Highlights from the Past Week
CW 3 / Monday, 16 to Thursday, 19 January: Plenary Sessions Week (Strasbourg);
INFRASTRUCTURE LEVY – CONSULTATION EXPECTED IN FEBRUARY: According to concurrent media reports (see Contexte, paywall, FR as well as Politico Pro, paywall), the public consultation on the future of the telecoms network (which may include questions on the infrastructure levy) is now scheduled for 10 February 2023. The public consultation is expected to include questions on the future of the telecoms sector in general, as well as on technological developments up to 2030 and the resulting need for connectivity.
To prepare for the adoption of the telecoms package (which will include this public consultation), the Commission has just launched the inter-service consultations on two other elements of the package: the Gigabit Infrastructure Act and the recommendation on unbundled access to the local loop.
INFRASTRUCTURE – LEAKED DRAFT OF THE GIGABIT ACT: The European Commission wants to try to reduce the cost of broadband rollout for telecom operators under a planned Gigabit Infrastructure Act (GIA). This is stated in the regulation (PDF), which is still at the draft stage. Among other aspects, it stipulates that new buildings must be equipped with fibre-optic cables, that access to public infrastructure will be improved to facilitate the installation of new networks, and that approval procedures for construction work will also be facilitated.
The GIA is intended to support previous EU efforts to reduce the costly rollout of broadband networks under the Broadband Cost Reduction Directive (BCRD). The Commission now describes the connectivity targets from when these rules were originally devised as “outdated”. (see Euractiv and Politico Pro, paywall)
E-EVIDENCE I – COUNCIL WITH A NEW KICK-OFF: The Member States were initially supposed to confirm the E-Evidence package at the COREPER meeting on 22 December. However, Member States asked for more time to comment on the annexes to the regulation. As a result, they were given another deadline, which expired last Thursday. The texts could then be given the green light in COREPER in the coming week.
E-EVIDENCE II – EP ENDORSES BUDAPEST CONVENTION: Last week, MEPs gave their final approval to the ratification of the second Additional Protocol to the Council of Europe’s Budapest Convention on Cybercrime.
The new protocol seeks to modernise the provisions of the Convention to make it fit for present-day cybercrime challenges. It introduces the possibility of emergency mutual assistance between signatories, creates a legal framework for joint investigations, and makes it possible to collect evidence via videoconference where necessary. To facilitate the sharing of electronic evidence, the protocol would allow signatories to directly contact service providers in other countries and request domain name registration information, subscriber information and traffic data. It also includes expedited procedures for data-sharing in emergency situations. (see EP press release)
DATA ACT I – OPINIONS IN THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: The Parliament published the compromise amendments (PDF) to be endorsed by the Internal Market Committee (IMCO) on its Opinion on the Data Act on 24 January. On the same day, the Legal Affairs Committee (JURI) is to also endorse its compromise amendments (Batch 1, Batch 2 – PDF). In these amendments, the committee has heightened the protection of trade secrets when processing is carried out by a “smart contract”, a service provider or when it is transferred to third parties.
The adoption of the report in the lead Industry Committee (ITRE) is scheduled for 6 February. (see Contexte, paywall, FR)
DATA ACT II – GERMANY SEEKS CONSIDERABLE AMENDMENTS: Germany is dissatisfied with the Data Act and, among other changes sought, wants a clearer demarcation from the GDPR. This is the outcome of the German feedback to the last Swedish survey, which the Telecommunications Working Party discussed last week (see Tagesspiegel Background, paywall – DE).
On this basis, the Council Presidency plans to draft a fourth compromise text, which it intends to present to the Member States before the next meeting of the Working Party on 31 January.
In its Opinion, the German federal government calls for the following details:
- Any processing of data sets containing personal data should comply with all conditions and rules of data protection legislation;
- Differentiation between B2C and B2B regulations in the Data Act;
- Avoidance of unnecessary bureaucracy and transaction costs;
- Strengthened access to data and data portability so that users retain control over their data;
- Guarantee of a fair data-based economy for consumers, where the data economy must also serve the public interest.
