The Netherlands does not support the postponement of the White Paper on Artificial Intelligence (AI), which is expected to be announced in the amended version of the European Commission’s work programme for 2020 (see other news). This is the conclusion of a working document published on Tuesday 26 May by the Dutch authorities on the digital part of the EU’s recovery programme after the Covid-19 pandemic.
This document complements a section on the environment (see EUROPE 12476/15). It states that the EU should retain the priorities and timetable of the Digital Agenda presented in February (see EUROPE 12429/5).
The Netherlands “calls on the Commission and the Member States to take forward the plans in the White Paper on AI without delay”. “The ‘ecosystems of excellence and trust’ as defined in the White Paper on AI are mutually reinforcing in this regard, and both are essential”, they add.
However, according to an amended draft work programme, the Commission is reportedly recommending postponing its follow-up proposals (including on security, liability, fundamental rights and data) until the first quarter of 2021, instead of the fourth quarter of 2020. On the issue of platforms and the future digital services initiative (DSA), the Netherlands supports the idea of ex-ante regulation.
The Dutch authorities also wish to see the efforts to share industrial data speeded up, mainly on a voluntary basis. Nevertheless, it recognises that the accelerated development of a health data space is complex and that certain aspects of the concept of data spaces should be further clarified.
Finally, the Netherlands expresses its willingness to stimulate digital trade and to integrate this aspect into existing or future trade agreements. “This applies to bilateral trade agreements and to WTO negotiations on electronic commerce.” See the Dutch non-paper: https://bit.ly/3c5927K (Original version in French by Sophie Petitjean)