Europe Rolls Back Landmark Privacy and AI Regulations
▼ Summary
– Europe is weakening GDPR protections and relaxing AI rules under pressure from industry and the US government to cut red tape and boost economic growth.
– The proposal extends the grace period for high-risk AI system rules under the AI Act, delaying their implementation until necessary standards and tools are available.
– The changes have sparked outrage among civil rights groups and politicians, who accuse the European Commission of undermining fundamental safeguards and yielding to Big Tech.
– The decision follows intense lobbying from Big Tech, Donald Trump, and influential internal figures like Mario Draghi to reduce regulatory burdens.
– Europe lacks competitive AI companies in the global market, which is dominated by US and Chinese firms such as DeepSeek, Google, and OpenAI.
In a surprising policy reversal, Europe is scaling back its landmark privacy and AI regulations following sustained pressure from international tech giants and political allies. The European Commission has initiated moves to dismantle key components of its groundbreaking General Data Protection Regulation while simultaneously delaying critical aspects of the recently enacted AI Act. This strategic pivot aims to reduce bureaucratic hurdles and stimulate economic activity across the bloc, marking a significant departure from Europe’s previously uncompromising stance on digital governance.
The proposed changes specifically target GDPR’s much-debated cookie consent mechanisms, streamlining the permission process that website visitors encounter daily. More significantly, Brussels is extending implementation timelines for high-risk artificial intelligence systems under the AI Act. These systems, which could potentially threaten health, safety, or fundamental rights, were originally scheduled for regulatory enforcement next summer but will now only face compliance requirements once supporting standards and tools become fully available to developers.
This regulatory retreat has already ignited fierce opposition from digital rights organizations and political figures who view these protections as fundamental to European values. The GDPR has long stood as the cornerstone of Europe’s digital strategy, earning near-sacred status among privacy advocates. Early drafts of the proposed changes have drawn sharp criticism from those accusing the Commission of surrendering vital consumer protections under pressure from powerful technology interests.
The policy shift comes after months of intensive lobbying from American tech behemoths and former U.S. President Donald Trump, alongside influential European voices including former Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi. These parties have consistently argued that stringent regulations handicap European competitiveness in the global technology arena. The continent currently fields few serious contenders in the artificial intelligence domain, where American and Chinese corporations like DeepSeek, Google, and OpenAI maintain overwhelming dominance.
Political observers anticipate turbulent legislative battles ahead as these proposals advance through the European Union’s complex approval process. The original passages of both GDPR and the AI Act involved years of heated debate and aggressive lobbying, suggesting the current amendments will face similar scrutiny and resistance from privacy advocates and their political allies.
(Source: The Verge)