CYBERSECURITY I – CYBER RESILIENCE ACT IN THE COUNCIL: Last week, the Cyber Working Party discussed a new compromise on the Cyber Resilience Act (CRA). The text introduced minor changes, such as adding references to the definitions of recall and withdrawal as per the EU’s regulation on market surveillance and compliance of products. The provision stating that the regulation should not prevent Member States from introducing specific measures for products used in the military and defence field was also refined to require the proportionality of such measures. The obligations of economic operators and the essential requirements were also discussed based on the original proposal. (see Euractiv)
CYBERSECURITY II – NIS2 AND CER INTO FORCE: The NIS2 and CER Directives came into force this week to boost EU-wide efforts to increase the resilience of critical facilities. A recommendation adopted by the Council in December called on Member States to accelerate the implementation of these two initiatives following the attacks on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline.
CONSUMER PROTECTION – EP ADOPTS REPORT ON VIDEO GAMES: Last week, the Internal Market Committee’s (IMCO) own-initiative report on protecting players and promoting the growth of the video games industry was adopted in the plenary of the European Parliament. The report calls for gamers to be better protected from addiction and other manipulative practices, and for children’s games to take into account their age, rights and vulnerabilities. In addition, the video games sector should receive support for more growth and innovation. (see EP press release)
DATA PROTECTION – EDPB ADOPTS DECISIONS ON CLOUD SERVICES AND COOKIE BANNERS: At its meeting last week, the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) adopted decisions on the surveillance of cookie banners and cloud services. They agreed on guidelines for the use of cloud services by public authorities (see EDPB press release).
In addition, the EDPB adopted a report on the work undertaken by the Cookie Banner Task Force, which was established in September 2021 to coordinate the response to complaints.
In a German press release, the Federal Commissioner for Data Protection and Information Security (BfDI), Ulrich Kelber, welcomed the agreements in the EDPB. “The outcomes of the final report of the Cookie Banner Task Force now correspond for the most part to what we in Germany have already laid down in the telemedia guidance.” In addition, Kelber stated that the EDPB has carried out its first coordinated enforcement action with regard to cloud use by public bodies. Especially in view of the difficulties of international data transfers in cloud projects, he added that data protection must be factored in right from the beginning. (see Tagesspiegel Background, paywall – DE)
COPYRIGHT – CURRENT IMPLEMENTATION STATUS OF DSM: COMMUNIA has updated its DSM Directive Implementation Tracker (also known as the ‘Eurovision DSM Contest’) to reflect some of the latest national implementations. The Twitter thread summarises the rankings of the latest newcomers.
NETWORKS AND SERVICES – SNS JU WITH NEW CALLS AND FUNDING: The second call of the Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking will expand on the 35 SNS Phase 1 projects, including Research and Innovation (R&I) and Innovation Actions (IA) projects that were selected from the first SNS call for proposals and launched on 1 January 2023. The SNS JU plays a key role in the implementation of an ambitious investment package, by managing an EU budget of €900 million for the period 2021-2027. The private sector will contribute with equal resources to the SNS JU actitivies. (see COM press release)
Relevant Publications, including from the EP Think Tank:
- EU Mapping: Overview of Internal Market and Consumer Protection related legislation (Study)
- E-commerce and the EU Green Deal – Analysis of the environmental footprint of online sales in the context of the circular economy (At a Glance)
- Addressing the challenges of the digital transition in national Recovery and Resilience Plans (Study)
- Understanding EU data protection policy (Briefing)
- EU-US climate and energy relations in light of the Inflation Reduction Act (Briefing)
- Plenary round-up – January I 2023 (At a Glance)
A Selection of the EU Commission’s Consultations
- Combating online piracy of live content – 13 January to 10 February 2023
- VAT in the digital age – 8 December 2022 to 17 March 2023
- Digital fairness – fitness check on EU consumer law – 28 November 2022 to 20 February 2023
- Cyber resilience act – new cybersecurity rules for digital products and ancillary services – 19 September 2022 to 23 January 2023
- Safeguarding media freedom in the EU – new rules – 19 September 2022 to 23 January 2023
Outlook for the Current Week
You can find a list of the upcoming dates of the European Parliament here. The meeting calendar for 2023 is available here (PDF).
