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In its digital decade strategy, the European Commission has put forward its vision for new strategic digital objectives for 2030. These should prepare Europe for the roll-out of the next generation of broadband infrastructure with gigabit speeds, including 5G, and for the digital transformation of the public and private sectors, while also reducing the digital divide. To measure progress towards the digital decade, the Commission is proposing a 'digital compass', with indicators based on four dimensions ...

Satellite communication is a strategic asset for governments and civil society alike. Complementary to terrestrial networks, it can contribute to seamless digital communication, even when such networks are absent or disrupted. Today, the EU does not have a dedicated infrastructure (including space and ground segments) to offer satellite communication services to governments, the economy or civil society. Several EU global partners and competitors are investing in parallel in such capabilities. On ...

On 23 November 2022, the European Parliament and the Council signed the directive amending the 2014 Radio Equipment Directive, with the aim of mandating a common charger for mobile phones and a number of other small portable devices. The amended directive, proposed by the European Commission on 23 September 2021, will require electronic devices to be equipped with a USB Type C receptacle and to incorporate the USB Power Delivery communication protocol. A separate initiative on the eco-design of external ...

This study analyses how governments, public health experts and other professionals communicated during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the impact of these communication strategies. It investigates COVID-19 misinformation and disinformation practices, and how these practices were addressed in the European Union by the Member States and the European Commission. It draws up recommendations to improve responses in the future, including by analysing the role of the Code of Practice on disinformation ad the ...

The datafication of everyday life and data scandals have made the protection of personal information an increasingly important social, legal and political matter for the EU. In recent years, awareness of data rights and enforcement expectations have both grown considerably. The right to privacy and the right to protection of personal data are both enshrined in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU and in the EU Treaties. The entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty in 2009 gave the Charter the ...

Qualified certificates for website authentication (QWACs) allow users to identify who is behind a website. Aiming to increase QWAC uptake, the Commission has proposed an obligation for web-browsers to recognise them and make them more visible. The proposal has prompted fierce debate. While the Council agrees with the Commission and the Parliament is still debating its position, many stakeholders have raised concerns.

Overall, the IA describes the scope of the problem sufficiently well, and explains briefly, but convincingly, the need for EU action, although proportionality does not appear to have been dealt with in any depth. The IA does not define any operational objectives, which would illustrate what the deliverables of the specific policy actions are, although it identifies monitoring indicators for the specific objectives. The sufficient range of retained policy options is structured according to increasing ...

After infiltrating an encrypted phone network widely used by criminals (EncroChat), law enforcement authorities in Europe made headlines with high-profile arrests and seizures. Across Europe, defendants are now challenging evidence and convictions, claiming flawed investigations, violations of cross-border evidence-sharing rules and insufficient disclosure of evidence. They argue that authorities violated their rights to a fair trial, effective remedy and privacy. This paper provides background on ...

This briefing examines the US Executive Order 14086 and its accompanying regulation as the first building block of a new EU-US data transfer framework. After the Court of Justice of the European Union declared invalid parts of the predecessor framework on account of extensive US intelligence powers and insufficient redress mechanisms, data transfers from the EU to the US became subject to serious compliance risks. The new US framework aims to enhance the level of privacy and data protection for EU ...

Today's political decisions have a strong impact on the future of young people. It is therefore crucial to foster their active participation in social and democratic life. Importantly, young people belong to the most educated and digitally savvy of all generations, and are determined to tackle pressing global issues such as climate change. Consequently, they have the potential to leave a significant imprint on the political system. A 2021 Eurobarometer youth survey found that nearly half of those ...