On the confirmation of the new EU Digital Commissioner Marija Gabriel by the EU Parliament, eco Director of Policy & Law Oliver Süme says:
“With the Digital Portfolio, Marija Gabriel is taking on an especially innovative and above all dynamic portfolio with great importance for Europe as an industry location.
The forthcoming copyright reform and the complex ePrivacy Regulation – which to a certain extent runs contrary to the General Data Protection Regulation – mean that the newly-elected Commissioner can expect a challenging agenda. In the coming two years, vital course will be set for the European Digital Single Market within her portfolio, with importance for Europe’s future viability in digital competition.
I hope that the new Commissioner for the Digital Economy will place the right emphasis in this portfolio. Her rejection of tendencies towards data localization and her signalization of wanting to create a secure competitive environment for small and medium-sized enterprises in Europe are, in this context, very welcome. It is yet to be seen how she will handle the Parliament’s somewhat excessive tendencies towards regulation, such as the controversial ancillary copyright for publishers. We look forward to an energetic and constructive exchange.”
