· Joe Jones Director of Research and Insights:
o Having spent years promulgating regulation to rein in the worst excesses of technology, Brussels is reckoning now with the idea of reining in that very same regulation. That introspection and the consequences of its outcome will have consequences for how organisations govern technology not just in Europe but around the world.
o The European Commission has set into motion the likely tortuous and impassioned legislative process to reopen, unpick, and reform the one-time poster child of EU regulation and the ‘Brussels effect.’
o Framed through the prism of EU competitiveness, innovation, and sovereignty, the Digital Omnibus will animate actors across the spectrum.
· Isabelle Roccia, Managing Director Europe:
o The Digital Omnibus represents a notable shift in mindset from the European Commission leadership, first acknowledging the complexity of the EU digital rulebook it created over decades, second looking for ways to optimize efficiency of compliance processes like breach notifications.
o The Digital Omnibus will put the Brussels effect under a new light. The Commission is not departing from its value-first approach, but it is leaning towards a more pragmatic approach. This may lead some third countries to take a fresher look at rules they may have borrowed to Brussels and consider whether they too may want to streamline.
o Some proposals helpfully address very concrete compliance pain points, such as multiple breach notifications and may be fairly consensual. Others, like the proposal to clarify legitimate interest to process personal data for AI training, will trigger more passionate debate if they are seen as touching data protection core principles.
