Thursday, 3 September 2026Europe
Independent · Brussels & Berlin
Technology · page 8 of 8
Henna Virkkunen tells digital ministers that August deadlines for general-purpose AI models could slip if codes of practice and technical standards are not finalised in time.
Preliminary verdict under Digital Services Act could mean fine of up to 6% of global turnover as separate election integrity probe continues
Kilian Gross says Brussels will prioritise simplifying compliance before considering legislative amendments, as general-purpose AI code of practice faces delay amid US lobbying.
The European Commission fined Meta €200 million for a subscription model it says breaches the Digital Markets Act. The company says fixes could degrade its products for EU users as soon as July.
The European Commission has issued its first fines under the Digital Markets Act, targeting Apple's App Store restrictions and Meta's consent-or-pay model, though the amounts fall well short of the maximum allowed.
Analysis of 5,000 legislative files over two decades shows technology, green deal and agriculture files attracted the heaviest parliamentary amendment activity, a proxy for lobbying intensity.
Henna Virkkunen says bloc will not compromise on Digital Markets Act, Digital Services Act or AI Act despite pressure from Trump administration and US tech giants.
European Commission tech chief Henna Virkkunen says Brussels will review administrative burdens in the year-old regulation as US trade policy shifts and Big Tech lobbying intensifies.
The European Commission proposes up to five massive supercomputing sites while opening consultation on simplifying the AI Act barely a year after its adoption.
More than 100 companies including Airbus, Dassault and leading cloud providers have written to Ursula von der Leyen demanding 'Buy European' rules and a sovereign fund to cut reliance on US technology.
Public policy chiefs from both companies told the Techarena conference that fragmented regulation and the AI Act are delaying product launches and disadvantaging European consumers.
Architect of 2019 copyright directive says text and data mining exemption was never meant for generative AI training, while cultural organisations warn draft transparency rules are insufficient.
US Vice President uses first overseas trip to condemn Digital Services Act and dismiss Russian election interference claims, while European Commission offers restrained defence of its regulatory framework.
US vice president tells summit excessive rules will strangle the sector while Europe commits 200 billion euros and China pushes open-source access.
US vice president attacks Digital Markets Act and Digital Services Act as onerous, while Trump's 25 percent metal tariffs take effect and von der Leyen promises retaliation.
Senior executives from both companies say the voluntary code of practice goes beyond the AI Act and threatens European competitiveness ahead of the Paris AI summit.
First prohibitions took effect on 2 February with fines up to 35 million euros or 7% of global revenue, though full implementation stretches to 2027 and key compliance standards remain unwritten.
Internal documents show Paris engineered national security exemptions allowing real-time facial recognition, emotion detection and predictive policing across the bloc from 2 February.
Seventeen member states face caps on advanced processors while ten western neighbours enjoy unrestricted access, exposing the bloc's dependence on American silicon.
Meta chief tells Joe Rogan the incoming Trump administration should treat EU antitrust penalties like tariffs and defend American tech companies, as Meta ends fact-checking and DEI programmes.
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