News, Publications and Consultations from the Past Week
News CV 29 (14.-20.07.2025)
Internet: The German Federal Council (Bundesrat) has approved the classification of telecommunications network expansion as a matter of overriding public interest. This is intended to accelerate approval procedures and drive forward the expansion of fibre-optic and mobile communications networks. The regulation will initially apply until 2030.
Digital tax: The EU Commission has dropped its plans for a digital tax on large tech companies for the time being in order to avoid punitive tariffs from the US. Instead, new levies on electronic waste, tobacco and large corporations are to contribute to debt repayment.
DSA: The EU Commission has specified requirements for online platforms in its guidelines on the protection of minors. Self-disclosure is no longer sufficient for age verification, and biometric procedures are only permitted in high-risk cases. An anonymous age verification app is being tested in five countries. The aim is to provide greater protection while maintaining the same level of data protection.
Technology: With its high-tech strategy, the German federal government plans to invest in AI, quantum computing and space travel. Quantum computers, sensors and communication systems are to be ready for use by 2030. The aim is to make research results commercially viable more quickly.
Innovation: Germany remains a strong innovator according to the EU Innovation Ranking 2025, but is losing momentum and is well below the EU average in terms of digitalisation. Sweden leads the ranking, while innovation performance across Europe declines slightly by 0.4 points.
Selected publications from the EP Think Tank
- A European news streaming platform: Study on European added value and governance
- Smart and sustainable transport investments in the national recovery and resilience plans
- Mapping CJEU limits on data retention frameworks: A basic introduction
- Access to data for law enforcement: Digital forensics
- Roadmap for access to data for law enforcement
- Access to data for law enforcement: Lawful interception
- Portugal’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan: Latest state of play
- Augmented foresight: The transformative power of generative AI for anticipatory governance
- Luxembourg’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan: Latest State of Play
- Denmark’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan: Latest state of play
- Italy’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan: Latest state of play
- Simplification of registration of companies in the 28th Regime
- Public hearing with Claudia Buch, Chair of the ECB / SSM Supervisory Board – 15 July 2025
Ongoing relevant European Commission Consultations
- International calls and text messages (SMS) within the EU – fair use and anti-fraud policy (bis 21.07.2025)
- Standardisation Regulation – revision (bis 21.07.2025)
- Vehicle safety – revising the EU’s roadworthiness package (bis 28.07.2025)
- Mini omnibus for defence (bis 29.07.2025)
- Quality Jobs Roadmap (bis 29.07.2025)
- Law enforcement cooperation – new Europol regulation (proposal) (bis 31.07.2025)
- European grid package (bis 05.08.2025)
- Omnibus Regulation Aligning product legislation with the digital age (bis 18.08.2025)
- Omnibus Directive Aligning product legislation with the digital age (bis 18.08.2025)
- Burden reduction and simplification for competitiveness of small mid-cap enterprises – Omnibus Directive (bis 18.08.2025)
- Burden reduction and simplification for competitiveness of small mid-cap enterprises – Omnibus Regulation (bis 18.08.2025)
- Consumer Agenda 2025-2030 and action plan on consumers in the Single Market (bis 31.08.2025)
- Merger guidelines – review (bis 03.09.2025)
- Data retention by service providers for criminal proceedings – impact assessment (bis 12.09.2025)
- EU Space Act – new rules for safe, resilient and sustainable space activities (bis 15.09.2025)
- EU’s next long-term budget (MFF) – EU funding for competitiveness (bis 15.09.2025)
- EU’s next long-term budget (MFF) – EU funding for cross-border education, training and solidarity, young people, media, culture, and creative sectors, values, and civil society (bis 15.09.2025)
- EU’s next long-term budget (MFF) – EU funding for civil protection, preparedness and response to crises (bis 15.09.2025)
- EU’s next long-term budget (MFF) – EU funding for external actio (bis 15.09.2025)
- EU’s next long-term budget (MFF) – implementing EU funding with Member States and regions (bis 15.09.2025)
- European Innovation Act (bis 03.10.2025)
- Digital Fairness Act (bis 09.10.2025)
Selections of the CV 30 (21-27 July 2025)
Council
The current preview of the Council’s work for the coming days until 27 July 2025 can be found here.
Summits and Ministerial Meetings:
- Informal meeting of justice and home affairs ministers, 22-23 July 2025, agenda
- EU-Japan summit, 23 July 2025
- EU-China summit, 24 July 2025
Preparatory Bodies:
- Intermodal Transport and Networking Group, 22 July 2025, agenda
- Ad Hoc WP on Defence Industry, 22 July 2025
- Coreper II, 23 July 2025, agenda
- Competitiveness and Growth Group (Industry), 23-24 July 2025, agenda
- JHA INFORMATION EXCHANGE, 23 July 2025, agenda
- Research Working Party, 24 July 2025, agenda
- Working Party on Maritime Issues (Integrated Maritime Policy – IMP), 24 July 2025, agenda
- Antici Gr. (Simplification), 24 July 2025, Agenda
- Group on Cooperation in Criminal Matters (COPEN), 25 July 2025, Agenda
An overview of the various Council meetings can be found here.
Commission
The agenda for the current Commission meeting was not available at the time of going to press. You may be able to find it at short notice on the Commission’s website.
Parliament
Plenary Sittings
There are no plenary sessions of the European Parliament this week.
Here you will find the current schedule  for the week in the European Parliament. The session calendar for 2025 is available here.
Committees
LIBE Committee (Civil Liberties)
No LIBE Committee meetings are scheduled for this week.
The current schedules for the LIBE Committee can be found here.
JURI Committee (Legal Affairs)
No JURI Committee meetings are scheduled for this week.
The current schedule for the JURI Committee can be found here.
No ITRE Committee meetings are scheduled for this week.
The current schedule (as of 15 July 2025) for the ITRE Committee can be found here.
IMCO Committee (Internal Market)
No IMCO Committee meetings are scheduled for this week.
The current schedule (as of 15 July 2025) for the IMCO Committee can be found here.
CULT Committee (Culture and Education)
No CULT Committee meetings are scheduled for this week.
The current timetable for the CULT Committee can be found here.
Outlook
An overview of the upcoming session weeks can be found here. The provisional agenda for the upcoming plenary session can be found here.
European Court of Justice
The court calendar of the EuG(H) can be found here.
