The European Commission triggered a political meltdown this week with proposals to loosen some of the EU's landmark digital regulations. The package, announced on Wednesday as part of a push to boost European innovation, drew condemnation from privacy advocates and lawmakers who accuse the Commission of capitulating to pressure from Washington and Big Tech.
Brussels wants to amend its data protection law, GDPR, to make it easier for companies to use personal information for AI training, reduce the number of cookie consent banners, and allow broader processing of "pseudonymised" data not directly linked to individuals' identities. The Commission is also proposing to delay enforcement of rules governing high-risk artificial intelligence applications.
"We must move from rule-making to innovation building," said Henna Virkkunen, European Commissioner for technology. "Our rules should not be a burden, but the added value that we need."
The proposals have already been watered-down since a leaked draft was met with fierce opposition. But critics still see the move as a retreat from Europe's position as a global standard-setter on digital rights.
Some – like France 24's Brussels Correspondent Dave Keating – are questioning the extent to which Washington has played a role in the change in policy.
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