Toggle navigation eco Press Releases Press Releases Press Distribution List Press DownloadsPress TextPhotographsLogosStudiesAnnual ReportsPortfolio Press Policy & Law BND Reform: Vulnerabilities Must Not Become a Tool for Intelligence Service Access eco has warned of new cyber risks arising from the BND reform and has criticised, in particular, the handling of vulnerabilities, the role of the BSI and the BND’s expanded powers to intervene within Germany. The association is calling for tighter legal limits and effective independent prior scrutiny – particularly in relation to automated and AI-supported measures. date 2026/08/12 press Policy & Law Deepfakes: Majority Expect to Be Deceived by AI Manipulation 55 per cent believe they are likely to be deceived by deepfakes or other AI manipulation within the next five years 28 per cent expect damaging or abusive AI content to be created about them eco calls for clear rules, understandable labelling and better awareness-raising Berlin, 5 August 2026 – Fifty-five... date 2026/08/12 press Security Eight Months of NIS2: Implementation Remains Challenging for Companies Eight months after NIS2 came into force, a recent eco survey reveals that implementation remains a challenge for many companies. Respondents identify documentation requirements, reporting processes, and risk analysis and management as the biggest hurdles. Ulrich Plate, an eco KRITIS expert, emphasises: “What’s crucial now is practical guidance and effective processes in day-to-day business operations.” date 2026/08/11 press Policy & Law eco on Prien’s Plans for a National Social Media Law: No Temporary Regulatory Patchwork eco has warned against a German transitional regulation on the protection of minors on social media and is calling for uniform European guidelines based on the Digital Services Act. date 2026/08/11 press Andreas Weiss eco 35 Years Since the First Website: The Starting Point for the Commercial Internet The launch of the first website on 6 August 1991 laid the foundations for today’s e-commerce, digital platforms and other business models. Today, digital platform and transaction models alone generate 40 per cent of the Internet industry’s revenue. date 2026/08/05 press Credit: iStock / tsingha25 E-Mail 42 Years After Germany Received Its First Email: eco Association Says Companies Must Take Responsibility for Email Security A name, logo or plausible-looking sender address is not enough to reliably establish that an email really comes from a particular company. Nevertheless, 86 per cent of adults in Germany consider at least one of these visible features sufficient proof that an email can be trusted. date 2026/08/05 press Policy & Law Transparency Obligations for Artificial Intelligence Commence Amid Regulatory Uncertainty From 2 August, new transparency obligations will apply to AI applications and AI-generated content. eco calls for clear technical standards and consistent implementation of the AI Act across Europe. date 2026/07/31 press Policy & Law eco Is a Partner of the German “Wallet-Ready?! Initiative Against the backdrop of the upcoming introduction of European Digital Identity Wallets (EUDI wallets), leading associations, federations, institutions and subject matter experts in Germany have come together in the voluntary “Wallet-ready?! Initiative. date 2026/07/29 press Policy & Law eco on the announced appointment of Gitta Connemann to the German Federal Ministry for Digital Affairs and State Modernisation Commenting on the announced appointment of Gitta Connemann as Parliamentary State Secretary at the German Federal Ministry for Digital Affairs and State Modernisation, Alexander Rabe, Managing Director of eco – Association of the Internet Industry, stated: date 2026/07/28 press Policy & Law eco Criticises France’s Social Media Ban: European Solutions Rather Than a National Patchwork eco notes with concern that, despite indications to the contrary last week, France has now become the first European country to introduce a general minimum age of 15 for the use of social media. date 2026/07/23 press Policy & Law Only 13 Days Until They Apply: eco Warns Against Flying Blind on AI Transparency Obligations The European Commission has published its final guidelines on transparency obligations under the AI Act only 13 days before they come into application − far too late. Companies now have to analyse complex requirements, adapt internal processes and implement technical solutions within a very short period of time. date 2026/07/21 press iStock.com/towfiqu ahamed Policy & Law European Solutions Instead of National Patchworks: eco Calls for Coherent Youth Media Protection The European Commission today published the final report of its expert group on the protection of minors in the digital environment. The report contains recommendations for the future design of the European legal framework, including a minimum age of 13 for the use of social media and risk-based, graduated access to digital services. date 2026/07/15 press Policy & Law Trusted Flagger: eco – Association of the Internet Industry Calls for Practical EU Guidelines in the Fight Against Illegal Online Content The European Commission is driving forward the implementation of the Trusted Flagger mechanism enshrined in the Digital Services Act (DSA). In a position paper published on 7 July 2026, eco – Association of the Internet Industry generally welcomes the draft guidelines, but calls for targeted