Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) completed a visit to Beijing and Shanghai to address pressing e-commerce challenges affecting the European single market.
The delegation studied local business models and market supervision frameworks, engaging with Chinese regulators, e-commerce platforms, and the EU company representatives.
The discussions highlighted the surge of parcels from China, which now account for 91% of small shipments to Europe, and the resulting pressures on fair competition.
MEPs stressed that regulatory compliance must be consistent across all operators, ensuring consumer protection is not compromised by disparities in market practices or enforcement gaps.
The delegation urged representatives of e-commerce platforms to implement preventive measures, reinforcing accountability in areas such as product safety, customs compliance, and the removal of unsafe goods from the market.
MEPs underscored that these standards are essential to maintaining a sustainable and secure e-commerce environment for European citizens.
The visit, the first in eight years, demonstrated the EU’s commitment to safeguarding consumer rights, strengthening international cooperation, and ensuring digital commerce evolves in a manner that is fair, transparent, and safe for all citizens.
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Researchers at MIT have introduced a new framework designed to evaluate the ethical impact of autonomous systems used in high-stakes environments. The approach aims to identify cases where AI-driven decisions may be technically efficient but fail to meet fairness expectations.
Growing reliance on AI in areas such as energy distribution and traffic management has raised concerns about unintended bias. Cost-optimised systems can still disadvantage communities, especially when ethical factors are hard to measure.
The framework, known as SEED-SET, separates objective performance metrics from subjective human values. A large language model is used to simulate stakeholder preferences, enabling the system to compare scenarios and detect where outcomes diverge from ethical expectations.
Testing shows the method generates more relevant scenarios while reducing manual analysis. Findings highlight its potential to improve transparency and support more balanced decision-making before AI systems are deployed.
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The European Investment Bank and the Croatian National Bank have emphasised the strategic importance of AI in strengthening Croatia’s economic competitiveness. Discussions at a joint conference focused on accelerating AI adoption through coordinated investment, policy development and skills enhancement.
Despite strong investment activity among firms in Croatia, the uptake of advanced technologies remains limited. Only a small share of companies systematically use generative AI, with applications largely confined to internal processes, highlighting significant untapped potential for productivity gains.
Participants identified key structural barriers, including limited access to finance, shortages of skilled workers and regulatory uncertainty.
Addressing these challenges requires a combined approach that mobilises private capital, improves access to funding for smaller firms and supports the development of a more robust innovation ecosystem.
The EIB continues to play a central role in Europe’s digital transformation, with major funding initiatives aimed at scaling AI technologies and strengthening strategic infrastructure.
By aligning financial instruments with policy priorities, the initiative seeks to enhance long-term growth, resilience and integration into global value chains.
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The European Patent Office (EPO) is accelerating its transition towards a fully digital patent system, with plans to implement a paperless patent-granting process by 2027.
Discussions at the latest eSACEPO meeting highlighted steady progress and broad stakeholder support for modernising patent workflows.
Electronic filing and communication are set to become the default, with paper-based processes limited to exceptional cases. The shift aims to improve efficiency and accessibility, supported by legal adjustments and the gradual introduction of structured data formats to enhance processing accuracy.
Digital tools continue to evolve, with the MyEPO platform expanding its functionality through interface upgrades, self-service features and new capabilities such as colour drawing submissions.
The rollout of DOCX filing, alongside optional PDF backups, reflects a cautious approach designed to balance innovation with reliability.
AI is increasingly integrated into patent examination processes, supporting tasks such as search and documentation.
However, the EPO maintains a human-centric model, ensuring that decision-making authority remains with patent examiners while AI enhances productivity and consistency.
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Oracle has launched a new agentic AI application designed to connect engineering and procurement into a single workflow. The Design-to-Source Workspace for product lifecycle management aims to reduce delays, improve traceability, and minimise compliance risks across sourcing processes.
Traditional design-to-source models often operate sequentially, with engineering and procurement working in separate stages. Oracle’s approach replaces that structure with a continuous, coordinated loop, where AI evaluates cost, supply, and risk in real time as designs evolve.
The platform translates CAD data directly into sourcing actions, eliminating manual input and reducing errors. Automated workflows handle supplier identification, risk assessment, and request-for-quote execution, while maintaining compliance and auditability throughout the process.
Expected gains include up to 60% less manual work, significantly faster RFQ cycles, and a 20% to 30% reduction in overall sourcing timelines. Greater accuracy and improved decision-making allow teams to focus on higher-value tasks rather than repetitive coordination.
