Our take on the latest developments.
Eurobarometer stats challenge political alarmism over teen social media use: 2/3 don't feel stressed, sad, or excluded; 55% don't compare themselves to others; and 75% haven't encountered problematic content like hate speech online.
Germany's proposed streaming quota risks harming consumers, stifling competition, sparking international trade tensions, and increasing the cinema industry's dependence on political whim.
The EU’s tech sovereignty plans are moving forward, but foundational debates persist.
The EU’s AI Omnibus is finally here, but some criticize it for a lack of ambition. While the EU must still formally approve the AI Omnibus, focus now shifts to the second leg of the EU’s digital simplification efforts: the Digital Omnibus package, which is crucial for AI development and data.
Siemens warned that EU regulations are driving industrial giants toward the US and China. As the "Trump Effect" lures factories away with tax cuts and deregulation, Europe faces a high-stakes choice regarding data rules and the chip dilemma of speed vs. sovereignty.
The European Commission launched an age verification app this week. This is likely to serve as a start for a broader legislative initiative to legalise age-verification and subsequent restrictions on minors.
Although Brussels often overlooks how new taxes and regulations are passed on to consumers, the impact is already becoming clear: Meta advertisers have been told that “location fees” of 2% to 5% will apply in several European countries, with rates subject to change.
A group of activists want the EU Commission to help build a “society-funded” European social network. The Commission has now registered a Citizens’ Initiative, triggering up to 18-month, 1-million-signature push, while questions remain on cost, procurement, and timeline.
Last week the European Commission preliminarily found TikTok may breach the DSA over “addictive design” (infinite scroll, autoplay, push alerts, personalised feeds). If upheld, it could mean a fine up to 6% of global turnover.
At ITRE, EVP Henna Virkkunen pitched the Digital Networks Act. The DNA's Articles 191–193 revive fears of de facto network fees, and S&D’s Mattias Ecke pressed for safeguards. The Commission offered little clarity and hinted it could later “revise” the mechanism.
The Commission’s draft Digital Networks Act would replace the 2018 EECC and reopen old fights: less national control over spectrum, a costly copper switch-off by 2035, and a “voluntary” conciliation backdoor that could revive de facto network fees.
2026 is the EU’s digital “set-up” year: a time to simplify rules, set priorities, and brace for transatlantic spillovers as major legislative initiatives race toward 2027.
Innovation and consumer-centric insights into the EU’s digital policies and initiatives
