On 4 July, the German Bundestag elected the members of the Digital Services Coordinator (DSC) Advisory Board. This step was taken following the entry into force of the German Digital Services Act (DDG) as the national transposition of the European Digital Services Act (DSA).
The Advisory Board comprises a total of 16 representatives from academia, industry associations and civil society. The Advisory Board acts as an expert body, supporting the DSC and the responsible public authorities on fundamental issues regarding the application and enforcement of the European Digital Services Act (DSA). It also acts as a bridge between science and practice.
Alexander Rabe, Managing Director of the eco Association, was elected to the Advisory Board with a cross-party majority as one of four representatives from industry associations.
Since 2018, in his role as Managing Director, Rabe has been primarily responsible for the political positioning of the eco Association of the Internet Industry. He is also actively involved in various committees, including as a member of the Digital Strategy Advisory Board of the German Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport (BMDV), a member of the Advisory Board of the Weizenbaum Institute in Berlin, and a presidium member of the German Informatics Society (GI).
On his election and his future Advisory Board activities, eco’s Managing Director Rabe notes:
“As the Association of the Internet Industry, for over 25 years eco has been committed to combating illegal content online with the eco Complaints Office. It is therefore a great honour for me to be able to bring these hands-on perspectives and experiences of the Complaints Office’s work into my role as a member of the Digital Services Coordinator Advisory Board.
“The Digital Services Act will shape the framework conditions for the provision of digital services throughout the Internet industry. Standardised rules for the digital Single Market, as well as fair and reasonable liability rules, are therefore of essential importance to our member companies.
“The Advisory Board of the German Digital Services Association’s coordination office – in its interdisciplinary composition – precisely addresses this issue and I look forward to a constructive and trustful exchange between all stakeholders in order to ensure the overarching goal of the DSA – a secure and trustworthy Internet in Europe.
“I would like to thank everyone for the trust they have placed in me and look forward to working with all of those involved.”
