Toggle navigation eco Press Releases Press Releases Press Distribution List Press DownloadsPress TextPhotographsLogosStudiesAnnual ReportsPortfolio Press Policy & Law eco: “Thoroughly revise CSAM Regulation now; otherwise it will fail before the ECJ at the latest” The EU Commission's proposal for a CSAM Regulation, including the much disputed chat control, continues to generate much discussion and massive critique. eco now advocates for a fundamental reconsideration of the provisions on proactive search obligations and disabling access, as well as a general revision of the rules on proactive search for the purpose of detecting child sexual abuse on the Internet. date 2023/09/28 press Digital Business Models eco Industry Monitor: In Spite of Crises, the Digital Industry in Germany Remains on Track for Growth In Germany, the Internet industry is recovering more quickly than expected from the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and the Ukraine crisis. This is conveyed in the update of the eco Industry Monitor. In 2023, eco and Arthur D. Little predict a growth rate of 14 per cent. Moreover, in the medium to long term, artificial intelligence promises significant growth in all industry segments. date 2023/09/26 press Domains 73.9% of Germans are in Favour of an Independent Internet The Internet is largely self-governing, independent of individual companies or governments. Three out of four Germans (73.9%) concur with this statement: “Independent governance of the Internet is important for the freedom of information and the freedom of expression in our society”. At the ICANN78 AGM from 21-26 October 2023, an independent multi-stakeholder community will make decisions on core functions of the Internet. date 2023/09/25 press Datacenter eco Alliance: Energy Efficiency Act Boosts Ecological Balance of Digitalisation The German Bundestag is expected to adopt the Energy Efficiency Act today, Thursday. The eco Alliance sees great potential in the new act for optimising the utilisation of waste heat from data centres, and thus also for achieving the climate targets in Germany. At the same time, the following is called for: In order to extract the maximum sustainability potential from digital infrastructures and also to make the best possible utilisation of data centre waste heat, the federal, state and municipalities must remedy further political deficits. date 2023/09/21 press Security Only 22.5 % of Germans Use Cloud Services to Secure Private Media Germans do not adequately back up their photos and videos from family holidays or family celebrations on their smartphones. According to a representative survey of 2,506 Germans conducted by the opinion research institute Civey on behalf of eco – Association of the Internet Industry, only 22.5 per cent use cloud services for storing private media. date 2023/09/18 press Policy & Law eco on the State of the Union: “Europe must pursue a more opportunity-oriented policy that does not stifle innovations like AI” EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen today delivered a State of the Union speech, highlighting that Europe must be a pioneer in AI and stand for transparent, ethical development. eco Chair of the Board Oliver Süme is of the opinion that the Commission President focused too excessively on the potential dangers of AI and digital technologies. date 2023/09/13 press Policy & Law eco on the Ruling of the German Federal Administrative Court in Leipzig: SpaceNet Data Retention Lawsuit Following the long-awaited ruling by the European Court of Justice on 22 September last year, which stated that the German regulations on data retention are incompatible with EU law, the German Federal Administrative Court in Leipzig has now also issued its verdict. eco Chair of the Board Oliver Süme calls on the German federal government on the occasion of the ruling: “The German federal government should now finally seize the opportunity to set a political course and initiate the repeal of data retention.” date 2023/09/07 press Mobility eco Survey on the IAA: 45.4 % of Germans See Digital Mobility Services as the Key to the Transport Turnaround Digital services and technologies are the driving thrust for the transport turnaround. 45.4 per cent of Germans attribute a decisive role to digital mobility services in shaping the traffic turnaround. The respondents place great hope above all in artificial intelligence and thus intelligent traffic management. date 2023/09/06 press Policy & Law eco on the German KRITIS Umbrella Act: Eliminate Double Regulations and Legal Uncertainties The German Federal Ministry of the Interior aims to strengthen the resilience of critical infrastructures with the KRITIS Umbrella Act, which is currently being coordinated between government departments. For the first time, this act seeks to establish the nationwide uniform regulations for the physical protection of critical facilities, which are to be implemented in German law as a result of the European CER Directive. date 2023/09/05 press Domains Domain Names: 15.6 Per Cent of Germans Want More Local Endings Many cities and regions have their own top-level domains such as .hamburg, .koeln or .nrw. Such geographic top-level domains or geoTLDs, which represent a regional area, have been available in Germany since 2014. Since then, hundreds of thousands of citizens and companies have reserved their personal Internet address with a geographic domain extension. date 2023/08/31 press Policy & Law eco on the German Federal Government’s Data Strategy: “More