improvements. date 2026/07/13 press Policy & Law eco on German Cybersecurity Policy: Association Warns of Attack on Digital Civil Liberties With a new position paper on current cybersecurity policy, eco – Association of the Internet Industry warns against the increasing tightening of security-policy interventions in the digital sphere. date 2026/07/08 press Policy & Law Conference of Economic Ministers Must Act Ahead of the Conference of Economic Ministers on 1 and 2 July in Konstanz, eco – Association of the Internet Industry – is calling for a clear commitment to expanding data centres, cloud and AI infrastructure in Germany. date 2026/07/01 press Policy & Law eco on the Election of the New German Federal Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information (BfDI) eco – Association of the Internet Industry welcomes the election of Prof. Dr Moritz Hennemann as the new Federal Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information. date 2026/06/25 press Policy & Law eco – Association of the Internet Industry on the Recommendations of the Prien Commission: Effectively Protecting Children, Enabling Digital Opportunities The expert commission on “Protection of Children and Young People in the Digital World”, appointed by the German Federal Minister for Education, Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth, today presented recommendations on the use of social media by children and young people. eco – Association of the Internet Industry welcomes this in-depth examination of the issue. date 2026/06/24 press Policy & Law Survey: Majority Supports Data Centres A YouGov survey commissioned by the eco Alliance shows that the majority of the population supports the expansion of data centres in Germany. The Alliance is calling for clear policy guidelines, better site policy and transparent planning. date 2026/06/22 press Policy & Law eco Association: Amendment to the German Energy Efficiency Act Risks Becoming an Obstacle to Investment in Germany eco and the Alliance for the Strengthening of Digital Infrastructures in Germany have criticised the planned amendment to the German Energy Efficiency Act (EnEfG). They argue that a rigid operational PUE of 1.2 for data centres is impractical, jeopardises investment and weakens Germany as a digital business location. date 2026/06/22 press Policy & Law Children are Not Content: eco Complaints Office Raises Awareness of the Dangers of Sharenting and AI Manipulation What is intended as a harmless holiday memory can quickly become a risk: photos of children online can be saved, shared further and altered using AI for abusive purposes. In the “#ChildrenAreNotContent” webinar on 25 June 2026, the eco Complaints Office will explain what parents and professionals should bear in mind when sharing images. date 2026/06/22 press Policy & Law eco on the Franco-German Sovereignty Criteria The Franco-German sovereignty criteria represent an important contribution for the European debate on the cloud, AI and digital infrastructures. From eco’s perspective, it is now crucial to closely align this initiative with the European Commission’s Tech Sovereignty Package and the planned Cloud and AI Development Act. Digital sovereignty must not be defined by blanket rules on country of origin or new barriers to market access, but must instead focus on security, data protection, transparency, the freedom to switch providers and high-performance infrastructure. date 2026/06/17 press Policy & Law eco Association Warns of Anthropic Embargo Following direct export controls imposed by the US government on AI software, Anthropic has blocked its Fable 5 and Mythos 5 models worldwide. The eco Association has warned of risks to Europe’s cybersecurity: powerful AI models are vital tools for analysing vulnerabilities, detecting attacks more quickly and strengthening IT systems. Europe must build up its own capabilities in developing, operating and auditing such models. date 2026/06/16 press Policy & Law eco on IP Address Retention: The German Federal Council (Bundesrat) Must Not Provide a Blueprint for Digital Mass Surveillance In light of the deliberations in the German Federal Council (Bundesrat), eco Association warns against a shift in security policy in digital domestic policy. In the association’s view, the planned IP address retention, expanded preservation orders, biometric Internet matching and cross-proceedings data analysis will result in more data retention, more data linking and a greater degree of intrusion. date 2026/06/12 press Policy & Law eco on the Passing of the AI Act Implementation Act With the AI Implementation Act, the German Bundestag is laying the groundwork for the national implementation of the European AI Regulation. eco Association welcomes the one-to-one transposition of the EU requirements and the central role of the German Federal Network Agency (BNetzA), but still sees a clear need for improvements in terms of coordination and enforceability. Without clear responsibilities and uniform enforcement practices, there is a risk of legal uncertainty, additional bureaucracy and barriers to investment for companies. It's now crucial that AI regulation is implemented in a practical, innovation-friendly and consistent manner across the country. date 2026/06/12 press Datacenter eco Data Centre Award 2026: eco Honours Innovative Projects and Leading Figures in Digital Infrastructure The winners of the eco Data Centre Award 2026 have been