A new digital alliance between Europe and Usa, the claims on Formiche
With the Digital Services Act and the Digital Markets Act, the European Commission is getting ready to regulate the tech companies that operate in the EU
The objective of this package of laws is to protect social media users and favour more competition between companies that offer the same online service
In particular, these laws aim to regulate American tech behemoths such as Google, Facebook and Twitter. In case of non-compliance, sanctions can reach 6% of the company’s yearly revenue
The new EU laws, presented by Commissioners Thierry Breton and Margrethe Vestager, are part of the EU’s plan to reach a “strategic autonomy” from China and the US
However, they risk creating a rift betwen the European countries and their American allies by placing Chinese and American tech companies on the same level, and deteriorating relations with the new Biden administration in the search for a “third way” in digital infrastructures
Formiche’s December issue explores the idea of a digital alliance between the EU and the USA, citing calls for a “Digital Marshall Plan” coming from some of the most authoritative US think tanks, including the Atlantic Council and the German Marshall Fund
“Starting in 2021 the US should lead a Digital Marshall Plan for NATO allies, with the objective of securing the national 5G communication systems,” according to Ruben Gallego and Vicky Hartzler (Atlantic Council)
“The EU and the US should offer more financial and regulatory incentives for transatlantic partnerships in the field of science and technology,” writes Bruce Stokes (German Marshall Fund)
Paola Pisano, Italian minister for innovation, stepped in:
“I am convinced that this leap forward in European integration cannot in any way be read as an exit from the traditional boundaries of our countries’ alliances […] These solid relationships mustn’t be reduced for the sake of a greater technological autonomy.”
Dita Charanzová, Vice-President of the European Parliament, warned against drifting towards protectionism:
“It’s important to ensure that the digital domain does not become hostage of protectionist thinking, which was partly reborn because of the pandemic”
Follow the debate on www.formiche.net