momentum with the data policy” The new Data Strategy has been finalised by the German federal government and could be adopted by the cabinet today. eco Chair of the Board Oliver Süme is of the opinion that uniform and legally secure handling of data is essential for all data-based business models, which is why the German federal government’s Data Strategy is long since overdue. date 2023/08/30 press Mobility eco Chair Oliver Süme: “Internet companies are playing an increasingly important role in the mobility ecosystem of the future” More CO2 savings and optimised traffic control through artificial intelligence as well as vehicles that communicate with the traffic infrastructure such as traffic lights: This is the dream scenario of German motorists with regard to digital technologies and services in the automotive sector. This is the result of a survey conducted by Civey on behalf of eco at the end of July 2023 among 2,500 car users – on the occasion of the IAA in Munich at the beginning of September. date 2023/08/29 press Policy & Law A Year into the German Digital Strategy: Majority of the Population Sees No Progress in Digital Transformation In presenting the German Digital Strategy a year ago, the German federal government's aim was to create a digital awakening. However, a year into the Digital Strategy, the majority of the population in Germany believes that the federal government has not yet made much progress in the area of digital transformation. This has been displayed by a recent representative survey conducted by the market and opinion research institute Civey on behalf of eco Association. date 2023/08/29 press Policy & Law eco on the Application Launch of the Digital Services Act: “Internet service providers are already combatting illegal content on their platforms out of their own interest” The Digital Services Act (DSA) was passed in the EU Parliament in November 2022 and is intended to set the standards for a safer and more open digital space for users and a level playing field for companies within the EU in the coming years. Among other insights, eco Chair of the Board Oliver Süme has the following to say: “Internet service providers are already combatting illegal content on their platforms out of their own interest." date 2023/08/25 press eco 88.1 Per Cent of Germans Would Like to See Better Digital Education in Schools There is a lot of room for improvement in the teaching of digital skills in German schools: 88.1 per cent of Germans would like to see better digital education in schools, but a breakthrough is not to be expected with the start of the new school year 2023/2024. date 2023/08/22 press 22.5% of Germans pay with their smartphone or smartwatch Security One in Four Germans Pay With A Smart Device – eco Provides Security Tips Whether in the supermarket, restaurant or at the bakery: one in four people hold their mobile phone or smartwatch against the card reader to pay. The latest eco/Civey study shows that the number of mobile payment users has doubled in the last four years. date 2023/08/14 press Policy & Law eco Association: Current Budget Plans Jeopardise Germany as a Digital Location eco denounces the German federal government’s current budget plans, which are set to have only a fraction of financial resources spent on digitalisation projects in the coming year. date 2023/08/03 press Policy & Law Share Holiday Family Photos Safely: eco Association Gives 5 Tips Approximately one in ten (10.8 percent) post photos via social media channels such as Instagram or Facebook. Additionally, 10.6 percent send photos via email and 4.4 percent have photos printed online via print services. These are the findings of a representative survey conducted by the opinion research institute Civey on behalf of eco – Association of the Internet Industry, involving 2,500 Germans over the age of 18. date 2023/08/02 press eco Generation Change at the eco Association Management: New Management Duo Leads eco – Association of the Internet Industry After 28 years, Harald A. Summa, is retiring from the operational management of the association. Alexander Rabe and Andreas Weiss will share the management responsibilities of Europe’s leading Association of the Internet Industry from 1 August 2023. date 2023/08/01 press Policy & Law NIS2 Directive: eco Calls for Precise Group of Addressees and Reduction of Bureaucratic Burden for Affected Companies eco Board Member for Infrastructure and Networks Klaus Landefeld comments on the present draft bill of the German Federal Ministry of the Interior for the transposition of the European NIS2 Directive. date 2023/07/21 press Policy & Law eco on the KRITIS Umbrella Act Klaus Landefeld, eco Board Member criticises lack of coordination and consultation by the German federal government on new regulations for critical infrastructures. date 2023/07/18 press Security One Third Work Outdoors in Summer – eco Gives 7 Safety Tips According to a Civey survey commissioned by eco – Association of the Internet Industry, 29.8 percent of respondents move their workplace outdoors, with 13.2 percent occasionally working away from home and 16.6 percent doing so frequently. date 2023/07/14 press Policy & Law eco Association on the Transatlantic Data Privacy Framework On 10 July, the EU Commission determined that the Transatlantic Data Privacy Framework is in line with the requirements of European data protection. eco's Managing Director Alexander Rabe comments: "[The TDPF is] an important building block for a successful digital transformation and the