MEPs in the IMCO Committee will vote on a draft law on online political advertising on Tuesday. On Monday, the Culture Committee will discuss the European Media Freedom Act with the EU Commission. Swedish ministers will present their priorities in a series of meetings with parliamentary committees.
An overview of the most important dates of the Council week can be found here and the meeting calendar can be accessed here.
The official calendar as well as the programme of the Swedish Presidency can be found on the relevant website.
Included among the Council dates are:
Summits and Ministerial Meetings:
- Foreign Affairs Council, Monday, 23 January – Agenda, A Items;
- Informal Meeting of Justice and Home Affairs Ministers, Thursday, 26 and Friday, 27 January;
Preparatory Bodies:
- Working Party on Telecommunications and Information Society, Thursday, 26 January;
- Working Party on Competitiveness and Growth (Internal Market) (incl. SMEI), Thursday, 26 January;
- Audiovisual Working Party, Thursday, 26 January;
- Working Party on Consumer Protection and Information, Wednesday, 25 January and Thursday, 26 January;
- Horizontal Working Party on Cyber Issues, Wednesday, 25 January and Friday, 27 January;
- COREPER I, Wednesday, 25 January;
- COREPER II, Wednesday, 25 January;
Information on the weekly Commission meeting can be found on the Commission’s website in the preview (PDF) or (at short notice) in the current agenda. The following topic is on the agenda for the coming week:
- Strengthening social dialogue
- Communication on strengthening social dialogue in the European Union
- Council Recommendation to support social dialogue at EU and national level
You can find the judicial calendar of the ECJ here.
European Parliament Committees
CW 4 / Monday, 23 to Thursday, 26 January: Committee and Mini-Plenary Session Week (Brussels);
LIBE Committee (Civil Liberties)
Current Meetings
- Wednesday, 25 January 2023, 11.30-12.30 (Brussels, with FEMM)
Excerpt from the Draft Agenda
The current agenda does not contain any topics of direct relevance to the Internet industry.
Further Meetings (Calendar)
- Monday, 30 January 2023, 15.00-18.30 (Brussels)
- Tuesday, 31 January 2023, 9.00-12.30 and 14.00-18.00 (Brussels)
JURI Committee (Legal Affairs)
Current Meetings
- Monday, 23. January 2023, 15.00-18.30 (Brussels)
- Tuesday, 24 January 2023, 9.00-12.30 and 14.30-18.30 (Brussels)
Excerpt from the Draft Agenda
24 January 2023, 11.00 – 12.30
*** Voting time ***
…
- Harmonised rules on fair access to and use of data (Data Act)
JURI/9/08517
***I 2022/0047(COD) COM(2022)0068 – C9-0051/2022
| Rapporteur for the opinion: | |||
| Ibán García Del Blanco (S&D) | PA – PE736.696v01-00 AM – PE738.512v01-00 |
||
| Responsible: | |||
| ITRE* | Pilar del Castillo Vera (PPE) | PR – PE732.704v01-00 AM – PE738.549v01-00 AM – PE738.511v01-00 AM – PE738.548v01-00 AM – PE738.509v01-00 |
|
- Adoption of draft opinion
- Deadline for tabling amendments:8 November 2022, 12.00
*** End of vote ***
…
24 January 2023, 16.00 – 18.30
- Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence and amending Directive (EU) 2019/1937
JURI/9/08434
***I 2022/0051(COD) COM(2022)0071 – C9-0050/2022
- Consideration of amendments
