7️⃣ years ago, 7 of our members filed complaints against Google over its tracking of users’ locations.
A lot can happen in 7 years: the GDPR was reformed, Europeans born in 2018 are now in primary school, and the people below joined our digital & enforcement teams! Yet, this case is still pending⏱️
🚨 Comments from US officials to 'roll back' EU digital rules are alarming. During today’s plenary, @europarl.europa.eu MEPs need to request clarity and ensure that changes to the #AIAct and #GDPR do not simply open the door to the further dominance of large tech companies.
shorturl.at/nGoQK
We were promised that simplification was not going to lead to deregulation. Recent reports on the digital omnibus show otherwise. BEUC urged @michaelmcgratheu.bsky.social and @hennavirkkunen.bsky.social to keep protections under the GDPR and uphold the AI Act. Read our full letter: shorturl.at/zIfji
Today @claudio-teixeira.bsky.social spoke at the #WIKConference to discuss how fostering competition in mobile markets can boost investments & innovation, leading to better quality, wider access and more choice of service for consumers. Read more about our position here: www.beuc.eu/letter/joint...
🛜 How can the #DigitalNetworksAct truly deliver for Europeans? That's what @claudio-teixeira.bsky.social discussed at a panel organised by @euractiv.com and @ccianet.bsky.social.
We should keep our focus on end users when strengthening Europe’s connectivity ecosystem: blog.beuc.eu/consolidatin...
As a consumer, it’s concerning to see the kind of “simplification” that @connecteurope.org thinks their customers want (and deserve): fewer rights, less clarity, weaker privacy and consumer protection. @beuc.eu calls to uphold end-user rights in a key sector where consumer complaints lead the charts
Our colleague @claudio-teixeira.bsky.social spoke at an Irish telecoms regulator's conference this morning. Our message: the upcoming Digital Networks Act (DNA) should *NOT* mean “deregulation” at consumers' expense.
▫️ The AI Office is a good start, but without right resources & powers, it risks falling short of protecting consumers.
▫️ We need: strong enforcement, legal certainty, and full application of the AI Act, alongside GDPR and EU consumer laws.
And to close #CPDP2025, @claudio-teixeira.bsky.social is on ALTEP DP's panel "Can the AI Office Strike a Balance in the Enforcement of General Purpose AI?".
Consumers are already worried about AI harms. Now is not the time to weaken the AI Act’s safeguards in the name of “simplification.”
Over-enforcement or Under-protection: Can the AI Office Strike a Balance in the Enforcement of General Purpose AI? (Over-)Regulation is commonly perceived as stifling innovation, particularly in the competitive race to develop AI. The EU Commission finds itself in a challenging position, balancing the desires of GPAI providers who advocate for lenient enforcement with those who call for stronger measures to protect fundamental rights. How can the EU Commission and its newly established AI Office ensure harmonised enforcement across these various frameworks while effectively protecting individuals' rights and promoting innovation in the AI sector? To address these complex issues, this panel will delve into the role of the AI Office, examining how it interacts with other enforcement mechanisms within the framework of adjacent regulations such as the GDPR, DSA, and DMA. By exploring these dynamics, the discussion aims to shed light on the challenges and opportunities presented by regulatory enforcement in the AI domain. Questions to be answered: - Can centralized enforcement for GPAI reduce legal fragmentation and increase legal certainty at the EU level? - Will simplified compliance for GPAI models result in decreased protection of fundamental rights? - How do the stated goal of promoting innovation by the EU Commission impact future enforcement by the AI Office of GPAI? - How can the Advisory Forum and the Scientific Panel of Independent Experts at the AI Office serve as tools for enhanced regulatory cooperation? Organised by ALTEP DP with Rocco Saverino (moderator), Pawel Hajduk, Cláudio Teixeira, Sophie Stalla-Bourdillon
Over-enforcement or Under-protection: Can the AI Office Strike a Balance in the Enforcement of General Purpose AI?
Organised by ALTEP DP with Rocco Saverino (moderator), Pawel Hajduk, @claudio-teixeira.bsky.social, Sophie Stalla-Bourdillon
More information: cpdp.be/4157
#CPDP.ai #CPDP2025 #CPDP
The campaign from our 🇩🇪 member vzbv, including their complaint against Deutsche Telekom for deliberately providing slower internet, gets airtime in Der Spiegel 💪💪
www.spiegel.de/panorama/tel...
Our comments on telecoms are in the @financialtimes.com:
“Less regulation and more [telecoms] mergers that further concentrate the market will not do consumers any favours, it risks leaving them worse off,” said @arcapde.bsky.social of umbrella group @beuc.eu.
www.ft.com/content/0834...
“As we look ahead to the upcoming revision of EU telecoms rules with the Digital Networks Act (DNA) it is critical to ensure that 'regulatory simplification' will not happen at the expense of consumers”
BEUC's Cláudio Teixeira at EWIA's 10th Anniversary Event
As the #consumer perspective remains strikingly absent from current debates on EU telecom rules review, #BEREC Stakeholder Forum focus on end-users is very timely. @beuc.eu message is clear: end-user rights are a key part of the #EUtelecoms success story that must be kept and improved, not weakened.
Yesterday, BEUC's @claudio-teixeira.bsky.social spoke at the BEREC stakeholder forum. It was great to be able to talk about end users' rights, at a time when the current debate in EU telecoms policy seems to completely ignore end users 👇
Last week @arcapde.bsky.social met the EU's new Finance Commissioner Maria Luís Albuquerque to talk about consumers' priorities in financial services for the next mandate. A positive meeting and we look forward to a fruitful cooperation 🤝
Meta claims its latest pay-or-consent policy goes beyond what is required under EU law.
Right...
Well, not from where we're standing.
It's a red card 🟥from us & we now hope EU authorities take action quickly to ensure Meta starts complying.
www.beuc.eu/press-releas...
BEUC's @arcapde.bsky.social quoted in this FT article arguing that Europe will not be more competitive because we allow European champions or weaken merger control. It's a fallacy to believe this 🔥🔥
www.ft.com/content/87be...
Our boss @arcapde.bsky.social recognised by @euronews.com as one of the movers and shakers in tech policy for 2025! 💪
BEUC is ready for a hell of a year 😜
www.euronews.com/next/2025/01...
EU ministers have unequivocally concluded at a #telecoms Council that they oppose further consolidation in telecoms markets, want competition & consumer protection preserved & need evidence-based policies in this area. BIG win for consumers! 💪💪💪
Given the Commission's and Mario Draghi's repeated pushes for greater concentration in telecoms markets & deregulation, this is a very welcome signal from ministers. We lay out our position in this crucial area in this paper www.beuc.eu/position-pap...
