Following the publication, on Wednesday 9 April, of the European Commission’s Plan to put the EU back in the global artificial intelligence race – entitled ‘AI Continent Action Plan’ – a number of industry associations and interest groups are adopting a cautious wait-and-see approach, particularly with regard to the simplification proposals.
According to Digital Europe, it is “encouraging” to see regulatory simplification “taking priority”. In the lobby’s view, the EU should not “waste resources on bureaucracy”, but should focus on “creating real market opportunities”.
“Without (...) smart investment incentives, we will not build (...) AI champions”, said its Director General, Cecilia Bonefeld-Dahl, when the Plan announced.
“Simplification matters — not just as a message, but as a strategy”, says Thomas Boué, Director General of BSA Europe.
However, the association, which includes US companies such as Microsoft and IBM, is concerned that the EU is closing itself off too much to foreign suppliers.
“The EU’s ambition to strengthen its digital infrastructure and reduce reliance on non-EU infrastructure or providers, this must not come at the cost of cutting off trusted non-European providers from the EU market”, says BSA.
As for the IAPP, the International Association of Privacy Professionals, it says it would like to see “clarification” of the European rules. (Original version in French by Isalia Stieffatre)