A PYMNTS Company

EU: Big Tech will still face scrutiny under new EU leadership

By  |  September 2, 2019

According to the Wall Street Journal the incoming head of the EU executive arm is promising new laws on artificial intelligence and the use of big data within 100 days of taking office on Nov. 1, as the bloc’s antitrust enforcer gathers evidence in its probes into the practices of companies including Facebook and Amazon,

    Get the Full Story

    Complete the form to unlock this article and enjoy unlimited free access to all PYMNTS content — no additional logins required.

    yesSubscribe to our daily newsletter, PYMNTS Today.

    By completing this form, you agree to receive marketing communications from PYMNTS and to the sharing of your information with our sponsor, if applicable, in accordance with our Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions.

    The EU investigations, started by departing EU competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager, examine how Facebook and Amazon use data gathered on their platforms, and could eventually lead to multimillion-dollar fines. Both companies deny wrongdoing.

    According to the Journal as the new commission takes shape, President-elect Ursula von der Leyen and her team are sifting through internal proposals for stricter rules in areas from limiting facial-recognition technology to creating a dedicated multibillion-euro fund to prop up the European technology sector.

    “There is a frenzy of pitching ideas to her,” said one official familiar with the internal discussions. A spokesman for Mrs. Von der Leyen said she hasn’t signed off on any of the floated plans, as she is still organizing her team of commissioners.

    The European Commission, apart from enforcing antitrust rules, is the only EU institution that can put forward new legislation, which is then negotiated and approved by EU governments and the European Parliament. Proposals for new legislation are drafted by its thousands of staffers divided into various policy departments, much like ministries in a national government.

    Full Content: Wall Street Journal

    Want more news? Subscribe to CPI’s free daily newsletter for more headlines and updates on antitrust developments around the world.