announced: at the awards ceremony on the eve of the Data Centre Expert Summit 2026, an independent six-member expert jury recognised innovative data centre projects and outstanding individuals in the data centre sector. date 2026/06/11 press Digital Business Models From Strategy to Execution: Europe’s Companies Face Hurdles in Scaling Digital Business Models European companies want to grow through digitalisation, but there are still significant hurdles to implementation. A new FACIS survey of 800 industry decision-makers in Europe reveals that 92 % are planning new digital business models, yet challenges such as cybersecurity, costs and regulatory hurdles are holding back implementation. date 2026/06/10 press Policy & Law eco on the Amendment to the German Telecommunications Act (TKG) The draft act to amend the German Telecommunications Act (TKG) contains important measures to accelerate the rollout of fibre optic and mobile communications networks, according to eco Association. The association welcomes, among other things, the simplification of road-related procedures, improved participation rules along railway lines and better access to energy infrastructure. At the same time, eco warns against new data obligations, unclear procedures and additional bureaucracy. To turn the draft into a genuine acceleration act, eco is calling for shorter deadlines, more practical rules and greater investment certainty. date 2026/06/10 press Policy & Law eco on the Proposed Cloud and AI Development Act: Digital Sovereignty Must Not Lead to Isolation Ahead of the planned presentation of the Cloud and AI Development Act, eco Association warns against blanket exclusion mechanisms for cloud and AI services. Digital sovereignty must not lead to protectionism, explains eco’s Managing Director Alexander Rabe. Transparent, proportionate and technically verifiable criteria are crucial. date 2026/06/03 press Policy & Law Tech Sovereignty Package: eco Alliance Warns of a Dampening Effect on Europe’s Data Centre and AI Goals The Alliance for the Strengthening of Digital Infrastructures in Germany has warned against regulatory missteps in the anticipated Tech Sovereignty Package. Europe needs faster approvals, predictable grid connections, and a practical labelling system in order to effectively expand AI, cloud and data centre capacities. date 2026/06/02 press Policy & Law eco Warns Against Cybersecurity Act: Cabinet Decision Must Not Become a Gateway to State Intervention in Networks Ahead of today’s Federal Cabinet meeting on the planned Cybersecurity Act, eco has warned against a dangerous expansion of state intervention powers in the digital sphere. From the perspective of the Internet industry, the draft marks a profound shift in the understanding of state cyber defence. date 2026/05/27 press
Policy & Law BND Reform: Vulnerabilities Must Not Become a Tool for Intelligence Service Access eco has warned of new cyber risks arising from the BND reform and has criticised, in particular, the handling of vulnerabilities, the role of the BSI and the BND’s expanded powers to intervene within Germany. The association is calling for tighter legal limits and effective independent prior scrutiny – particularly in relation to automated and AI-supported measures. date 2026/08/12 press
Policy & Law Deepfakes: Majority Expect to Be Deceived by AI Manipulation 55 per cent believe they are likely to be deceived by deepfakes or other AI manipulation within the next five years 28 per cent expect damaging or abusive AI content to be created about them eco calls for clear rules, understandable labelling and better awareness-raising Berlin, 5 August 2026 – Fifty-five... date 2026/08/12 press
Security Eight Months of NIS2: Implementation Remains Challenging for Companies Eight months after NIS2 came into force, a recent eco survey reveals that implementation remains a challenge for many companies. Respondents identify documentation requirements, reporting processes, and risk analysis and management as the biggest hurdles. Ulrich Plate, an eco KRITIS expert, emphasises: “What’s crucial now is practical guidance and effective processes in day-to-day business operations.” date 2026/08/11 press
Policy & Law eco on Prien’s Plans for a National Social Media Law: No Temporary Regulatory Patchwork eco has warned against a German transitional regulation on the protection of minors on social media and is calling for uniform European guidelines based on the Digital Services Act. date 2026/08/11 press
Andreas Weiss eco 35 Years Since the First Website: The Starting Point for the Commercial Internet The launch of the first website on 6 August 1991 laid the foundations for today’s e-commerce, digital platforms and other business models. Today, digital platform and transaction models alone generate 40 per cent of the Internet industry’s revenue. date 2026/08/05 press
Credit: iStock / tsingha25 E-Mail 42 Years After Germany Received Its First Email: eco Association Says Companies Must Take Responsibility for Email Security A name, logo or plausible-looking sender address is not enough to reliably establish that an email really comes from a particular company. Nevertheless, 86 per cent of adults in Germany consider at least one of these visible features sufficient proof that an email can be trusted. date 2026/08/05 press