basis for further regulations such as the EU-US e-Evidence Agreement." date 2023/07/11 press Domains eco Survey: Over a Quarter of Germans Already Have Their Own Internet Address According to a representative survey conducted by the opinion research institute Civey on behalf of eco – Association of the Internet Industry, every fourth person (26.4 percent) has personally registered a domain name (e.g., example.de) on the Internet. date 2023/07/10 press IoT Get Outdoors – but Digitally, Please! Every Second German (50.3 Percent) Uses Digital Technologies for Outdoor Activities Online-based technologies for outdoor activities have become popular summer companions for nearly half of the population in Germany. At 27.3 percent, the most popular applications include smartphones with holiday apps for hiking tours, for example. date 2023/07/07 press Datacenter Energy Efficiency Act: eco Alliance Welcomes Amendment Motion of the Coalition’s Parliamentary Groups Dr Béla Waldhauser, spokesperson for the Alliance for the Strengthening of Digital Infrastructures in Germany comments on this week's last minute amendments to the German federal government’s draft bill for the planned Energy Efficiency Act. date 2023/07/07 press Policy & Law eco Takes Stock After One Year of Gigabit Strategy: Financing security & reduction of bureaucracy are now the set screws for accelerated network expansion The Gigabit Strategy, which was adopted by the German federal government a year ago, is intended to be a compass for fibre-optic and mobile expansion in Germany. date 2023/07/04 press Policy & Law eco on eIDAS: “User-friendliness and open standards are crucial to promoting the acceptance of digital identities” eco supports the European initiative for an ID Wallet in principle; a reliable and secure ecosystem of digital identities lays the foundation for the realisation of the Single Market and a multitude of digital business models. At the same time, the association addresses important aspects that should be taken into account. date 2023/07/03 press Datacenter eco Study: 30 Percent Less Emissions by 2050 Through Digital... eco Chair of the Board Oliver Süme: “Sustainability and digitalisation are two sides of the same coin – digital technologies and applications are part of the solution to achieve the climate goals.” The study conducted by eco and Arthur D. Little examines the impacts of digital transformation on resource efficiency... date 2023/06/30 press eco Two Months Deutschlandticket: Every Fourth Person (24.8 per cent) Uses Online Tickets for Public Transport Only one in four Germans currently uses digital public transport tickets on a smartphone. In urban areas and among younger people, they are much more widespread. These are the results of a Civey survey commissioned by eco – Association of the Internet Industry. date 2023/06/29 press
Policy & Law eco: “Thoroughly revise CSAM Regulation now; otherwise it will fail before the ECJ at the latest” The EU Commission's proposal for a CSAM Regulation, including the much disputed chat control, continues to generate much discussion and massive critique. eco now advocates for a fundamental reconsideration of the provisions on proactive search obligations and disabling access, as well as a general revision of the rules on proactive search for the purpose of detecting child sexual abuse on the Internet. date 2023/09/28 press
Digital Business Models eco Industry Monitor: In Spite of Crises, the Digital Industry in Germany Remains on Track for Growth In Germany, the Internet industry is recovering more quickly than expected from the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and the Ukraine crisis. This is conveyed in the update of the eco Industry Monitor. In 2023, eco and Arthur D. Little predict a growth rate of 14 per cent. Moreover, in the medium to long term, artificial intelligence promises significant growth in all industry segments. date 2023/09/26 press
Domains 73.9% of Germans are in Favour of an Independent Internet The Internet is largely self-governing, independent of individual companies or governments. Three out of four Germans (73.9%) concur with this statement: “Independent governance of the Internet is important for the freedom of information and the freedom of expression in our society”. At the ICANN78 AGM from 21-26 October 2023, an independent multi-stakeholder community will make decisions on core functions of the Internet. date 2023/09/25 press
Datacenter eco Alliance: Energy Efficiency Act Boosts Ecological Balance of Digitalisation The German Bundestag is expected to adopt the Energy Efficiency Act today, Thursday. The eco Alliance sees great potential in the new act for optimising the utilisation of waste heat from data centres, and thus also for achieving the climate targets in Germany. At the same time, the following is called for: In order to extract the maximum sustainability potential from digital infrastructures and also to make the best possible utilisation of data centre waste heat, the federal, state and municipalities must remedy further political deficits. date 2023/09/21 press
Security Only 22.5 % of Germans Use Cloud Services to Secure Private Media Germans do not adequately back up their photos and videos from family holidays or family celebrations on their smartphones. According to a representative survey of 2,506 Germans conducted by the opinion research institute Civey on behalf of eco – Association of the Internet Industry, only 22.5 per cent use cloud services for storing private media. date 2023/09/18 press