- Deadline for tabling amendments:30 November 2022, 17.00
…
Further Meetings (Calendar)
- 27/28 February 2023 (Brussels)
Dossiers Timetable (13 December 2022)
ITRE Committee (Industry)
Current Meetings
- Monday, 23 January 2023, 15.00-18.30 (Brussels)
- Tuesday, 24 January 2023, 9.00-12.30 and 14.30-18.30 (Brussels)
Excerpt from the Draft Agenda
23 January 2023, 15.00 – 18.30
…
- Energy efficiency (recast)
ITRE/9/06937
***I 2021/0203(COD) COM(2021)0558 – C9-0330/2021
| Rapporteur: | |||
| Niels Fuglsang (S&D) | |||
| Responsible: | |||
| ITRE | |||
- Reporting back to committee on the negotiations (Rule 74(3))
…
24 January 2023, 10.00 – 12.30
*** Electronic vote ***
*** Votes at approximately 10.00 in physical presence only ***
- Establishing a framework of measures for strengthening Europe’s semiconductor ecosystem (Chips Act)
ITRE/9/08359
***I 2022/0032(COD) COM(2022)0046 – C9-0039/2022
| Rapporteur: | |||
| Dan Nica (S&D) | PR – PE731.655v01-00 AM – PE737.266v01-00 AM – PE737.359v01-00 AM – PE737.348v01-00 |
||
| Responsible: | |||
| ITRE* | |||
| Opinions: | |||
| INTA | Geert Bourgeois (ECR) | AD – PE735.744v02-00 AM – PE737.312v01-00 |
|
| BUDG | Karlo Ressler (PPE) | AD – PE734.234v02-00 AM – PE737.474v02-00 |
|
| ECON | Eva Maydell (PPE) | AD – PE732.593v02-00 AM – PE732.641v01-00 |
|
| IMCO* | Maria-Manuel Leitão-Marques (S&D) | AD – PE735.490v03-00 AM – PE735.486v01-00 |
|
| JURI* | Tiemo Wölken (S&D) | AD – PE736.697v02-00 AM – PE738.431v01-00 |
|
- Adoption of draft report
- Vote on the decision to enter into interinstitutional negotiations
- Deadline for tabling amendments: 13 October 2022, 17.00
- Amending Regulation (EU) 2021/2085 establishing the Joint Undertakings under Horizon Europe, as regards the Chips Joint Undertaking
ITRE/9/08363
* 2022/0033(NLE) COM(2022)0047 – C9-0113/2022
| Rapporteur: | |||
| Eva Maydell (PPE) | PR – PE737.259v01-00 AM – PE738.713v01-00 |
||
| Responsible: | |||
| ITRE | |||
- Adoption of draft report
- Deadline for tabling amendments: 17 November 2022, 12.00
…
- Exchange of views with Ms Ebba Busch, Minister for Energy, Business and Industry (energy, industry, innovation and digital, ICT, telecommunications) and Mr Mats Persson, Minister for Education (research, space)
- Structured dialogue with Ms Mariya Gabriel, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth
…
Further Meetings (Calendar)
- Monday, 6 February (Brussels)
- Thursday, 9 February (Brussels)
Dossiers Timetable (17 January 2023)
IMCO Committee (Internal Market)
Current Meetings
- Monday, 23 January 2023, 15.00-18.30 (Brussels)
- Tuesday, 24 January 2023, 9.00-12.30 and 14.30-17.30 (Brussels)
Excerpt from the Draft Agenda
…
24 January 2023, 9.00 – 9.30
- Establishing a framework for setting ecodesign requirements for sustainable products and repealing Directive 2009/125/EC
IMCO/9/08746
***I 2022/0095(COD) COM(2022)0142 – C9-0132/2022
| Rapporteur for the opinion: | |||
| David Cormand (Verts/ALE) | PA – PE737.400v02-00 AM – PE739.577v01-00 AM – PE739.590v01-00 |
||
| Responsible: | |||
| ENVI* | Alessandra Moretti (S&D) | PR – PE738.753v01-00 | |
- Consideration of amendments
24 January 2023, 9.30 – 11.00
