AIG Newsletter 15 January 2024

NEWS

EC OPENS CALL FOR CONTRIBUTION ON VIRTUAL WORLDS AND GEN AI

On January 9, the EC published two calls for contributions on competition in Virtual Worlds and Generative AI. The deadline for sending feedback is 11 March 2024. The EC is looking to gather information and views concerning competition aspects from stakeholders such as regulatory experts, academia, industry, and consumer organisations.

In addition, the EC may organise a workshop in Q2 2024 to discuss these topics further. The EC is also looking into some agreements between large digital market players and generative AI providers in order to preserve the adequate market dynamics. Furthermore, the EC is checking if Microsoft's investment in OpenAI can be reviewed under the EU Merger Regulation.

BELGIAN PRESIDENCY VISITS CULT COMMITTEE TO DISCUSS PRIORITIES

On 11 January, the CULT Committee met with the representatives of the Belgian Presidency to discuss upcoming priorities in the areas of culture, media and youth. Jan Jambon, Minister for Culture, spoke about the digital transition of the sector, which posed both challenges and opportunities, and stressed the need for a better cooperation at the EU level. Minister Benjamin Dalle spoke about the conclusion of the Media Freedom Act, the protection of journalists and pluralistic media, the digital transformation of the media sector and ethical issues surrounding the creation of online content. According to the Minister, the Presidency will also prioritise youth, ensuring safe environment for young people, access to services, mobility and social inclusion. 

Some MEPs also took the floor, inquiring as to whether the Presidency had plans to ensure the greater participation of young people in the next EU elections, as well as expressing concerns about insufficient funding under the Creative Europe and Erasmus+ programmes. They also asked about digitalisation and the impact of AI on the sector.

DATA ACT ENTERS INTO FORCE

On 11 January, the Data Act finally entered into force bringing about new rules allowing users to access the data generated by their connected devices, enhancing control and fostering innovation. Public sector bodies will also have the opportunity to access private sector data in case of emergencies. 

The Data Act will also protect businesses from unfair data-sharing contracts and help SMEs to access the data market. The legislation will allow seamless switching between cloud providers, promoting competition and reducing costs. In addition, there are new safeguards in place against unlawful data transfers. Lastly, the new law will encourage the development of interoperability standards for data-sharing, aligning with the EU standardisation strategy. The Data Act will become applicable on 11 September 2025.

AMENDMENTS TO THE REPORT ON NUTRITION AND HEALTH CLAIMS TABLED

Two amendments to the Implementation report on Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 on nutrition and health claims made on foods have been tabled for plenary. The Amendments were tabled by a number of MEPs on behalf of the ID Group. The plenary vote is taking place on 18 January 2024.

COMMISSION OPENS CONSULTATION ON GDPR

The EC has opened a public consultation on the Report on the GDPR. This initiative will report on how the rules have been applied, six years after their entry into application. It will build on the report that was published in 2020. The feedback period is open from 11 January 2024 until 08 February 2024 (midnight Brussels time).

COMMISSION PUBLISHES STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT ON AVMSD

The EC has published a staff working document, which can be found here, reporting on the application of Directive 2010/13/EU "Audiovisual Media Services Directive" as amended by Directive (EU) 2018/1808, for the period 2019-2022.

COMMISSIONER REYNDERS EYES TOP JOB AT COUNCIL OF EUROPE 

The Council of Europe announced on Thursday it received the three candidacies for the job of secretary general, whom it will elect in June. Reynders, who is currently Belgium’s representative in the European Commission, on Wednesday gained the Belgian government’s support to campaign for the top job at the Strasbourg-based human rights organisation (Politico).

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

25 January: CPDP - Data Protection Day (Council of Europe, CPDP and EDPS)

1 February: Workshop on Open Source key areas for Digital Autonomy (European Commission)

5 February: From Research to Reality – digital solutions for European challenges (Belgian Presidency and European Commission)

7 February: Empowering the Cultural and Creative Sectors in Data-Drive Audience Development (Belgian Presidency)

8 February: What the EU is doing for a better internet for kids? (European Parliamentary Research Service)

21 February 24: Masters of Digital – Europe 2030: A Digital Powerhouse (Digital Europe)

Stand: 15.01.2024