The incoming European Commission will face a heavy burden when it comes to tech, tasked with proposing 30 acts and initiatives, according to the mission letters published on Tuesday (17 September).
Top EU officials are deeply concerned about Europe’s lagging behind in strategic technologies like artificial intelligence (AI). The two high-level reports by Former Italian Prime Ministers Enrico Letta and Mario Draghi, published over the last few months, set the stage for these initiatives.
The mission letters split tech policy among seven different commissioners. Some MEPs worry that this fragmentation could come in the way of delivering a coherent digital policy.
Each initiative is listed under the commissioner tasked with leading the effort, but for several initiatives, multiple commissioners are tasked with contributing.
Virkunnen’s broad portfolio shows “the cross-cutting nature of technology and digitalisation, but we hope it will not dilute the focus on tech policy as a top priority on its own,” said Guido Lobrano, Senior Vice President and Director General for Europe at The Information Technology Industry Council.
The EVPs
Executive Vice President (EVP) for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy Henna Virkkunen will be responsible for digital and “frontier technologies,” competitiveness, telecom, cybersecurity, and implementing the existing digital rulebook.
She is to develop Draghi’s proposal for an EU Cloud and AI Development Act, an “Apply AI” strategy, a long-term EU Quantum Chips Plan, a Digital Networks Act and a European Data Union Strategy.
The Digital Networks Act, first proposed by former Single Market Commissioner Thierry Breton, is envisioned as a way to boost Europe’s connectivity infrastructure.
Virkkunen will likely direct the Directorates‑General (DG) for Communications Networks, Content and Technology (DG CNECT) and for Digital Services (DIGIT). This would be the first time the same Commissioner will lead these two departments.
EVP for a Clean, Just and Competitive Transition Teresa Ribera will be responsible for strengthening and speeding up enforcement of competition rules, like the Digital Markets Act.
EVP for Prosperity and Industrial Strategy, and Thierry Breton’s replacement, Stéphane Séjourné is responsible for revamping European productivity policy.
He will have to develop a Horizontal Single Market Strategy, a European Competitiveness Fund, an EU Raw Materials Platform, as well as a steel and a metal action plan.
EVP for People, Skills and Preparedness Roxana Mînzatu is tasked with preparing a Skills Portability Initiative, an Action Plan on Basic skills and a STEM Education strategic plan.
The Commissioner-designates
Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation Ekaterina Zaharieva is placed under Séjourné, but will have to collaborate closely with Virkkunen.
Zaharieva is tasked with proposing a European Research Area Act “to guarantee […] free movement of researchers, scientific knowledge and technology” and a European Innovation Act, to “facilitate access to venture capital for European innovative startups and scaleups.”
She is also to deliver an EU start-up and scale-up strategy, a strategy for life sciences, and a strategy to increase the uptake of AI by European scientists.
Zaharieva also will have to expand the European Innovation Council, create a network of trusted investors, and set up a European AI research council.
In addition to all of this, she will have to develop a long-term strategy to boost European research infrastructure and an Advanced Materials Act.
She will be supported by the DG for Research and Innovation (DG RTD), the Joint Research Centre (JRC), and a newly proposed taskforce on startups.
Commissioner for Defence and Space Andrius Kubilius will report to Virkkunen, but will also work closely with top diplomat Kaja Kallas.
Kubilius has to create a “True Single Market for Defence”, a white paper on the future of defence and a Space Data Economy Strategy, and table a proposal for an EU Space Law, which has been delayed several times.
As part of the Commission’s department in charge of migration and home affairs (DG HOME), the Austrian Magnus Brunner will be taking over the draft law aiming to detect and remove online child sexual abuse material (CSAM), from the DG’s previous leader, the Swedish Ylva Johansson, who has staunchly defended the law amid ongoing controversies.
Finally, Commissioner for Democracy, Justice and the Rule of Law Michael McGrath is charged with law enforcement, fighting disinformation and foreign influence, reducing unnecessary legal barriers and protecting consumer rights.
He has to develop a Digital Fairness Act, a strategy on the use of digital technologies in EU civil and criminal systems, an Action Plan on consumers in the Single Market, a Civil Society Platform, and lead the work with a new European Democracy Shield initiative to combat disinformation and foreign influence campaigns.
A Digital Fairness Act is part of McGrath’s portfolio, expected to be an update on consumer protection laws for the digital age with an eye on addictive design and dark patterns.
Work related to addictive design may also get some support from Olivér Várhelyi, the Hungarian Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare, who has been charged with examining “the impacts of social media on wellbeing.”
Théophane Hartmann and Júlia Tar contributed to this reporting.
[Edited by Eliza Gkritsi/Owen Morgan]