Policy & Law Transparency Obligations for Artificial Intelligence Commence Amid Regulatory Uncertainty From 2 August, new transparency obligations will apply to AI applications and AI-generated content. eco calls for clear technical standards and consistent implementation of the AI Act across Europe. date 2026/07/31 press
Policy & Law eco Is a Partner of the German “Wallet-Ready?! Initiative Against the backdrop of the upcoming introduction of European Digital Identity Wallets (EUDI wallets), leading associations, federations, institutions and subject matter experts in Germany have come together in the voluntary “Wallet-ready?! Initiative. date 2026/07/29 press
Policy & Law eco on the announced appointment of Gitta Connemann to the German Federal Ministry for Digital Affairs and State Modernisation Commenting on the announced appointment of Gitta Connemann as Parliamentary State Secretary at the German Federal Ministry for Digital Affairs and State Modernisation, Alexander Rabe, Managing Director of eco – Association of the Internet Industry, stated: date 2026/07/28 press
Policy & Law eco Criticises France’s Social Media Ban: European Solutions Rather Than a National Patchwork eco notes with concern that, despite indications to the contrary last week, France has now become the first European country to introduce a general minimum age of 15 for the use of social media. date 2026/07/23 press
Policy & Law Only 13 Days Until They Apply: eco Warns Against Flying Blind on AI Transparency Obligations The European Commission has published its final guidelines on transparency obligations under the AI Act only 13 days before they come into application − far too late. Companies now have to analyse complex requirements, adapt internal processes and implement technical solutions within a very short period of time. date 2026/07/21 press
iStock.com/towfiqu ahamed Policy & Law European Solutions Instead of National Patchworks: eco Calls for Coherent Youth Media Protection The European Commission today published the final report of its expert group on the protection of minors in the digital environment. The report contains recommendations for the future design of the European legal framework, including a minimum age of 13 for the use of social media and risk-based, graduated access to digital services. date 2026/07/15 press
Policy & Law Trusted Flagger: eco – Association of the Internet Industry Calls for Practical EU Guidelines in the Fight Against Illegal Online Content The European Commission is driving forward the implementation of the Trusted Flagger mechanism enshrined in the Digital Services Act (DSA). In a position paper published on 7 July 2026, eco – Association of the Internet Industry generally welcomes the draft guidelines, but calls for targeted improvements. date 2026/07/13 press
Policy & Law eco on German Cybersecurity Policy: Association Warns of Attack on Digital Civil Liberties With a new position paper on current cybersecurity policy, eco – Association of the Internet Industry warns against the increasing tightening of security-policy interventions in the digital sphere. date 2026/07/08 press
Policy & Law Conference of Economic Ministers Must Act Ahead of the Conference of Economic Ministers on 1 and 2 July in Konstanz, eco – Association of the Internet Industry – is calling for a clear commitment to expanding data centres, cloud and AI infrastructure in Germany. date 2026/07/01 press
Policy & Law eco on the Election of the New German Federal Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information (BfDI) eco – Association of the Internet Industry welcomes the election of Prof. Dr Moritz Hennemann as the new Federal Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information. date 2026/06/25 press
Policy & Law eco – Association of the Internet Industry on the Recommendations of the Prien Commission: Effectively Protecting Children, Enabling Digital Opportunities The expert commission on “Protection of Children and Young People in the Digital World”, appointed by the German Federal Minister for Education, Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth, today presented recommendations on the use of social media by children and young people. eco – Association of the Internet Industry welcomes this in-depth examination of the issue. date 2026/06/24 press
Policy & Law Survey: Majority Supports Data Centres A YouGov survey commissioned by the eco Alliance shows that the majority of the population supports the expansion of data centres in Germany. The Alliance is calling for clear policy guidelines, better site policy and transparent planning. date 2026/06/22 press
Policy & Law eco Association: Amendment to the German Energy Efficiency Act Risks Becoming an Obstacle to Investment in Germany eco and the Alliance for the Strengthening of Digital Infrastructures in Germany have criticised the planned amendment to the German Energy Efficiency Act (EnEfG). They argue that a rigid operational PUE of 1.2 for data centres is impractical, jeopardises investment and weakens Germany as a digital business location. date 2026/06/22 press
Policy & Law Children are Not Content: eco Complaints Office Raises Awareness of the Dangers of Sharenting and AI Manipulation What is intended as a harmless holiday memory can quickly become a risk: photos of children online can be saved, shared further and altered using AI for abusive purposes. In the “#ChildrenAreNotContent” webinar on 25 June 2026, the eco Complaints Office will explain what parents and professionals should bear in mind when sharing images. date 2026/06/22 press
