Blueprint for startups: EU policy matters to follow and ways to engage
EU and local policymakers are eager to hear from European founders - and AI makes monitoring policy and engaging with them faster and more affordable.
AI Act
The Artificial Intelligence Act: https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/regulatory-framework-ai
Posts
How to prepare for the EU's new transparency and marking rules for AI
We break down the new EU’s 51-page transparency and marking guidelines for AI systems and AI-affected content.
Study: data protection rules slow LLM rollout in Europe
A new Gov AI study reveals that EU data protection rules are stalling AI adoption, leaving 11% of advanced LLM releases delayed or blocked in Europe compared to the US. Meta faced the biggest hurdles, withholding 26% of its models from the bloc.
Europe has both a competitiveness and a fantasy-thinking problem
As EU governments discuss the Digital Omnibus, Europe is divided: some see the Omnibus as a necessary step to help European companies, while others cling to rules like the GDPR and the AI Act.
Consumer waiting game: why do tech products launch later in Europe?
Europeans often get access to major tech products months after the U.S., and sometimes with missing features. Privacy rules, the Digital Markets Act, and cautious rollouts all play a role, leaving consumers and businesses a step behind on productivity and new use cases.
Five takeaways for tech from Draghi's speech
At today’s conference on Draghi’s competitiveness report, key takeaways included: telecoms reform (DNA), calls for deeper GDPR reform, a pause on AI Act high-risk rules, "Buy European" procurement, and faster merger reform.
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.
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.
“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.
"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.
New survey reveals: CEE startups want more urgent action from national regulators
Today, the Consumer Choice Center Europe (CCCE) released survey results examining how EU data strategy regulations impact operations and innovation potential among startups in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE).
Europe’s AI regulatory sandboxes need improvement
After introducing the AI Act, regulatory sandboxes have become an EU’s poster child measure aimed at both helping European innovators with compliance questions, as well as provide a safe space to test and innovate, in accordance with rules and procedures.
Innovation and consumer-centric insights into the EU’s digital policies and initiatives