Policy & Law

German Online Access Act 2.0: eco Calls for a Binding Commitment to Aspiring Digitalisation of Public Administration

The intention of the 2017 German Online Access Act (OZG) was to lay the foundations for digitalised public administration. However, there was an acknowledgement in late 2022 of a clear failure in achieving the act’s goal. Today, the successor regulation for the Online Access Act is now to be adopted in the Federal Cabinet.

date 2023/05/24

press

Policy & Law

German Law on the Protection of Digital Violence Must Not Curtail Civil Rights

The German Federal Ministry of Justice (BMJ) currently intends to draft a “law on the protection of digital violence”, which is intended to strengthen private law enforcement. In preparation for this draft law, the BMJ drew up a key points paper on 12 April. The Association of the Internet Industry has now produced a position paper on these key points.

date 2023/05/24

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Policy & Law

eco Establishes New KRITIS Competence Group: “The political significance of critical infrastructure is steadily increasing”

Critical infrastructures are of considerable importance for many spheres of our societal life. Since the beginning of the year, the protection of critical infrastructures has been newly regulated by the NIS2 Directive and the CER Directive, meaning that the regulatory field for critical infrastructures is also growing. This prompted eco to set up the KRITIS Competence Group at a constituent meeting last Tuesday.

date 2023/05/15

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Policy & Law

eco: “CSAM Regulation severely curtails civil liberties and is set to fail at the latest at the ECJ”

The EU Commission’s proposal for a regulation to prevent and combat child sexual abuse has sparked much discussion and severe criticism since its publication in May 2022.

date 2023/05/11

press

Artificial Intelligence

eco Association on the AI Act: Strengthening Digital Sovereignty in Europe with AI

It is  important that the AI Act clearly addresses potential risks, but in order to harness the opportunities of the technology, we need room for innovation. Today, Europe is already lagging behind in the development of AI systems. This threatens not only Europe’s technological sovereignty, but also the competitiveness of the entire economy in Germany.

date 2023/05/10

press

Datacenter

eco Alliance for Digital Infrastructures Calls for an Industrial Electricity Price for Data Centres

The Alliance for the Strengthening of Digital Infrastructures in Germany calls for data centres to be included in the current discussion on the introduction of industry electricity prices. The German federal government should recognise the importance of the industry as the backbone of digitalisation and part of the solution in achieving climate goals.

date 2023/05/09

press

Policy & Law

eco Association Calls for More Coordination in the Implementation of the Digital Strategy

To take stock of the German federal government’s digital policy, the Network Policy Forum will take place on 25 April with German Digital Minister Volker Wissing. In advance, eco Chair Süme formulates three core requirements for the implementation of the Digital Strategy.

date 2023/04/25

press

Datacenter

eco Alliance for Digital Infrastructures: New Draft German Energy Efficiency Act More Realistic, but Heating Network Operators Must Be Held More Accountable

Dr. Béla Waldhauser, spokesperson for the Alliance for the Strengthening of Digital Infrastructures in Germany, founded under the umbrella of eco – Association of the Internet Industry, comments on the new draft act for a German energy efficiency law that was released this Monday, 3 April 2023.

date 2023/04/05

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Policy & Law

eco Complaints Office Publishes Annual Report 2022

Today, the Complaints Office of eco published its English version of its 2022 Annual Report. With 8,904 actionable cases, the eco Complaints Office once again recorded a new peak of notified legal violations on the Internet last year

date 2023/03/29

press

Policy & Law

eco Association Warns against Cancellation of German Digital Budget

In the current budget negotiations of the German federal government, the planned digital budget could also fall victim to cuts. eco Association expressly warns against cutting funds for the implementation of digitalisation plans and projects.

date 2023/03/20

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Policy & Law

Data Act: Association of the Internet Industry Critical of Administrative Burden on Companies

The European Council and the European Parliament are expected to start their trilogue on the Data Act on 28 March. Already on Monday this week, in Strasbourg the Parliament voted on the draft prepared by rapporteur Pilar del Castillo Vera (EPP) from the Industry Committee (ITRE) and issued its negotiating mandate. eco still sees a need for improvement in the Data Act.

date 2023/03/16

press

Datacenter

eco Alliance on the electricity price brake: German federal government must not neglect digital infrastructures

In Germany, the amendment to the electricity price brake is expected to be passed in today’s cabinet meeting. eco and the Alliance for the Strengthening of Digital Infrastructures are strongly critical of the amendment introduced by the Federal Ministry of Economics.

date 2023/03/06

press

Datacenter

eco Alliance Critical of New Blue Angel Directive for Data Centres as Impractical 

The Alliance for the Strengthening of Digital Infrastructures in Germany, initiated by the eco Association, denounces the Blue Angel guideline revisions planned by the German Environment Agency (UBA) as still unsuitable and impractical. Dr Béla Waldhauser, spokesperson of the Alliance for Strengthening Digital Infrastructures in Germany, comments.

date 2023/02/09

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Policy & Law

eco Survey on Safer Internet Day 2023: Together for a Good and Safe Network

A representative survey conducted by Civey on behalf of the eco Association has now answered the question of what is most important to German citizens when it comes to reporting critical content to a hotline.

date 2023/02/06

press

Policy & Law

eco Association on the Data Act

The basic problem is that the Data Act offers too much bureaucracy and too few incentives for companies to process, use and share data.”

date 2023/01/18

press