Toggle navigation eco Press Releases Press Releases Press Distribution List Press DownloadsPress TextPhotographsLogosStudiesAnnual ReportsPortfolio Press Policy & Law eco Association on the EU Summit: Strengthening Europe’s Digital Competitiveness This EU summit must send a clear signal of unity and political will, especially to the business community. Europe’s competitiveness is under pressure. The productivity gap with other world regions has widened, and non-European players dominate the global market for investments in artificial intelligence. date 2026/02/12 press Artificial Intelligence eco on the AI Regulation: Without Clear Coordination, Chaos Threatens in the Enforcement of the AI Act Ahead of tomorrow’s cabinet discussion on the AI Implementation Act, eco – Association of the Internet Industry welcomes the 1:1 implementation of the EU requirements, but warns of practical enforcement problems and unclear responsibilities. date 2026/02/12 press Artificial Intelligence Greater Cyber Resilience Through AI: eco – Association Publishes 5-Step Plan for Companies A new white paper from eco shows how companies can use AI safely and responsibly. A five-step plan supports decision-makers in implementing AI applications, addresses new threats such as deepfakes and AI-supported phishing, and classifies best practices and relevant standards such as ISO/IEC 42001. date 2026/02/09 press eco Safer Internet Day 2026: Over 50,000 Young People Discuss How to Deal with AI Companions Safer Internet Day has met with a great response throughout Germany: more than 1,000 schools, associations, libraries, companies and initiatives are getting involved with their own campaigns and events. eco is also participating in the campaign day. date 2026/02/06 press Policy & Law eco Sharply Criticises Law on IP Address Storage: Endangers Fundamental Rights, Undermines Investment Security and Weakens Germany as a Digital Location The draft law presented by the German federal government to introduce a three-month IP address storage is facing criticism from the Internet industry. eco warns of violations of European Court of Justice case law, a reduction in judicial control and considerable financial burdens for the sector. date 2026/02/02 press Policy & Law Resilience Requires Clarity: KRITIS Umbrella Act Should Be Consistently Implemented With the adoption of the KRITIS Umbrella Act by the German Bundestag, a uniform nationwide framework for the protection of critical infrastructures in Germany is being created for the first time. What now matters is a practicable, real-world implementation. date 2026/01/29 press Policy & Law eco Survey Shows: Data Protection, No Thanks! Around 90 Per Cent of Germans Give Up When Faced on Long and Complicated Privacy Policies A YouGov survey commissioned by eco on European Data Protection Day shows that only a minority reads privacy information completely. eco calls for more transparency, comprehensibility and user orientation. date 2026/01/28 press Policy & Law Alexander Rabe on the Draft of the National Data Centre Strategy Whether on the topic of grid connection allocation, waste heat or the Energy Efficiency Act (EnEfG), eco’s Managing Director Alexander Rabe assesses the draft National Data Centre Strategy on behalf of the Alliance for the Strengthening of Digital Infrastructures in Germany, founded under the umbrella of the eco Association. date 2026/01/26 press Policy & Law eco on the German-Italian Government Consultations As central economies in the EU, Germany and Italy bear a special responsibility to shape this course together – because competitiveness, technological strength and digital sovereignty can only be achieved through European solidarity. date 2026/01/22 press eco eco Association on the Current Draft of the DNA Unfortunately, eco believes that the present draft of the DNA does not achieve the previously formulated goals. Instead of tangible improvements to competitiveness and investment conditions in Europe, it contains only more new rules and obligations. date 2026/01/21 press Policy & Law eco Association on the Official Draft of the Revised Cybersecurity Act eco welcomes the planned strengthening of ENISA and faster certification procedures in the revised Cybersecurity Act, but warns that bureaucracy must be avoided, international standards must be maintained, and investment security for companies must be guaranteed. date 2026/01/21 press Datacenter Alliance for the Strengthening of Digital Infrastructures in Germany Reinforces Commitment to Climate and Environmental Protection in the Data Centre Sector The Alliance for the Strengthening of Digital Infrastructures in Germany, founded under the umbrella of eco, will continue to be represented on the Board of the Climate Neutral Data Centre Pact (CNDCP) in 2026 and 2027. date 2026/01/21 press Policy & Law World Economic Forum 2026: eco Association Calls for a Digitalisation Surge for the European Economy in Davos At the start of the World Economic Forum (WEF) 2026 in Davos, eco is calling for a commitment to greater and more offensive digitalisation in Europe. In light of geopolitical tensions and potential threats to industrial and technological supply chains, this is crucial for Europe’s competitiveness and ability to act. date 2026/01/19 press Security eco Association: European Competitiveness Thanks to High-Performance Cloud Infrastructure “We know that, as things stand today, demand for data centres in Germany alone will exceed planned capacities by about three times by 2030. That is why every building block is important in supporting the digital transformation in Germany.” date 2026/01/15 press Policy & Law eco – Association of the Internet Industry Calls for Swift Adoption of KRITIS Umbrella Act Following Power Outage in Berlin The recent power outage in Berlin once again highlights how vulnerable our critical infrastructures are. The eco Association is therefore calling for the swift adoption of the Critical Infrastructures (KRITIS) Umbrella Act in order to finally create a cross-sector, practical legal framework for the physical protection of critical infrastructures. date 2026/01/05 press © MickeyCZ | istockphoto.com Policy & Law Joint Statement by Business Representatives on the DSC Advisory Board: US Administration’s Actions Raise Serious Questions Business representatives on the DSC Advisory Board, Susanne Dehmel (bitkom), Dirk Freytag (BVDW) and Alexander Rabe (eco), have issued a joint statement on the sanctions imposed by the US administration: “The US administration’s actions raise serious questions about its dealings with European institutions and applicable EU law. The Digital Services Act is applicable European law. date 2025/12/24 press Policy & Law eco – Association of the Internet Industry Criticises New Version of Data Retention Law: “Disproportionate, Contrary to European Law and Outdated” In response to German Federal Minister of Justice Stefanie Hubig’s plans to reintroduce indiscriminate data retention, eco is calling for urgent amendments to the draft bill. Indiscriminate and blanket data retention is incompatible with the case law of the European Court of Justice. date 2025/12/22 press Policy & Law eco Association: German Federal Police Act Threatens to Undermine Digital Security The current draft law to modernise the German Federal Police Act significantly expands the Federal Police’s surveillance powers. In view of the first reading on Thursday, eco Association is now warning of the risks to IT security and digital communication. date 2025/12/17 press Datacenter eco’s Managing Director Rabe on the Draft Bill for the German EnEfG Amendment According to Rabe, this trend is positive. However, eco’s Managing Director would have liked to see a little more consistency in the adjustments in some areas. This applies, for example, to the Design PUE. It is also regrettable that the flat-rate ERF values are still included in the law. date 2025/12/15 press Policy & Law IT Skills Shortage: Companies Are Missing Out on AI Potential The new eco Industry Pulse survey shows that, despite a shortage of skilled workers, IT companies are so far making little use of AI to bridge staffing shortages. At the same time, around 70 per cent of IT decision-makers in Germany believe that by 2030, AI will take over a large proportion of the tasks currently performed by IT departments. These and other findings come from a representative Civey survey conducted on behalf of eco among 500 industry specialists and managers. date 2025/12/11 press Policy & Law First Smartphone for Christmas? eco Association Offers Tips for Parents on Safe Entry into Social Media At Christmas, many children will receive their first smartphone – and with it, usually access to social networks. In light of the ongoing discussion about age limits for social media platforms, Alexandra Koch-Skiba, Head of the eco Complaints Office, gives five practical tips on how parents can effectively support their children when they start using social media. date 2025/12/10 press Policy & Law eco Survey: Majority of German Population Wants Age Restrictions for Social Media – But Considers Them Unworkable Against the backdrop of the current debate on age limits for social media platforms, eco has commissioned a new survey: According to the survey, 82 per cent of Germans are in favour of an age limit for social media, but more than half of those surveyed doubt the practical feasibility of such a regulation. That’s why eco is calling for practicable, data protection-compliant and uniform solutions across Europe. date 2025/12/09 press eco Four Out of Five Germans Are Annoyed by Cookie Banners: eco Calls for Simplification of Data Protection Notices To mark Cookie Day on 4 December, eco commissioned a representative YouGov survey on cookie banners. The results clearly show that the majority of Germans find the current data protection notices annoying. The EU’s Digital Omnibus could be an opportunity to make adjustments. date 2025/12/09 press Datacenter eco Alliance on the New IW Study: Data Centres Drive Frankfurt’s Economic Growth – But New IW Study Identifies Obstacles for Operators Data centres are the foundation of digital value creation in Frankfurt and the entire Rhine-Main region. The new study by IW and Detecon provides clear figures and shows that, in contrast to the economy as a whole, the industry is recording record growth. The city and the entire Rhine-Main region also benefit significantly from this. date 2025/12/08 press Policy & Law For a Strong Germany Stack: eco Association Calls for a Clear Line and Technological Openness With the Germany Stack, the German Federal Ministry for Digital Transformation and Government Modernisation is creating the foundation for a central