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

EDIC Digital Commons start projects
European Digital Infrastructure Consortium launches projects for open digital infrastructure. An "100-day challenge" and a pilot for a European Sovereign Tech Fund are among the initiatives.

Hearing in Saxony: Still many construction sites in police law amendment
Experts warn a new German police law amendment may clash with the EU's AI Act. Jurists noted potential conflicts with the AI Regulation, and a police union representative raised concerns about discriminatory software use.

Concern about loophole: Will some products be exempted from AI rules?
The EU Parliament finalized its position on the AI Act, including a ban on deepfake exploitation. However, criticism mounts over proposed exemptions for AI in medical devices, smartwatches, and toys from key regulations....

Narrowed AI Act scope risks fragmentation and leaves major consumer risks unaddressed
BEUC warns the EU's AI Act risks fragmentation, leaving major consumer risks unaddressed by narrowing its scope. MEPs' proposal to exclude many AI-embedded products from high-risk classification weakens protections.

Commission investigates Snapchat's compliance with child protection rules under the Digital Services Act
The European Commission is investigating Snapchat under the Digital Services Act over child protection concerns. The probe focuses on potential exposure of minors to grooming, illegal goods, and age-restricted products.

Commission preliminarily finds Pornhub, Stripchat, XNXX and XVideos in breach of the Digital Services Act for allowing minors to access their services
The European Commission preliminarily found Pornhub, Stripchat, XNXX and XVideos in breach of the Digital Services Act for failing to protect minors. The platforms must now respond to the Commission's findings regarding child exposure to pornography.

NDS Cloud: Open Dialogue Report
Dutch government held open dialogues with 69 tech firms on sovereign cloud services. The goal was to gather market input on defining and achieving sovereign cloud for public sector use.

Chips designed to help identify deepfakes
Researchers at ETH Zurich unveil chip technology to verify sensor data authenticity, combating AI-generated deepfakes. This innovation aims to safeguard democratic processes and public trust against manipulated media.

AP publishes practical guide 'Health data in the cloud'
Dutch data watchdog publishes cloud guide for health data processors. The practical guide aims to ensure careful consideration of risks when organizations utilize cloud solutions for sensitive health information.

Political Online Advertising: Bundestag to Ensure Protection of Press Freedom
Germany implements EU rules on political online ads, sparking debate over press freedom. Experts warn broad definitions risk silencing media, with some pushing to scrap the regulations entirely.

Practical experiences with the ethical instrument DEDA
Drones inspect Dutch dikes using ethical data tool DEDA, raising privacy and transparency concerns. Wetterskip Fryslân pilots AI to manage drone data ethically.

Updated ITGC framework for practical insight into IT management
Dutch Audit Service Rijk launches updated IT General Controls framework for IT management insights. The new framework prioritizes risk management, aligning with the BIO2 standard and strengthening security measures.

EDRi-gram, 18 March 2026
EU lawmakers question mandatory scanning of private messages for illicit content. Digital rights groups warn this proposal threatens end-to-end encryption and online privacy for millions.

CEF-Digital Info Session: 2026 Calls
EU launches 2026 calls for smart cable systems and digital gateways under its Connecting Europe Facility. These initiatives accelerate digital infrastructure deployment across the continent.

Five lessons from three years of risk assessments under the Digital Services Act
DSA risk assessments fail to deliver transparency or accountability for Big Tech, according to ECNL's analysis. Three years of these reports show major gaps, questioning their usefulness for millions of users.

DSA vs. Reality: Are children safer online?
EU lawmakers questioned Big Tech on child safety post-DSA, but YouTube, TikTok, and Meta evaded scrutiny. Experts urged stronger enforcement to protect young users online.

The Digital Omnibus: A step back from the brink, but the risks remain
EU Council's "Digital Omnibus" drops key GDPR/ePrivacy threats but risks linger. Unresolved AI, terminal equipment rules and AI development provisions could still dilute safeguards.

Equipment for smart European cable systems - Works
EU launches works call to upgrade submarine cables with smart capabilities for critical infrastructure monitoring. Projects aim to enable applications that track power cables and pipelines, enhancing digital resilience.

Users still stuck in the mud: An analysis of Meta’s 2026 changes to its consent-for-ads mechanism against EU law
Consumers group BEUC argues Meta's latest ad consent changes still defy EU digital laws. The Digital Markets Act and GDPR are cited, with calls for hefty penalties against Meta.

Meta's latest consent-for-ads model still unlawful according to consumer groups’ analysis
Consumer groups find Meta's latest ad model still violates EU law. The model fails to offer genuine consent options for personalized ads, potentially breaking DMA and GDPR rules.