Policy & Law eco on the State of the Union: “Europe must pursue a more opportunity-oriented policy that does not stifle innovations like AI” EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen today delivered a State of the Union speech, highlighting that Europe must be a pioneer in AI and stand for transparent, ethical development. eco Chair of the Board Oliver Süme is of the opinion that the Commission President focused too excessively on the potential dangers of AI and digital technologies. date 2023/09/13 press
Policy & Law eco on the Ruling of the German Federal Administrative Court in Leipzig: SpaceNet Data Retention Lawsuit Following the long-awaited ruling by the European Court of Justice on 22 September last year, which stated that the German regulations on data retention are incompatible with EU law, the German Federal Administrative Court in Leipzig has now also issued its verdict. eco Chair of the Board Oliver Süme calls on the German federal government on the occasion of the ruling: “The German federal government should now finally seize the opportunity to set a political course and initiate the repeal of data retention.” date 2023/09/07 press
Mobility eco Survey on the IAA: 45.4 % of Germans See Digital Mobility Services as the Key to the Transport Turnaround Digital services and technologies are the driving thrust for the transport turnaround. 45.4 per cent of Germans attribute a decisive role to digital mobility services in shaping the traffic turnaround. The respondents place great hope above all in artificial intelligence and thus intelligent traffic management. date 2023/09/06 press
Policy & Law eco on the German KRITIS Umbrella Act: Eliminate Double Regulations and Legal Uncertainties The German Federal Ministry of the Interior aims to strengthen the resilience of critical infrastructures with the KRITIS Umbrella Act, which is currently being coordinated between government departments. For the first time, this act seeks to establish the nationwide uniform regulations for the physical protection of critical facilities, which are to be implemented in German law as a result of the European CER Directive. date 2023/09/05 press
Domains Domain Names: 15.6 Per Cent of Germans Want More Local Endings Many cities and regions have their own top-level domains such as .hamburg, .koeln or .nrw. Such geographic top-level domains or geoTLDs, which represent a regional area, have been available in Germany since 2014. Since then, hundreds of thousands of citizens and companies have reserved their personal Internet address with a geographic domain extension. date 2023/08/31 press
Policy & Law eco on the German Federal Government’s Data Strategy: “More momentum with the data policy” The new Data Strategy has been finalised by the German federal government and could be adopted by the cabinet today. eco Chair of the Board Oliver Süme is of the opinion that uniform and legally secure handling of data is essential for all data-based business models, which is why the German federal government’s Data Strategy is long since overdue. date 2023/08/30 press
Mobility eco Chair Oliver Süme: “Internet companies are playing an increasingly important role in the mobility ecosystem of the future” More CO2 savings and optimised traffic control through artificial intelligence as well as vehicles that communicate with the traffic infrastructure such as traffic lights: This is the dream scenario of German motorists with regard to digital technologies and services in the automotive sector. This is the result of a survey conducted by Civey on behalf of eco at the end of July 2023 among 2,500 car users – on the occasion of the IAA in Munich at the beginning of September. date 2023/08/29 press
Policy & Law A Year into the German Digital Strategy: Majority of the Population Sees No Progress in Digital Transformation In presenting the German Digital Strategy a year ago, the German federal government's aim was to create a digital awakening. However, a year into the Digital Strategy, the majority of the population in Germany believes that the federal government has not yet made much progress in the area of digital transformation. This has been displayed by a recent representative survey conducted by the market and opinion research institute Civey on behalf of eco Association. date 2023/08/29 press
Policy & Law eco on the Application Launch of the Digital Services Act: “Internet service providers are already combatting illegal content on their platforms out of their own interest” The Digital Services Act (DSA) was passed in the EU Parliament in November 2022 and is intended to set the standards for a safer and more open digital space for users and a level playing field for companies within the EU in the coming years. Among other insights, eco Chair of the Board Oliver Süme has the following to say: “Internet service providers are already combatting illegal content on their platforms out of their own interest." date 2023/08/25 press
eco 88.1 Per Cent of Germans Would Like to See Better Digital Education in Schools There is a lot of room for improvement in the teaching of digital skills in German schools: 88.1 per cent of Germans would like to see better digital education in schools, but a breakthrough is not to be expected with the start of the new school year 2023/2024. date 2023/08/22 press
