Brussels, BELGIUM – The European Commission’s decision to withdraw the long-stalled ePrivacy Regulation and the Artificial Intelligence Liability Directive (AILD) is welcomed by the Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA Europe).
The 2025 Commission work programme, which includes a list of pending legislative proposals to be scrapped, marks a first positive step. Last night’s withdrawal reflects a growing recognition that the EU can only remain competitive by ensuring its digital and tech framework doesn’t become an unworkable patchwork. But this should be just the beginning.
Beyond this welcomed withdrawal of legislation, CCIA Europe remains concerned that 30% of new initiatives in the work programme specifically target the digital economy. No fewer than four major legislative Acts are set to impact tech in the coming year, raising important questions about the Commission’s commitment to regulatory simplification.
Moreover, the once-promising but now diluted Financial Data Access Regulation (FiDA) remains on the table. CCIA Europe welcomed the Commission’s initial proposal, recognising its potential to boost innovation and consumer choice by opening financial data. However, under intense lobbying from banks and insurers, EU co-legislators drastically altered it.
Meanwhile, by shelving standard essential patents (SEP) legislation, the Commission misses a key chance to modernise outdated rules, keeping innovation stuck in the past.
The long-overdue withdrawal of the ePrivacy Regulation, proposed in 2017 and caught in limbo since 2020, is an encouraging move. Likewise, the withdrawal of the proposed AILD is a positive and welcome development, reflecting the serious concerns raised by industry, multiple Member States, and Members of the European Parliament.
Indeed, the Commission now must take a more systematic approach to ensuring future EU tech regulation is firmly grounded in evidence and addresses clearly defined, real-world issues faced by Europeans, rather than being driven by political gains or theoretical risks.
In its recent Guide to Effective EU Tech Regulation, CCIA Europe outlines key principles to help policymakers craft smarter, more balanced rules. As the EU enters a new legislative cycle, lawmakers must learn from these lessons and prioritise digital competitiveness.
The following can be attributed to Senior Vice President and Head of CCIA Europe, Daniel Friedlaender:
“The Commission has shown a willingness to review past work, which is laudable. Withdrawing legislation on a regular basis should become normal in a well functioning EU.”
“Despite the need for pro-competitive rules, the Commission has chosen to slash the patent proposal, while open-finance rules have been diluted by EU co-legislators to favour big banks. This whole process feels haphazard, with many unnecessary proposals still left in place.”
“What’s more, at least 14 of the 45 new initiatives in the Commission’s 2025 plan will impact the digital economy, with little effort to streamline the 70+ existing laws regulating the sector introduced in recent years.”
“CCIA Europe urges the executive to review all upcoming pre-agreed legislation and focus on simplifying existing rules. Moving forward, the EU must ensure that any new digital proposals are fully justified, and not driven by institutional inertia.”