platform architecture. However, the Association of the Internet Industry sees a need for improvement: so far, all criteria lack clear definitions and a common frame of reference. For this reason, eco sets out fundamental requirements for a successful Germany Stack. date 2025/12/08 press Policy & Law eco Association: BMDS Budget Insufficient for Digital Breakthrough eco Association assesses the budget of the BMDS (German Federal Ministry for Digital Transformation and Government Modernisation) for 2026, approved by the German Bundestag on Tuesday, as significantly too weak to effectively advance Germany’s digital transformation. date 2025/11/27 press Policy & Law eco Association on the Status of the CSAM Regulation: EU Council Must Ensure Clear Renunciation of Search Obligation in Trilogue In the course of the upcoming trilogue negotiations on the European CSAM Regulation, eco warns against the introduction of mandatory chat control. This is because suspicionless searches of private communications without cause is contrary to fundamental rights, is technically misguided and endangers everyone’s security. Alexandra Koch-Skiba, Head of the eco Complaints Office, reaffirms this assessment in a current statement. date 2025/11/27 press eco eco Survey: Citizens Dissatisfied with Digital Administration – Digital Wallet Could Be a Turning Point The digitalisation of public authorities in Germany remains a challenge. A representative survey commissioned by eco shows that the majority of citizens rate the current situation negatively. At the same time, there is growing openness towards government-provided digital identity solutions – provided they are secure, transparent and easy to use. date 2025/11/24 press Policy & Law European Summit on Digital Sovereignty: eco Welcomes EU Declaration and Calls for Pragmatic, Innovation-Friendly Policies in the European Single Market With its new “Declaration for European Digital Sovereignty,” the EU makes it clear that digital sovereignty means the ability to act, not isolation. eco welcomes the declaration by the EU Member States on the occasion of the European Summit on Digital Sovereignty in Berlin and has also defined four key dimensions for digital sovereignty. date 2025/11/20 press Policy & Law Digital Omnibus: eco Association Sees Major Opportunity for Greater Clarity in Europe’s Digital Rules The “Digital Omnibus” aims to better align key European regulations. Through this comprehensive reorganisation of digital laws, the European Commission seeks to reduce bureaucracy and to provide more guidance for both companies and public authorities. eco Association expressly welcomes this approach and sees the “Digital Omnibus” as an opportunity for more modern, clearer digital regulation. date 2025/11/18 press
Policy & Law eco Association on the EU Summit: Strengthening Europe’s Digital Competitiveness This EU summit must send a clear signal of unity and political will, especially to the business community. Europe’s competitiveness is under pressure. The productivity gap with other world regions has widened, and non-European players dominate the global market for investments in artificial intelligence. date 2026/02/12 press
Artificial Intelligence eco on the AI Regulation: Without Clear Coordination, Chaos Threatens in the Enforcement of the AI Act Ahead of tomorrow’s cabinet discussion on the AI Implementation Act, eco – Association of the Internet Industry welcomes the 1:1 implementation of the EU requirements, but warns of practical enforcement problems and unclear responsibilities. date 2026/02/12 press
Artificial Intelligence Greater Cyber Resilience Through AI: eco – Association Publishes 5-Step Plan for Companies A new white paper from eco shows how companies can use AI safely and responsibly. A five-step plan supports decision-makers in implementing AI applications, addresses new threats such as deepfakes and AI-supported phishing, and classifies best practices and relevant standards such as ISO/IEC 42001. date 2026/02/09 press
eco Safer Internet Day 2026: Over 50,000 Young People Discuss How to Deal with AI Companions Safer Internet Day has met with a great response throughout Germany: more than 1,000 schools, associations, libraries, companies and initiatives are getting involved with their own campaigns and events. eco is also participating in the campaign day. date 2026/02/06 press
Policy & Law eco Sharply Criticises Law on IP Address Storage: Endangers Fundamental Rights, Undermines Investment Security and Weakens Germany as a Digital Location The draft law presented by the German federal government to introduce a three-month IP address storage is facing criticism from the Internet industry. eco warns of violations of European Court of Justice case law, a reduction in judicial control and considerable financial burdens for the sector. date 2026/02/02 press
Policy & Law Resilience Requires Clarity: KRITIS Umbrella Act Should Be Consistently Implemented With the adoption of the KRITIS Umbrella Act by the German Bundestag, a uniform nationwide framework for the protection of critical infrastructures in Germany is being created for the first time. What now matters is a practicable, real-world implementation. date 2026/01/29 press
