Red Tape Roadblocks
US threatens European companies (and why it may not have the desired effect)
US trade officials warned on X that European service providers could face fees and restrictions if the EU keeps “discriminatory” tech rules.
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In-depth analysis of the issues that matter.
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Red Tape Roadblocks
The rules that get in the way of progress.
Red Tape Roadblocks
The DFA’s public consultation exposes Europe’s survey sore spots
The DFA consultation is structured in a traditionally biased way: supporters of more regulation can justify their view, while dissenters cannot. To uphold Better Regulation principles, the Commission should adopt a neutral, balanced survey design.
Red Tape Roadblocks
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.
Red Tape Roadblocks
The democracy paradox: why no political ads may empower illiberals
The EU’s new political ad rules, taking effect in Oct 2025, pushed Meta and Google to discontinue political ads in Europe. While meant to boost transparency, the situation risks aiding regimes like Orbán’s Fidesz, which dominate media and can drown out opposition voices.
Red Tape Roadblocks
Return of Chat Control: something is rotten in the state of Denmark
The Scandinavian state has been a stalwart supporter of CSAM scanning and chat control. Now, they hold the keys to make it a reality.
Red Tape Roadblocks
When Single Market principles don’t work: Revolut’s case
Revolut is rolling out local IBANs and expanding its presence across Western Europe. One of the factors behind this move is to bypass “IBAN discrimination”, where public and private institutions reject foreign account numbers, highlighting gaps in the EU’s Single Market for the financial sector.
Red Tape Roadblocks
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.
Red Tape Roadblocks
“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.
Red Tape Roadblocks
"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.
Red Tape Roadblocks
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.
Red Tape Roadblocks
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.
Red Tape Roadblocks
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.
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