Digital standards Archives | Page 3 of 390

NGI Commons outlines expectations for the EU Tech Sovereignty Package

NGI Commons has outlined expectations for the European Union’s forthcoming Tech Sovereignty Package, a policy initiative aimed at strengthening Europe’s control over critical digital technologies and reducing reliance on non-European providers.

The initiative is expected to focus on semiconductors, cloud computing, AI and open-source software. According to NGI Commons, the package aims to align and simplify existing policies rather than introduce a new layer of regulation.

The framework builds on recommendations from Mario Draghi’s report on European competitiveness and seeks to support innovation, competitiveness and the EU’s broader objective of open strategic autonomy. A central element of the proposal is the recognition of open technologies as digital commons that underpin Europe’s digital ecosystem.

The analysis argues that open-source software should be treated as strategic infrastructure and supported through long-term funding, coordinated development efforts and greater public-sector adoption to strengthen digital resilience and security.

The report notes that challenges remain, including securing long-term funding, managing the growing energy demands of AI infrastructure and attracting investment, as policymakers seek to balance technological sovereignty with competitiveness.

Why does it matter?

The Tech Sovereignty Package is expected to shape how Europe approaches critical technologies such as semiconductors, cloud services, AI and open-source software in the coming years.

By treating open technologies as strategic infrastructure, policymakers could strengthen digital resilience, reduce external dependencies and support the EU’s broader goal of technological sovereignty while maintaining competitiveness in the global digital economy.

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Quantum research opens new paths for energy and computing

Researchers at the University of California, Riverside, have advanced understanding of how quantum wave functions behave in ultra-thin layered materials, a development that could eventually improve solar energy technologies and support future quantum computing systems.

The findings show that electric fields can be used to control the position and behaviour of quantum wave functions in materials only a few atoms thick. Experiments showed that wave functions can shift between layers or exist in multiple layers simultaneously through quantum superposition, affecting a material’s optical properties.

The researchers also drew parallels with natural systems such as photosynthesis, where quantum processes are believed to support highly efficient energy transfer. By studying similar mechanisms in engineered materials, scientists hope to improve control over energy conversion and transport, particularly in solar technologies where energy losses remain a major challenge.

Researchers are also exploring whether vibrations can be used to control quantum states, potentially enabling new types of ‘quantum vibronic switches’. The findings could have applications beyond energy systems, including quantum computing, sensing and photonic technologies.

Why does it matter?

The research highlights progress towards actively controlling quantum behaviour in engineered materials, an important step in the development of practical quantum technologies. Such control could enable more efficient energy systems and improve the performance of future quantum devices.

The findings also illustrate how insights from natural processes such as photosynthesis can inform the design of next-generation materials for computing, sensing and renewable energy applications.

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G7 digital and technology ministers agree on priorities on AI, resilience and online child safety

G7 digital and technology ministers have agreed on priorities covering secure AI, AI openness, digital sector resilience and online safety for minors following a meeting in Paris under France’s presidency. Ministers said digital technologies are central to innovation, productivity and competitiveness, while also creating new challenges for users, businesses and service providers.

The statement reaffirmed support for Data Free Flow with Trust, while highlighting privacy, data protection, intellectual property and security considerations. Ministers also welcomed G7 work on semiconductors, digital standards, quantum technologies, and competition in AI inputs, including computing power, data, energy, and talent.

On AI, ministers said secure, responsible and trustworthy systems are needed to maintain public trust and support adoption. They welcomed the revised Hiroshima AI Process Reporting Framework and said France’s presidency would start discussions with stakeholders, the OECD, and members of the International Network for Advanced AI Measurement, Evaluation and Science to improve comparability between AI risk assessment frameworks.

The G7 also backed a Vision on AI Openness, intended to clarify terminology and support access to open-source and open-weight AI approaches. Ministers said AI openness can help diffuse AI, support research collaboration, and contribute to innovation and economic growth, while clearer language can reduce ambiguity and support trust.

Ministers also supported a G7 SME AI Readiness Tool, developed with the OECD and in cooperation with the G7 Social-Employment working group. The tool is expected to be made available through the G7 AI Training Hub to help micro, small and medium-sized enterprises assess their digital and AI readiness, improve AI literacy and lower adoption barriers.

The statement also addresses digital and AI sector resilience, resource efficiency and growing pressure on energy grids and digital infrastructure. On child online safety, ministers supported a Common G7 Set of Principles for a safe and secure digital space for minors, covering digital literacy, AI education, risk mitigation by digital service providers, support for parents and guardians, and protection against online harms.

Why does it matter?

The G7 statement reflects growing international coordination around AI governance, digital resilience and online child safety. By addressing AI risk assessment, openness, SME adoption and digital infrastructure pressures in one framework, ministers are linking technological innovation with trust, security and economic competitiveness.