Policy & Law eco Survey Shows: Data Protection, No Thanks! Around 90 Per Cent of Germans Give Up When Faced on Long and Complicated Privacy Policies A YouGov survey commissioned by eco on European Data Protection Day shows that only a minority reads privacy information completely. eco calls for more transparency, comprehensibility and user orientation. date 2026/01/28 press
Policy & Law Alexander Rabe on the Draft of the National Data Centre Strategy Whether on the topic of grid connection allocation, waste heat or the Energy Efficiency Act (EnEfG), eco’s Managing Director Alexander Rabe assesses the draft National Data Centre Strategy on behalf of the Alliance for the Strengthening of Digital Infrastructures in Germany, founded under the umbrella of the eco Association. date 2026/01/26 press
Policy & Law eco on the German-Italian Government Consultations As central economies in the EU, Germany and Italy bear a special responsibility to shape this course together – because competitiveness, technological strength and digital sovereignty can only be achieved through European solidarity. date 2026/01/22 press
eco eco Association on the Current Draft of the DNA Unfortunately, eco believes that the present draft of the DNA does not achieve the previously formulated goals. Instead of tangible improvements to competitiveness and investment conditions in Europe, it contains only more new rules and obligations. date 2026/01/21 press
Policy & Law eco Association on the Official Draft of the Revised Cybersecurity Act eco welcomes the planned strengthening of ENISA and faster certification procedures in the revised Cybersecurity Act, but warns that bureaucracy must be avoided, international standards must be maintained, and investment security for companies must be guaranteed. date 2026/01/21 press
Datacenter Alliance for the Strengthening of Digital Infrastructures in Germany Reinforces Commitment to Climate and Environmental Protection in the Data Centre Sector The Alliance for the Strengthening of Digital Infrastructures in Germany, founded under the umbrella of eco, will continue to be represented on the Board of the Climate Neutral Data Centre Pact (CNDCP) in 2026 and 2027. date 2026/01/21 press
Policy & Law World Economic Forum 2026: eco Association Calls for a Digitalisation Surge for the European Economy in Davos At the start of the World Economic Forum (WEF) 2026 in Davos, eco is calling for a commitment to greater and more offensive digitalisation in Europe. In light of geopolitical tensions and potential threats to industrial and technological supply chains, this is crucial for Europe’s competitiveness and ability to act. date 2026/01/19 press
Security eco Association: European Competitiveness Thanks to High-Performance Cloud Infrastructure “We know that, as things stand today, demand for data centres in Germany alone will exceed planned capacities by about three times by 2030. That is why every building block is important in supporting the digital transformation in Germany.” date 2026/01/15 press
Policy & Law eco – Association of the Internet Industry Calls for Swift Adoption of KRITIS Umbrella Act Following Power Outage in Berlin The recent power outage in Berlin once again highlights how vulnerable our critical infrastructures are. The eco Association is therefore calling for the swift adoption of the Critical Infrastructures (KRITIS) Umbrella Act in order to finally create a cross-sector, practical legal framework for the physical protection of critical infrastructures. date 2026/01/05 press
© MickeyCZ | istockphoto.com Policy & Law Joint Statement by Business Representatives on the DSC Advisory Board: US Administration’s Actions Raise Serious Questions Business representatives on the DSC Advisory Board, Susanne Dehmel (bitkom), Dirk Freytag (BVDW) and Alexander Rabe (eco), have issued a joint statement on the sanctions imposed by the US administration: “The US administration’s actions raise serious questions about its dealings with European institutions and applicable EU law. The Digital Services Act is applicable European law. date 2025/12/24 press
Policy & Law eco – Association of the Internet Industry Criticises New Version of Data Retention Law: “Disproportionate, Contrary to European Law and Outdated” In response to German Federal Minister of Justice Stefanie Hubig’s plans to reintroduce indiscriminate data retention, eco is calling for urgent amendments to the draft bill. Indiscriminate and blanket data retention is incompatible with the case law of the European Court of Justice. date 2025/12/22 press
Policy & Law eco Association: German Federal Police Act Threatens to Undermine Digital Security The current draft law to modernise the German Federal Police Act significantly expands the Federal Police’s surveillance powers. In view of the first reading on Thursday, eco Association is now warning of the risks to IT security and digital communication. date 2025/12/17 press
Datacenter eco’s Managing Director Rabe on the Draft Bill for the German EnEfG Amendment According to Rabe, this trend is positive. However, eco’s Managing Director would have liked to see a little more consistency in the adjustments in some areas. This applies, for example, to the Design PUE. It is also regrettable that the flat-rate ERF values are still included in the law. date 2025/12/15 press
