On Friday 5 December, the ministers of the EU27 will meet in Brussels for an EU ‘Telecommunications’ Council, which will see the adoption of conclusions on the Digital Decade Programme (see EUROPE 13759/17) and two discussion sessions on legislative simplification and the implementation of the DSA to combat online platform and e-commerce abuses (see EUROPE 13760/16).
The latest conclusions on the Digital Decade advocate a pragmatic and open approach to European technological sovereignty and call on the European Commission to take advantage of the revision of the programme (scheduled for June 2026) to review the objectives and means.
The EU is already “lagging behind its 2030 digital transition objectives”, particularly in the vital areas of AI and its adoption, digital skills and the digitalisation of SMEs: the European ministers believe that the revision of the programme should help to resolve these delays.
The planned exchange of views session on the implementation of the DSA will highlight the underlying feeling in some Member States that the regulation is not being used to its full potential, in light of recent scandals (see EUROPE 13746/16).
The issues of online platforms and e-commerce, illegal products found on certain sales platforms (see EUROPE 13747/2) and the protection of minors is expected to monopolise the debate. In view of the problems reported in several Member States, the EU Council stresses that a European approach is urgently needed. The issue, which was taken up by France, which made it a national battle, has become highly political in recent weeks.
The EU27 will also discuss the European Commission’s simplification agenda, in particular the recent simplification package for digital legislation, which provoked very strong reactions when it was published (see EUROPE 13756/20). European ministers’ opinions diverge on the simplification of the GDPR and the AI Act, with some refusing to make any adjustments, while others are urging the Commission to continue along this path (see EUROPE 13750/21).
This discussion should serve as an initial stock-taking exercise in preparation for the long and difficult negotiations that lie ahead on the simplification package. (Original version in French by Isalia Stieffatre)