The agreement also signals that online safety for minors is becoming a core part of digital policy cooperation among major economies, particularly as AI systems and digital platforms play a larger role in children’s online experiences.

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OECD links AI openness to innovation and economic growth

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development has published a discussion paper for the G7 on the potential economic and strategic benefits of AI openness.

The paper, prepared at the request of France’s 2026 G7 Presidency, is intended to inform discussions in the G7 Digital and Technology Working Group ahead of the G7 Digital and Technology Ministerial Meeting in Paris.

AI openness is defined by the OECD as the broad public availability and ease of access to key artefacts and documentation across the AI stack, including model weights and code, datasets, documentation, safety tooling, and compute resources. The paper examines how openness can affect economic outcomes, innovation dynamics, and national or regional AI ecosystems.

The OECD says open-weight AI models are becoming increasingly competitive with proprietary alternatives. According to the paper, open models achieve approximately 90% of the performance of closed models at launch, while often being available at significantly lower cost, resulting in a higher quality-to-price ratio.

The paper also finds a positive and statistically significant relationship between AI open-source activity and economic growth across the 33 countries analysed. Using GitHub contributions as a proxy for AI openness, the OECD says the evidence suggests the potential economic benefits of open-source AI activity.

Beyond economic performance, the OECD says AI openness can support stronger and more resilient national AI ecosystems by expanding access to models, data, and tools. Open approaches can shift value creation towards downstream layers of the AI stack, where start-ups, small and medium-sized enterprises, public institutions, and other actors can adapt systems to local or sector-specific needs.

The paper also links AI openness to technological sovereignty and strategic autonomy. It says local deployment and adaptation of models can help organisations and governments retain control over sensitive data, reduce dependence on external providers, and support transparency, auditability, and trust.

The OECD notes that the paper focuses on the benefits of AI openness, while potential risks and downsides fall outside its scope and are left for future research.

Why does it matter?

The paper adds economic and strategic arguments to the debate over open AI. For policymakers, openness is not only a technical design choice but a question of innovation diffusion, local value creation, competitiveness, and dependence on foreign providers. However, because the paper focuses mainly on benefits, its conclusions should be read alongside separate work on the safety, misuse, security, and governance risks of more open AI systems.

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Canada pushes digital innovation agenda at G7 Digital Ministers’ Meeting

Canada highlighted AI, quantum technologies, and digital innovation during the 2026 G7 Digital Ministers’ Meeting in Paris, where ministers discussed responsible technology development and economic competitiveness.

Minister Evan Solomon engaged with counterparts and industry leaders on strengthening cooperation in AI and quantum research. Canada and France signed a joint statement to expand cooperation in quantum science through joint research, knowledge sharing and workforce development initiatives.

Discussions at the G7 and related business forums emphasised the importance of aligning public policy and industry innovation to support the adoption of emerging technologies. Priorities included secure AI deployment, digital resilience, and ensuring that technological progress supports inclusive economic growth.

Canada also announced new international partnerships, including projects applying AI to medical diagnostics and surgical support systems. Officials emphasised that trusted global cooperation remains central to ensuring that innovation delivers both economic value and wider societal benefits.

Why does it matter?

International coordination on AI and quantum technologies is becoming increasingly important as these systems move from research settings into core areas of economic activity, healthcare, and industrial production.

Stronger cooperation between governments and industry can help shape common standards, reduce fragmentation in digital policy, and ensure that technological innovation translates into sustainable growth and broadly shared benefits.

The Canada–France partnership and broader G7 discussions reflect growing efforts to shape common approaches to emerging technologies while supporting their adoption across sectors such as healthcare, industry and digital infrastructure.

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EU launches consultation on trusted flagger guidelines under the DSA

The European Commission has launched a public consultation on draft guidelines for trusted flaggers under the Digital Services Act, aiming to establish a clearer and more consistent framework for organisations that identify and report illegal online content.

Trusted flaggers are specialised entities whose notices about illegal content must be prioritised by online platforms under the DSA. Platforms remain responsible for assessing whether the reported content is illegal.

More than 70 trusted flaggers have already been designated across the EU, covering areas such as child sexual abuse material, intellectual property infringements, online fraud, financial scams, and online harassment.

The proposed guidelines clarify the criteria and procedures used by national Digital Services Coordinators to grant trusted flagger status. They also set out technical requirements for trusted flaggers and platforms when processing notices of illegal content.

The draft guidelines include safeguards intended to ensure that trusted flaggers remain independent, objective, and accountable while operating in full respect of freedom of expression. They also include measures to prevent misuse of the mechanism, including public annual transparency reports and procedures to suspend or revoke trusted flagger status.

