EU unveils wide-ranging digital strategy with global implications for Apple & other big te...
A newly-published digital strategy marks the start of the European Union's plans to debate and implement regulations that will have lasting effects on users in the EU and big technology companies like Apple, Google, Facebook, and Amazon.
The European Union has unveiled a new digital strategy for its member states, but which will also have global implications
Following lobbying efforts by Apple, Google, and Facebook, the European Union has formally announced the start of its new digital strategy.
Called "Shaping Europe's Digital Future," it is a publication and a basis for debate that will see the EU adopt multiple new regulations regarding areas from artificial intelligence to how long smartphones last.
"[This] is the White Book for Artificial Intelligence," said EU president Ursula von der Leyen, about the document, "and the data strategy. In Europe, we are caring very much for individual rights and our values. The digital strategy we put forward today is connecting all these dots and putting it into a concept. We want the digital transformation to power our economy and we want to find European solutions in the digital age.
While the EU and the European Commission can only directly affect its member countries, and then only if those countries choose to accept it, the strategy has global implications. Previous EU work including the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) has seen other nations adopt similar principles.
The principles in the new strategy are wide-ranging, but also necessarily avoid detail. The strategy will be discussed throughout at least the rest of 2020, by the member nations of the EU.
Executive vice president of the European Commission, Margrethe Vestager, who is currently investigating Spotify's complaints against Apple, has been tweeting about the core parts of the new strategy.
The EU's digital strategy will be developed in three areas. "Technology that works for people," concentrates on AI, privacy and security. "A fair and competitive digital economy," will set out rules for all companies, including global ones such as Apple, on how they will compete in Europe.
A final part of the strategy wants to create regulations that will help produce "an open, democratic and sustainable society." This will in part result in Europe "becoming climate-neutral by 2050."
Previously, Apple's Tim Cook has singled out Europe's GDPR as an example of what the US and all nations should be doing.
"We should celebrate the transformative work of the European institutions tasked with the successful implementation of the GDPR," said Cook in a speech about security in 2018. "It is time for the rest of the world, including my home country, to follow your lead."
The European Union has unveiled a new digital strategy for its member states, but which will also have global implications
Following lobbying efforts by Apple, Google, and Facebook, the European Union has formally announced the start of its new digital strategy.
Called "Shaping Europe's Digital Future," it is a publication and a basis for debate that will see the EU adopt multiple new regulations regarding areas from artificial intelligence to how long smartphones last.
"[This] is the White Book for Artificial Intelligence," said EU president Ursula von der Leyen, about the document, "and the data strategy. In Europe, we are caring very much for individual rights and our values. The digital strategy we put forward today is connecting all these dots and putting it into a concept. We want the digital transformation to power our economy and we want to find European solutions in the digital age.
While the EU and the European Commission can only directly affect its member countries, and then only if those countries choose to accept it, the strategy has global implications. Previous EU work including the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) has seen other nations adopt similar principles.
The principles in the new strategy are wide-ranging, but also necessarily avoid detail. The strategy will be discussed throughout at least the rest of 2020, by the member nations of the EU.
Executive vice president of the European Commission, Margrethe Vestager, who is currently investigating Spotify's complaints against Apple, has been tweeting about the core parts of the new strategy.
Artificial intelligence is not good or bad in itself: It all depends on why and how it is used. Let's enable the best possible use and control the risks that AI may pose to our values - no harm, no discrimination! #EUshapingDigital
-- Margrethe Vestager (@vestager)
The EU's digital strategy will be developed in three areas. "Technology that works for people," concentrates on AI, privacy and security. "A fair and competitive digital economy," will set out rules for all companies, including global ones such as Apple, on how they will compete in Europe.
A final part of the strategy wants to create regulations that will help produce "an open, democratic and sustainable society." This will in part result in Europe "becoming climate-neutral by 2050."
Previously, Apple's Tim Cook has singled out Europe's GDPR as an example of what the US and all nations should be doing.
"We should celebrate the transformative work of the European institutions tasked with the successful implementation of the GDPR," said Cook in a speech about security in 2018. "It is time for the rest of the world, including my home country, to follow your lead."
Comments
Such a pathetic bunch.
Thank goodness the U.K. escaped!
And that's the crux of it. It seems the EU cannot compete on a global (or even European) scale, so they're resorting to regulating what everyone else can and cannot do. Once international companies are forced to scale back technologies to match "European solutions", they're hoping EU consumers will choose EU brands over international brands to "power their economies".
Basically Europeans will eventually only have access to crippled tech while the rest of the world advances into the future.
And the posters who brought up those Europeans companies, SAP, ASML... These are not consumer facing companies, which is what these regulations are clearly singling out.
Having a bunch of non-creative type who could not innovate themselves out of bag (and taking a creative art class in college does no mean your creative) making decision on what is best in the tech space will only end bad.
I'm sure glad that Jobs and Wozniak were American, because had they been born European and attempted to create the company over there, then I do not think that any of us would be reading this forum today, or using the devices that we do, because Apple would not exist.
But UK aside - It is interesting how Microsoft and Apple are using EU-legislation like GDPR towards all their customers on a global level. Japan learned the same: Trade agreement = EU legislation. Even Facebook is following EU standards. Like it or not but EU is great at this. There is even a Wikipedia entry on the "Brussels effect". With other countries not taking a stand on AI this can set a global standard. Just like standards from California are often used in other states the same can happen with this. That makes it interesting.
The EU takes that as an instruction manual.
You can’t create real jobs through regulation.
Siemens and Alstom for their high speed trains, rail infrastructure and power grid components,
ThyssenKrupp for their heavy industry solutions,
Bayer for their healthcare products,
BASF for important chemicals needed in production of technologically advanced compounds,
Thales Group for their exceedingly secure computing devices used almost exclusively in enterprise environments to accelerate encrypted communication,
.... I could continue endlessly.
I'm absolutely sure the Anantksundaram person is simply trying to make an emotional statement.
Societies with specialised industries serve the world and meanwhile receive other products from other parts of the world.
We must strive to improve cooperation with each other and not segregate ourselves from each other as there is really no benefit.
I regret the UK choice to leave the EU and I dearly hope that other legislators do not fall for the short-term popularity of such movements that has such a powerful effect...