22.5% of Germans pay with their smartphone or smartwatch Security One in Four Germans Pay With A Smart Device – eco Provides Security Tips Whether in the supermarket, restaurant or at the bakery: one in four people hold their mobile phone or smartwatch against the card reader to pay. The latest eco/Civey study shows that the number of mobile payment users has doubled in the last four years. date 2023/08/14 press
Policy & Law eco Association: Current Budget Plans Jeopardise Germany as a Digital Location eco denounces the German federal government’s current budget plans, which are set to have only a fraction of financial resources spent on digitalisation projects in the coming year. date 2023/08/03 press
Policy & Law Share Holiday Family Photos Safely: eco Association Gives 5 Tips Approximately one in ten (10.8 percent) post photos via social media channels such as Instagram or Facebook. Additionally, 10.6 percent send photos via email and 4.4 percent have photos printed online via print services. These are the findings of a representative survey conducted by the opinion research institute Civey on behalf of eco – Association of the Internet Industry, involving 2,500 Germans over the age of 18. date 2023/08/02 press
eco Generation Change at the eco Association Management: New Management Duo Leads eco – Association of the Internet Industry After 28 years, Harald A. Summa, is retiring from the operational management of the association. Alexander Rabe and Andreas Weiss will share the management responsibilities of Europe’s leading Association of the Internet Industry from 1 August 2023. date 2023/08/01 press
Policy & Law NIS2 Directive: eco Calls for Precise Group of Addressees and Reduction of Bureaucratic Burden for Affected Companies eco Board Member for Infrastructure and Networks Klaus Landefeld comments on the present draft bill of the German Federal Ministry of the Interior for the transposition of the European NIS2 Directive. date 2023/07/21 press
Policy & Law eco on the KRITIS Umbrella Act Klaus Landefeld, eco Board Member criticises lack of coordination and consultation by the German federal government on new regulations for critical infrastructures. date 2023/07/18 press
Security One Third Work Outdoors in Summer – eco Gives 7 Safety Tips According to a Civey survey commissioned by eco – Association of the Internet Industry, 29.8 percent of respondents move their workplace outdoors, with 13.2 percent occasionally working away from home and 16.6 percent doing so frequently. date 2023/07/14 press
Policy & Law eco Association on the Transatlantic Data Privacy Framework On 10 July, the EU Commission determined that the Transatlantic Data Privacy Framework is in line with the requirements of European data protection. eco's Managing Director Alexander Rabe comments: "[The TDPF is] an important building block for a successful digital transformation and the basis for further regulations such as the EU-US e-Evidence Agreement." date 2023/07/11 press
Domains eco Survey: Over a Quarter of Germans Already Have Their Own Internet Address According to a representative survey conducted by the opinion research institute Civey on behalf of eco – Association of the Internet Industry, every fourth person (26.4 percent) has personally registered a domain name (e.g., example.de) on the Internet. date 2023/07/10 press
IoT Get Outdoors – but Digitally, Please! Every Second German (50.3 Percent) Uses Digital Technologies for Outdoor Activities Online-based technologies for outdoor activities have become popular summer companions for nearly half of the population in Germany. At 27.3 percent, the most popular applications include smartphones with holiday apps for hiking tours, for example. date 2023/07/07 press
Datacenter Energy Efficiency Act: eco Alliance Welcomes Amendment Motion of the Coalition’s Parliamentary Groups Dr Béla Waldhauser, spokesperson for the Alliance for the Strengthening of Digital Infrastructures in Germany comments on this week's last minute amendments to the German federal government’s draft bill for the planned Energy Efficiency Act. date 2023/07/07 press
Policy & Law eco Takes Stock After One Year of Gigabit Strategy: Financing security & reduction of bureaucracy are now the set screws for accelerated network expansion The Gigabit Strategy, which was adopted by the German federal government a year ago, is intended to be a compass for fibre-optic and mobile expansion in Germany. date 2023/07/04 press
Policy & Law eco on eIDAS: “User-friendliness and open standards are crucial to promoting the acceptance of digital identities” eco supports the European initiative for an ID Wallet in principle; a reliable and secure ecosystem of digital identities lays the foundation for the realisation of the Single Market and a multitude of digital business models. At the same time, the association addresses important aspects that should be taken into account. date 2023/07/03 press
Datacenter eco Study: 30 Percent Less Emissions by 2050 Through Digital... eco Chair of the Board Oliver Süme: “Sustainability and digitalisation are two sides of the same coin – digital technologies and applications are part of the solution to achieve the climate goals.” The study conducted by eco and Arthur D. Little examines the impacts of digital transformation on resource efficiency... date 2023/06/30 press
eco Two Months Deutschlandticket: Every Fourth Person (24.8 per cent) Uses Online Tickets for Public Transport Only one in four Germans currently uses digital public transport tickets on a smartphone. In urban areas and among younger people, they are much more widespread. These are the results of a Civey survey commissioned by eco – Association of the Internet Industry. date 2023/06/29 press