The Commission is inviting feedback from platforms, trusted flaggers, applicants, researchers, civil society organisations, and other stakeholders until 26 June 2026. Following the consultation, the Commission plans to adopt the final guidelines in the second half of 2026.

Why does it matter?

Trusted flaggers are becoming an important procedural tool in the EU’s online safety framework. Clearer rules could improve the reporting and handling of illegal content while reducing fragmentation across member states. The safeguards are also important because prioritised notices must be balanced with accountability, transparency, and protection of freedom of expression.

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Singapore and Japan launch mutual recognition of IoT cybersecurity labels

Singapore and Japan have launched mutual recognition of their cybersecurity labelling schemes for Internet of Things (IoT) under a Memorandum of Cooperation that entered into force on 1 June 2026. The arrangement covers Singapore’s Cybersecurity Labelling Scheme and Japan’s JC-STAR scheme.

The Memorandum of Cooperation was signed by Rahayu Mahzam, Singapore’s Minister of State for Digital Development and Information, and Ino Toshiro, Japan’s State Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry. The Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA) and Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry agreed to recognise cybersecurity labels issued under either scheme.

IoT devices certified under either Japan’s JC-STAR scheme or Singapore’s Cybersecurity Labelling Scheme will be eligible for streamlined recognition in the other market. Covered products include smart home assistants, home automation and alarm systems, and IoT gateways and hubs that connect multiple devices.

Japan is the fifth country to establish such an arrangement with Singapore, following Finland, Germany, South Korea, and the United Kingdom. According to Singapore authorities, the arrangement is expected to support stronger cybersecurity practices for connected devices, reduce certification burdens for manufacturers, and increase consumer confidence in smart technologies.

The CSA launched the Cybersecurity Labelling Scheme in 2020. Since then, it has received applications for more than 1,000 products, including routers, smart lighting, and smart cameras.

Why does it matter?

Connected devices are increasingly used in homes, businesses, and critical services, making cybersecurity a growing concern for governments and consumers. Cybersecurity labelling schemes are designed to help buyers identify products that meet recognised security requirements while encouraging manufacturers to improve security practices.

By recognising each other’s certification schemes, Singapore and Japan are reducing regulatory barriers and promoting greater interoperability in cybersecurity standards. The agreement also reflects broader international efforts to strengthen trust and security in the rapidly expanding IoT ecosystem.

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Finland proposes rules for EU Cyber Resilience Act

The Finnish Government has proposed the approval of national provisions supplementing the EU Cyber Resilience Act, which sets cybersecurity requirements for products with digital elements.

The legislation will enter into force on 1 June 2026, with phased application aligned with the Cyber Resilience Act’s transitional periods during 2026 and 2027. The aim is to improve the cybersecurity of connected devices and software placed on the EU market.

The Cyber Resilience Act will be supplemented in Finland by a new national act on the cyber resilience of certain products and cybersecurity certification. The act covers supervision of product-related obligations, notification of conformity assessment bodies under the Cyber Resilience Act, administrative sanctions, and national provisions linked to the EU cybersecurity certification.

Market surveillance under the Cyber Resilience Act, along with the designation and supervision of notified bodies, will be assigned to the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency, Traficom. Market surveillance of high-risk AI systems will be carried out by the authorities responsible for supervising compliance with the AI Act, depending on the sector.

Conformity assessment bodies will be able to apply to Traficom from 11 June 2026 to be notified for assessment tasks under the Cyber Resilience Act. Bodies notified by Finland will be able to carry out conformity assessments across the EU member states within their area of competence.

Finland will also add a new chapter to the Act on Electronic Communications Services concerning the collection and disclosure of domain name registration data under the NIS2 Directive. The obligations will extend beyond .fi and .ax domains where the registrar or top-level domain registry is located in Finland, after a three-month transitional period.

The Government said the domain name provisions will complement Finland’s national implementation of NIS2 and improve the availability of registration data, making it easier to tackle illegal activity online.

Why does it matter?

Finland’s legislation shows how EU cybersecurity rules are being translated into national enforcement structures. The Cyber Resilience Act sets product security obligations at the EU level, but member states still need national provisions for supervision, notified bodies, sanctions, and certification. The added NIS2 domain registration rules also show how cybersecurity implementation is expanding beyond products into online infrastructure and data availability for enforcement.

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UN launches AI Governance for Humanity Lab in Valencia

The UN Office for Digital and Emerging Technologies has launched the AI Governance for Humanity Lab in Valencia to strengthen international cooperation on AI governance.

The Lab will focus on improving interoperability between national and regional governance frameworks and supporting practical implementation across regions and sectors. Its work will include network mobilisation, comparative policy analysis, and the development of cooperative tools for AI governance.

