Best practices Featured

AI desks go live in Germany, Austria; EU’s price tag: €2M

Germany and Austria have launched simple AI service desks to guide companies under the AI Act. The EU’s €2M version, expected by August 2025, will rely on human staff for general guidance (not thorough legal advice) and respond in 12 EU languages within 2 days.

AI Featured

Trump’s AI Action plan: European reflections

The American AI Action Plan pushes for “global dominance”, and the EU should follow suit where possible, particularly with regulatory feedback loops and stronger military AI capacity at the Member State level.

Data Featured

Denmark to drive GDPR simplification: scaleups must not be forgotten

EU Justice Ministers met in Copenhagen to discuss targeted GDPR simplification. While the Commission rules out a full review, momentum is growing to ease burdens, especially for SMEs and scale-ups, which are key to Europe's competitiveness.

Data Featured

The GDPR review to be discussed by Justice Ministers

The Danish EU Presidency is pushing GDPR reform to boost competitiveness, proposing SME-friendly changes like limiting data rights in low-risk cases, simplifying DPIAs, and requiring prior engagement before complaints. Broader reforms may still be needed for hyperscalers.

AI Featured

Russia to develop “traditional Values” AI, take jabs at Grok and China

Russia and Belarus plan to build “traditional values” - based AI to counter U.S. and Chinese influence. While still reliant on Chinese tech, Russia ranks low in global AI indexes. Sanctions, brain drain, and chip dependency drive its $2.5B push for AI self-reliance.

Data Featured

European Data Union Strategy: let’s not avoid the difficult questions

The EU’s Data Union Strategy aims to boost AI-friendly data use, streamline rules, and expand global data flows. But GDPR remains off the table. Unfair B2B data sharing, lack of incentives for public institutions need more attention.

Connectivity Featured

European sovereignty: the China factor

The current debate on European digital sovereignty largely targets American tech, while 5G infrastructure sovereignty and security are often sidelined as "non-priority" or "too expensive".

Connectivity Featured

European consumers say 'no' to network fees

Eighty-one organizations representing European consumer interests have issued a joint statement opposing the revival of network fees - or "fair share" - in the context of the upcoming Digital Networks Act.

AI Featured

US-EU 90-day tariff pause ends tomorrow

As the US-EU 90-day tariff pause nears its end, digital tensions remain unresolved. Despite growing pushback from startups and Member States, the European Commission stays firm on its digital agenda - from the DMA and DSA to the AI Act's rollout.

AI Featured

“Don’t regulate it into the ground”: European startups and VCs push to pause the rollout of the AI Act

Yesterday, Sifted reported that nearly 30 industry leaders and 20 venture capital firms across Europe sent a letter to the European Commission, urging a delay in the AI Act's implementation.

News Featured

Danish Presidency kicks off tomorrow: digital priorities at a glance

Tomorrow, Denmark takes over the Presidency of the Council of the EU from Poland, leading until December 31, 2025. Here's a look at the key digital priorities on the Danish agenda.

AI Featured

"Stop the clock" for the AI Act: the momentum builds (in the North)

Momentum grows for delaying the AI Act as smaller EU states, Baltic tech groups, and Sweden raise concerns over unclear rules and readiness. While the Commission races to meet the August 2025 deadline, calls to “Stop the Clock” are getting harder to ignore.

News Featured

Opportunities for media outlets & blogs

We created EU Tech Loop to break info barriers around digital policy - no paywalls, no gatekeeping. Want to share our content? Email us at editor@eutechloop.com - let’s talk!

Fintech Featured

The war against fintechs in Hungary continues

A new front has opened up in Hungary between fintech companies and the traditional banking sector. In June, the Government voted to introduce the transaction tax on fintech players, such as Revolut, Wise, and BINX.

Global Featured

Little movement on the digital front as the US-EU tariff pause deadline approaches

As the US-EU tariff pause nears its July 9 deadline, digital trade talks remain stalled. The EU presses ahead with regulations de facto targeting US tech, sparking tensions over digital sovereignty, market access, and the line between sovereignty and protectionism.

AI Featured

Is the EU’s deregulation for tech in the room with us?

The EU talks simplification, not deregulation. Despite promises to cut red tape, major digital laws like the GDPR and AI Act are likely to remain largely untouched. Cosmetic tweaks and harmonization are the focus, while new regulatory layers resurface under fresh labels.

Data Featured

The EU announces modest (first) red tape cuts to the GDPR

The Commission's fourth simplification package outlined two digital-oriented changes: simplified record-keeping requirements under the GDPR for larger companies, and the introduction of a ‘digital-first’ principle for product legislation.

AI Featured

EP’s IMCO rejects AI Liability Directive, calling it a gateway to “predatory litigation”

Yesterday, the European Parliament’s Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO)  adopted its opinion on the AI Liability Directive (AILD), calling it “premature and unnecessary”.

E-governance Featured

Die Zentralisation: Germany establishes a Ministry for Digital Affairs and State Modernization

Germany has recently established a new Ministry for Digital Affairs and State Modernization, which could help improve its position in the EU's digital race and inspire larger Member States to pursue similar reforms- provided they are granted sufficient political authority.

AI Featured

Changes to US AI diffusion incoming? 'Alienating allies' is not good policy, after all

Last week, David Sacks called for scrapping the AI diffusion rule, warning it alienates allies and risks pushing them toward China. The policy has faced a modest EU backlash.

Cloud

The future of cloud policy in the EU: have your say (until 4th of June)

The EU is aiming towards a Cloud and AI Development Act aiming to triple European data center capacity, cut red tape, and prioritize digital sovereignty - yet challenges like legacy systems, grid strain, and intertia within public administrations remain unaddressed.

DMA Featured

EU’s €700M Fines for APPLE and META: power posing or the benefit for consumers?

The EU fined Apple €500M and Meta €200M under the Digital Markets Act, giving them 60 days to comply. But from a consumer perspective, are we celebrating real benefits - or are we celebrating “showing it to them”?

5G Featured

ProtectEU internal security strategy: will proposals for 5G security be prioritised?

The EU has no shortage of security rules - but enforcement remains the real challenge. The European Commission's internal security plan, ProtectEU, aims to unify and strengthen Europe’s security approach, particularly around supply chains, including ICT and 5G.

AI Featured

GPAI Code of Practice: reactions on the 3rd draft and consumer perspective

The EU’s GPAI Code of Practice aims to guide AI development, but critics argue it goes beyond the AI Act, increasing compliance costs and risking exposure of trade secrets. As the final draft approaches, tensions remain between creators, industry, and regulators.

AI Featured

Europe’s AI Continent action plan: too lean on the simplification and data part

Last week, the EU Commission unveiled its AI Continent Action Plan to boost AI adoption and leadership. While it generated buzz, much of it echoes earlier proposals—and key measures on simplification and red tape, especially around the AI Act and GDPR, remain thin.