News - For Governments
Daily digest of all European digital development news

Simpler EU digital rules and new digital wallets to save billions for businesses and boost innovation
Brussels unveils a digital package, streamlining rules on AI, cybersecurity, and data, while introducing European Business Wallets. The initiative targets up to €5B in administrative cost savings by 2029, with potential for an additional €150B in annual savings.

Digital fitness check: testing the cumulative impact of the EU's digital rules
Brussels launches a digital fitness check to test the combined impact of the EU's digital rules. This initiative follows adjustments under the Digital Omnibus, with an opening on November 19, 2025, and a closing date of March 11, 2026.

Summit on European Digital Sovereignty: Turning Point for "Innovation Leadership"
German and French leaders are shifting their digital sovereignty strategy towards "innovation leadership" at the EU summit. They aim to reduce economic dependence on non-European tech providers by dismantling existing regulations.

Study on the Digital Services Act: Transparency database for online services does not meet objectives
Brussels' transparency database for online services, part of the Digital Services Act (DSA), faces criticism for failing to meet its goals. A recent study reveals shortcomings in the database, designed to increase public understanding of online content moderation.

EU adopts Digital Trade Agreement with Singapore despite warnings: a setback for digital rights and democratic oversight
Brussels approved the EU-Singapore Digital Trade Agreement, despite warnings of setbacks to digital rights and oversight. The agreement weakens the Union's ability to protect privacy and data, as deregulation pressures rise across Europe.

Commission evaluates the Digital Services Act’s interaction with other EU laws and its designation threshold for VLOPs and VLOSEs
The European Commission's report assesses the Digital Services Act's impact on very large online platforms and search engines. The report confirms that the designation criteria, including the 45 million monthly active users threshold, remain effective.

Report on application of Article 33 of Regulation (EU) 2022/2065 (DSA) and the interaction of that Regulation with other legal acts
The European Commission's report highlights the Digital Services Act's (DSA) strong compatibility with other EU laws. It finds the DSA and other regulations largely reinforce each other, with the potential for further improvements via evaluations.

Summit on Digital Sovereignty: Europe Needs the Courage to Share Its Sovereignty
Berlin hosts a summit on European digital sovereignty, bringing together 900 experts to discuss technological independence. The German and French governments lead the initiative, aiming for a broader, global approach to code and digital standards.

Internet consultation new cyber rules started
Brussels is launching a public consultation on new cybersecurity rules for the government, open to citizens, businesses, and experts. The consultation period will run from November 11, 2025, to December 23, 2025, as part of the Cyber Security Act.

Digital Sovereignty: Think Tank Recommends More Investment in Big Tech Alternatives
A think tank urges the German government to boost investment in open-source platforms as an alternative to Big Tech. The call for action aims to shift open networks, like the Fediverse, from niche status to mainstream adoption, promoting digital sovereignty.

Digital Markets Act: EU Commission Accuses Google of Discrimination Against News Sites
Brussels launched a new investigation into Google's parent company, Alphabet, for potential Digital Markets Act violations. The EU suspects Google's search results may discriminate against news websites, impacting their visibility.

Commission opens investigation into potential Digital Markets Act breach by Google in demoting media publishers' content in search results
The European Commission launched an investigation into Google for potentially violating the Digital Markets Act by demoting media publishers' content. The probe focuses on Google's "site reputation abuse policy," which the Commission suspects impacts publishers' ability to conduct business.

Judge grants Meta limited postponement in Bits of Freedom lawsuit
Meta secures a limited postponement in a lawsuit brought by Bits of Freedom regarding user feed choices on Instagram and Facebook. The court granted the delay after Meta argued it couldn't implement the required changes within the original two-week timeframe.

The AI Act isn’t enough: closing the dangerous loopholes that enable rights violations
The EU's AI Act faces criticism for loopholes enabling unchecked AI use in national security and law enforcement, risking mass surveillance. EDRi affiliate, Danes je nov dan, recommends Slovenia adopt stricter safeguards to address these issues.

Checklist: How digitally resilient is your organization?
Dutch organizations are encouraged to assess their digital resilience against ransomware attacks using a new readiness checklist. The checklist helps organizations evaluate current security measures and identify areas for improvement in prevention, crisis recovery, and governance.

Forthcoming Digital Omnibus would mark point of no return
Civil society groups are urging the European Commission to halt the Digital Omnibus, a proposed package they claim will weaken key EU laws. The coalition of 127 organizations says the proposals would be the biggest rollback of digital rights in EU history.

Digital Sovereignty: New Alliance Demands More Commitment to Open Networks
A new civil society coalition demands increased commitment to open networks, urging more digital sovereignty in Europe. The group, including Wikimedia Deutschland and Mastodon gGmbH, will present its demands at the upcoming Digital Sovereignty Summit in Berlin.

"Artificial Intelligence": Ursula von der Leyen as a parrot of the tech bosses
The EU's AI hype is under fire as scientists criticize Ursula von der Leyen for echoing tech giants' overblown claims. They urge her to focus on AI's potential missteps instead of fueling unrealistic expectations of Artificial General Intelligence.

AP: Three-quarters of websites adapt misleading cookie banner after warning, investigation launched into refusers
Brussels's privacy watchdog, Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens (AP), reports 75% of websites have fixed misleading cookie banners after warnings. Enforcement actions will now target the remaining holdouts to ensure user control over data.

"Trumpian legislative practices": Max Schrems criticizes gutting of fundamental rights
European data privacy expert Max Schrems slams the European Commission's planned GDPR reform, calling it a fundamental rights demolition. The reform, revealed in a leaked document, threatens to overturn 40 years of European fundamental rights doctrine.
