry Breton (French), a former CEO of IT company ATOS. EVP Frans Timmermans (Dutch) mainly leads the ‘European Green Deal’ portfolio. The EC has revised its work program for 2020 on 27 May, and we set out in our update the revised timelines for the selected policy initiatives.
This overview provides selected EU policy developments in the area of information and communication technology and digital markets – and how we can support businesses in managing and shaping these policy discussions to their advantage.
Our Observations
- Despite COVID-19, the EU lawmaking machinery in the ICT/data sector is in full swing.
- Now is the best time for clients to engage in these discussions.
Developments covered in this update include:
- Recent EU Initiatives in ICT/Data Economy Sector
- EU Digital Age Strategy
- European Data Strategy
- Artificial Intelligence White Paper
- Industrial Strategy
- 5G Security Toolbox
- Outstanding EU Policy Initiatives (Selection)
- Cooperative Intelligent Transport Systems
- ePrivacy Regulation
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