Policy & Law eco on the Franco-German Sovereignty Criteria The Franco-German sovereignty criteria represent an important contribution for the European debate on the cloud, AI and digital infrastructures. From eco’s perspective, it is now crucial to closely align this initiative with the European Commission’s Tech Sovereignty Package and the planned Cloud and AI Development Act. Digital sovereignty must not be defined by blanket rules on country of origin or new barriers to market access, but must instead focus on security, data protection, transparency, the freedom to switch providers and high-performance infrastructure. date 2026/06/17 press
Policy & Law eco Association Warns of Anthropic Embargo Following direct export controls imposed by the US government on AI software, Anthropic has blocked its Fable 5 and Mythos 5 models worldwide. The eco Association has warned of risks to Europe’s cybersecurity: powerful AI models are vital tools for analysing vulnerabilities, detecting attacks more quickly and strengthening IT systems. Europe must build up its own capabilities in developing, operating and auditing such models. date 2026/06/16 press
Policy & Law eco on IP Address Retention: The German Federal Council (Bundesrat) Must Not Provide a Blueprint for Digital Mass Surveillance In light of the deliberations in the German Federal Council (Bundesrat), eco Association warns against a shift in security policy in digital domestic policy. In the association’s view, the planned IP address retention, expanded preservation orders, biometric Internet matching and cross-proceedings data analysis will result in more data retention, more data linking and a greater degree of intrusion. date 2026/06/12 press
Policy & Law eco on the Passing of the AI Act Implementation Act With the AI Implementation Act, the German Bundestag is laying the groundwork for the national implementation of the European AI Regulation. eco Association welcomes the one-to-one transposition of the EU requirements and the central role of the German Federal Network Agency (BNetzA), but still sees a clear need for improvements in terms of coordination and enforceability. Without clear responsibilities and uniform enforcement practices, there is a risk of legal uncertainty, additional bureaucracy and barriers to investment for companies. It's now crucial that AI regulation is implemented in a practical, innovation-friendly and consistent manner across the country. date 2026/06/12 press
Datacenter eco Data Centre Award 2026: eco Honours Innovative Projects and Leading Figures in Digital Infrastructure The winners of the eco Data Centre Award 2026 have been announced: at the awards ceremony on the eve of the Data Centre Expert Summit 2026, an independent six-member expert jury recognised innovative data centre projects and outstanding individuals in the data centre sector. date 2026/06/11 press
Digital Business Models From Strategy to Execution: Europe’s Companies Face Hurdles in Scaling Digital Business Models European companies want to grow through digitalisation, but there are still significant hurdles to implementation. A new FACIS survey of 800 industry decision-makers in Europe reveals that 92 % are planning new digital business models, yet challenges such as cybersecurity, costs and regulatory hurdles are holding back implementation. date 2026/06/10 press
Policy & Law eco on the Amendment to the German Telecommunications Act (TKG) The draft act to amend the German Telecommunications Act (TKG) contains important measures to accelerate the rollout of fibre optic and mobile communications networks, according to eco Association. The association welcomes, among other things, the simplification of road-related procedures, improved participation rules along railway lines and better access to energy infrastructure. At the same time, eco warns against new data obligations, unclear procedures and additional bureaucracy. To turn the draft into a genuine acceleration act, eco is calling for shorter deadlines, more practical rules and greater investment certainty. date 2026/06/10 press
Policy & Law eco on the Proposed Cloud and AI Development Act: Digital Sovereignty Must Not Lead to Isolation Ahead of the planned presentation of the Cloud and AI Development Act, eco Association warns against blanket exclusion mechanisms for cloud and AI services. Digital sovereignty must not lead to protectionism, explains eco’s Managing Director Alexander Rabe. Transparent, proportionate and technically verifiable criteria are crucial. date 2026/06/03 press
Policy & Law Tech Sovereignty Package: eco Alliance Warns of a Dampening Effect on Europe’s Data Centre and AI Goals The Alliance for the Strengthening of Digital Infrastructures in Germany has warned against regulatory missteps in the anticipated Tech Sovereignty Package. Europe needs faster approvals, predictable grid connections, and a practical labelling system in order to effectively expand AI, cloud and data centre capacities. date 2026/06/02 press
Policy & Law eco Warns Against Cybersecurity Act: Cabinet Decision Must Not Become a Gateway to State Intervention in Networks Ahead of today’s Federal Cabinet meeting on the planned Cybersecurity Act, eco has warned against a dangerous expansion of state intervention powers in the digital sphere. From the perspective of the Internet industry, the draft marks a profound shift in the understanding of state cyber defence. date 2026/05/27 press