The launch brought together policymakers, researchers, industry practitioners, and AI governance experts for workshops and a public event. Discussions focused on two initial workstreams: interoperability in AI governance and the implementation of governance frameworks by private-sector actors.

The interoperability workstream will produce a white paper for UN member states, mapping the fragmented global AI governance landscape and outlining cooperation-oriented policy options ahead of the first Global Dialogue on AI Governance in Geneva in July 2026.

A second workstream, focused on industry insights, will examine how AI governance frameworks are operationalised within companies and what challenges emerge in practice. The resulting analysis will inform discussions on safe, secure, and trustworthy AI, as well as transparency, accountability, human oversight, and human rights.

The Lab will convene global and regional meetings in Valencia, online, and in other cities. The UN said the meetings are intended to translate research and practice into actionable insights that can support multistakeholder cooperation and inform UN-led AI governance processes.

Why does it matter?

The Lab gives the UN’s AI governance agenda a more practical institutional mechanism. Its focus on interoperability responds to a central problem in global AI policy: national and regional frameworks are developing quickly, but often with limited coordination. By producing comparative analysis, policy options, and industry-focused insights, the Lab could help states and stakeholders reduce fragmentation and connect the Global Digital Compact’s AI commitments with implementation.

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EuroDIG 2026 closes with calls for multilingual internet and stronger digital inclusion

EuroDIG 2026 concluded with calls for stronger multistakeholder cooperation, greater digital inclusion, and wider support for multilingual internet access during the conference’s closing plenary hosted by EURid.

The final session combined celebratory reflections on the two-day event with broader policy messages on universal acceptance, digital accessibility, and cooperation across governments, the technical community, civil society, academia, and the private sector.

Opening the session, moderator Florence Ranson thanked participants for remaining until the end of what she described as a ‘fulfilling’ conference and said workshop outcomes and feedback would be shared in the coming weeks.

Co-moderator Sandra expressed surprise at the size of the audience at the wrap-up session and thanked the focal points, speakers, rapporteurs, youth participants, institutional partners, and sponsors for their contributions to the programme.

Regina, co-moderating the session, described EuroDIG 2026 as a demonstration of multistakeholder cooperation, noting that EURid hosts EuroDIG only once every ten years. She also highlighted the event’s coincidence with the 20th anniversary of the .eu domain.

Both moderators thanked the European Commission’s DG CONNECT team for supporting the event venue and programme development.

The closing session then shifted toward one of the conference’s recurring themes, the universal acceptance of multilingual domain names and email addresses.

Sarmad Hussain of ICANN said the internet must function in all languages and scripts, pointing to progress made since the Tunis Agenda of 2005 enabled development of internationalised domain names and multilingual email addresses. However, Hussain warned that many websites, platforms, and online services still fail to support non-Latin scripts and local-language identifiers despite existing technical standards.

According to Hussain, this creates a ‘universal acceptance’ challenge affecting accessibility and inclusion online. He called on developers, governments, academia, civil society, and private-sector organisations to update systems and applications so they accept all valid domain names and email addresses regardless of language or script. He also promoted the upcoming Universal Acceptance Day initiative aimed at raising awareness about the issue.

UNESCO representative Dr Xianhong Hu used the closing session to reinforce broader themes of multilingualism, inclusion, and digital cooperation. Speaking on behalf of Ambassador Salih Abduh, Hu highlighted UNESCO’s partnership with EuroDIG and linked the conference to the 25th anniversary of UNESCO’s Information for All Programme.

She noted that discussions during EuroDIG 2026 covered internet governance, universal acceptance, gender equality, youth participation, and intergenerational dialogue, reflecting UNESCO’s priorities around inclusive knowledge societies.

Hu also called for renewed cooperation among European governments, the technical community, academia, civil society, and businesses to bridge digital divides and support multilingual digital futures in the AI era.

The session concluded with a toast to partnership, an invitation for a group photo, and final thanks to participants and organisers.

The closing plenary reflected several broader themes that ran throughout EuroDIG 2026, including multistakeholder governance, digital inclusion, and concerns about unequal access to digital infrastructure and online participation.

The emphasis on universal acceptance also connected technical internet governance questions with wider debates on linguistic diversity and accessibility, highlighting ongoing gaps between existing technical capabilities and real-world adoption across online platforms and services.

EuroDIG 2026 took place on 26 and 27 May at the Charlemagne Building of the European Commission in Brussels under the theme ‘European Voices for the Future of the Internet – Celebrating 20 Years of .eu and the Beginning of a New Internet Governance Era’.

Digital Watch Observatory followed EuroDIG 2026 through a dedicated event page, featuring session information and reporting from Brussels.

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