Welcome to Better Europe's weekly update on EU Affairs. EU PRIVACY RULES AT STAKE WITH NEW COMMISSION AI ACTION PLAN This week, Commission Presidents Ursula von der Leyen unveiled the AI Continent Action Plan, to position Europe as a leader in artificial intelligence. The plan aims to strengthen infrastructure, improve access to data, promote cloud solutions, build skills, and simplify regulations. Wait, where have we heard that before? The focus on simplification comes within a broader context of regulatory relief, particularly with the potential threat of a future Omnibus tackling the GDPR, the EU’s landmark privacy regulation. While the Commission claims that reducing regulatory burden could spur innovation, it raises concerns that this will come at the expense of Europe's strong data protection standards. Moreover, the plan's emphasis on infrastructure…

Welcome to Better Europe's weekly update on EU Affairs. MINISTERS WANT LESS RED TAPE ON DIGITAL RULES DESPITE PRIVACY RISKS A new coalition of 14 digital ministers, the D9+ group, is pushing for a tech-savvy, competitive Europe. However, their latest declaration, signed in Amsterdam on 27 March, not only champions innovation but also the reduction of regulatory burden, which they argue are stifling businesses, especially SMEs. They're calling for a strategic EU approach to digital sovereignty, with a focus on AI, cloud computing and semiconductors, while advocating for a streamlined regulatory framework. This effort is part of a broader European Commission initiative, led by Commissioner Michael McGrath, to simplify and deregulate the EU's regulatory landscape. The GDPR revision, which is expected soon as part of a new Omnibus, aims to…