*** Electronic vote ***
- Regulation on general product safety, amending Regulation (EU) No 1025/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council, and repealing Council Directive 87/357/EEC and Directive 2001/95/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council
IMCO/9/06424
***I 2021/0170(COD) COM(2021)0346 – C9-0245/2021
| Rapporteur: | |||
| Dita Charanzová (Renew) | |||
| Responsible: | |||
| IMCO | |||
- Vote on the provisional agreement resulting from interinstitutional negotiations
- Transparency and targeting of political advertising
IMCO/9/07812
***I 2021/0381(COD) COM(2021)0731 – C9-0433/2021
| Rapporteur: | |||
| Sandro Gozi (Renew) | PR – PE732.754v01-00 AM – PE736.517v01-00 AM – PE736.500v01-00 |
||
| Responsible: | |||
| IMCO* | |||
- Adoption of draft report
- Harmonised rules on fair access to and use of data (Data Act)
IMCO/9/08516
***I 2022/0047(COD) COM(2022)0068 – C9-0051/2022
| Rapporteur for the opinion: | |||
| Adam Bielan (ECR) | PA – PE736.701v01-00 AM – PE738.591v02-00 AM – PE738.594v01-00 AM – PE738.592v02-00 |
||
| Responsible: | |||
| ITRE* | Pilar del Castillo Vera (PPE) | PR – PE732.704v01-00 AM – PE738.549v01-00 AM – PE738.511v01-00 AM – PE738.548v01-00 AM – PE738.509v01-00 |
|
- Adoption of draft opinion
…
- Presentation of Policy Department study “E-commerce and the EU Green Deal: Analysis of the environmental footprint of online sales in the context of the circular economy”
…
Further Meetings (Calendar)
- Monday, 6 February (Brussels)
- Wednesday, 1 March / Thursday, 2 March (Brussels)
Dossiers Timetable (December 2022)
CULT Committee (Culture)
Current Meetings
- Monday, 23 January 2023, 15.00-18.30 (Brussels)
- Tuesday, 24 January 2023, 9.00-12.30 and 14.30-18.30 (Brussels)
Excerpt from the Draft Agenda
23 January 2023, 15.00 – 18.30
…
- Presentation of the new proposal on the European Media Freedom Act
…
Further Meetings (Calendar)
- Monday, 6 February (Brussels)
- Wednesday 1 March / Thursday, 2 March (Brussels)
PEGA Committee (Pegasus Committee of Inquiry)
Current Meetings
- Monday, 23 January 2023, 15.00-18.30 (Brussels)
- Tuesday, 24 January 2023, 9.00-12.30 and 15.00-18.30 (Brussels)
Excerpts from the Draft Agendas
23/01/2023, 15:00-18:30 – Hearing on “The use of spyware by private actors” / Exchange of views with Alan F. Estevez, Under Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Security at the U.S. Department of Commerce
24/01/2023, 9:00-11:30 – Presentation of proposal for a recommendation
24/01/2023, 15:00-18:30 – Hearing on “Intelligence services: to map procedures in spyware development”
Further Meetings
- Thursday, 9 February 2023, 15.00-18.30 (Brussels)
INGE2 Committee (Special Committee on Foreign Interference)
Current Meetings
- Thursday, 26 January 2023, 14.00-17.00 (Brussels)
Excerpt from the Draft Agenda
The agenda is not yet available at this time.
Further Meetings (Calendar)
- Open
Further Parliamentary Calendar Dates
- CW 5 / Monday, 30 January to Thursday, 2 February: Mini-Plenary Session Week (Brussels);
- CW 6 / Monday, 6 to Thursday, 9 February: Political Group and Committee Meetings Week (Brussels);
- CW 7 / Monday, 13 to Thursday, 16 February: Plenary Sessions Week (Strasbourg);