Policy & Law IT Skills Shortage: Companies Are Missing Out on AI Potential The new eco Industry Pulse survey shows that, despite a shortage of skilled workers, IT companies are so far making little use of AI to bridge staffing shortages. At the same time, around 70 per cent of IT decision-makers in Germany believe that by 2030, AI will take over a large proportion of the tasks currently performed by IT departments. These and other findings come from a representative Civey survey conducted on behalf of eco among 500 industry specialists and managers. date 2025/12/11 press
Policy & Law First Smartphone for Christmas? eco Association Offers Tips for Parents on Safe Entry into Social Media At Christmas, many children will receive their first smartphone – and with it, usually access to social networks. In light of the ongoing discussion about age limits for social media platforms, Alexandra Koch-Skiba, Head of the eco Complaints Office, gives five practical tips on how parents can effectively support their children when they start using social media. date 2025/12/10 press
Policy & Law eco Survey: Majority of German Population Wants Age Restrictions for Social Media – But Considers Them Unworkable Against the backdrop of the current debate on age limits for social media platforms, eco has commissioned a new survey: According to the survey, 82 per cent of Germans are in favour of an age limit for social media, but more than half of those surveyed doubt the practical feasibility of such a regulation. That’s why eco is calling for practicable, data protection-compliant and uniform solutions across Europe. date 2025/12/09 press
eco Four Out of Five Germans Are Annoyed by Cookie Banners: eco Calls for Simplification of Data Protection Notices To mark Cookie Day on 4 December, eco commissioned a representative YouGov survey on cookie banners. The results clearly show that the majority of Germans find the current data protection notices annoying. The EU’s Digital Omnibus could be an opportunity to make adjustments. date 2025/12/09 press
Datacenter eco Alliance on the New IW Study: Data Centres Drive Frankfurt’s Economic Growth – But New IW Study Identifies Obstacles for Operators Data centres are the foundation of digital value creation in Frankfurt and the entire Rhine-Main region. The new study by IW and Detecon provides clear figures and shows that, in contrast to the economy as a whole, the industry is recording record growth. The city and the entire Rhine-Main region also benefit significantly from this. date 2025/12/08 press
Policy & Law For a Strong Germany Stack: eco Association Calls for a Clear Line and Technological Openness With the Germany Stack, the German Federal Ministry for Digital Transformation and Government Modernisation is creating the foundation for a central platform architecture. However, the Association of the Internet Industry sees a need for improvement: so far, all criteria lack clear definitions and a common frame of reference. For this reason, eco sets out fundamental requirements for a successful Germany Stack. date 2025/12/08 press
Policy & Law eco Association: BMDS Budget Insufficient for Digital Breakthrough eco Association assesses the budget of the BMDS (German Federal Ministry for Digital Transformation and Government Modernisation) for 2026, approved by the German Bundestag on Tuesday, as significantly too weak to effectively advance Germany’s digital transformation. date 2025/11/27 press
Policy & Law eco Association on the Status of the CSAM Regulation: EU Council Must Ensure Clear Renunciation of Search Obligation in Trilogue In the course of the upcoming trilogue negotiations on the European CSAM Regulation, eco warns against the introduction of mandatory chat control. This is because suspicionless searches of private communications without cause is contrary to fundamental rights, is technically misguided and endangers everyone’s security. Alexandra Koch-Skiba, Head of the eco Complaints Office, reaffirms this assessment in a current statement. date 2025/11/27 press
eco eco Survey: Citizens Dissatisfied with Digital Administration – Digital Wallet Could Be a Turning Point The digitalisation of public authorities in Germany remains a challenge. A representative survey commissioned by eco shows that the majority of citizens rate the current situation negatively. At the same time, there is growing openness towards government-provided digital identity solutions – provided they are secure, transparent and easy to use. date 2025/11/24 press
Policy & Law European Summit on Digital Sovereignty: eco Welcomes EU Declaration and Calls for Pragmatic, Innovation-Friendly Policies in the European Single Market With its new “Declaration for European Digital Sovereignty,” the EU makes it clear that digital sovereignty means the ability to act, not isolation. eco welcomes the declaration by the EU Member States on the occasion of the European Summit on Digital Sovereignty in Berlin and has also defined four key dimensions for digital sovereignty. date 2025/11/20 press
Policy & Law Digital Omnibus: eco Association Sees Major Opportunity for Greater Clarity in Europe’s Digital Rules The “Digital Omnibus” aims to better align key European regulations. Through this comprehensive reorganisation of digital laws, the European Commission seeks to reduce bureaucracy and to provide more guidance for both companies and public authorities. eco Association expressly welcomes this approach and sees the “Digital Omnibus” as an opportunity for more modern, clearer digital regulation. date 2025/11/18 press