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Electoral stakeholders in Mozambique are examining the growing role of AI in democratic and electoral processes. AI tools are increasingly used to improve voter registration, logistics, and public engagement, yielding greater efficiency and accessibility.
Concerns remain around data protection, digital security, and institutional accountability. Officials and partners stressed that while AI can strengthen electoral administration, it also introduces risks that require careful governance and clear ethical safeguards.
A technical session organised under a UNDP-supported project provided a platform for national institutions, including the electoral commission, judiciary, and police, to discuss responsible AI adoption.
Participants highlighted the need for structured preparation, training, and due diligence before wider implementation.
The discussions also underscored growing interest in coordinated AI integration, while reinforcing the central role of transparency and public trust, which remains central to any technological adoption in electoral systems.
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The Fund for Digital Initiatives of the Eurasian Development Bank has signed a Memorandum of Cooperation with Kazakhstan’s Ministry of AI and Digitalization. The agreement was signed during the Digital Qazaqstan forum held on 27 March in Shymkent.
The memorandum outlines a strategic partnership to introduce AI technologies and support digital projects. Areas of cooperation include identifying and implementing joint AI projects, exchanging expertise, and strengthening both sides’ capacities as centres of AI competence.
Also, the agreement is intended to deepen the partnership and support Kazakhstan’s strategic objectives for AI development. It also links the memorandum to wider efforts to expand cooperation between the bank’s digital initiatives fund and the ministry.
During the forum, Vice Chairman of the Management Board, Tigran Sargsyan, held a working meeting with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of AI and Digitalization, Zhaslan Madiyev. The discussion covered prospects for broader cooperation, priority projects, and tools to support AI adoption in key sectors of Kazakhstan’s economy.
Sargsyan described 2025 as a record year for the bank in Kazakhstan, with the most projects implemented in digital public administration, platform solutions, and AI deployment. Madiyev, in turn, proposed creating a registry of Kazakhstan’s open-source e-government component solutions for possible replication across EDB member states.
The announcement presents the memorandum as part of the Eurasian Development Bank’s broader support for digital transformation and AI development across its member states.
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Public concern over big tech companies is growing in Switzerland, according to a new survey by gfs.bern conducted on behalf of the Mercator Foundation Switzerland. A large majority of respondents view major technology firms as primarily profit-driven, while also expressing unease about their broader influence on society and politics.
Survey findings show that 90% of respondents believe big tech companies are mainly motivated by profit, while 94% support stronger protections for children and young people on social media platforms. Concerns extend beyond commercial behaviour, with 84% worried about political influence from the countries where these companies are based and 82% fearing increasing dependence on firms from the United States and China.
Overall perceptions in Switzerland remain mixed: 21% of respondents express a positive view of big tech companies, 40% hold a neutral stance, and 38% report negative impressions. Similar attitudes have been observed across Europe, where surveys in countries such as France and Germany indicate that many citizens consider existing regulatory frameworks insufficient.
Despite concerns about corporate influence, attitudes towards digitalisation itself remain broadly positive. Around 58% of respondents see digitalisation as beneficial overall, and 53% believe it offers personal advantages. However, only 48% think it benefits society as a whole, while 46% perceive its impact on democratic processes as negative.
A strong majority expects public institutions to take on greater responsibility for managing digital transformation. Around 88% support government efforts to ensure transparency in AI decision-making, while 86% want human oversight in critical situations. High levels of trust in Swiss authorities suggest public backing for a more active state role in shaping digital policy and safeguarding democratic values.
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Anthropic has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Australian government to strengthen AI safety research and align with Australia’s National AI Plan. The agreement was formalised during a meeting in Canberra between Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
The partnership establishes collaboration with Australia’s AI Safety Institute, including the sharing of model capability insights, joint safety evaluations and coordinated research with academic institutions.
The agreement also covers the exchange of Anthropic’s Economic Index data to help track AI adoption and its impact across key sectors such as healthcare, agriculture and financial services.
As part of its wider commitment, Anthropic is investing AUD$3 million in API credits for Australian research institutions, supporting projects in genomics, disease diagnosis and medical innovation.
Universities and institutes will apply Claude to areas such as rare disease analysis, precision medicine and scientific training for future developers.
Further initiatives include startup support programmes and exploration of infrastructure investments in Australia, including data centres and energy systems. The collaboration marks an expansion of Anthropic’s presence in the Asia-Pacific region, with a Sydney office planned in the near future.
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Legislative efforts in France signal a shift toward stricter governance of youth access to digital platforms, with policymakers preparing to debate a ban on social media use for children under 15.
A proposal that forms part of a broader strategy to address concerns over online harms and excessive screen exposure among adolescents.
The draft law in France extends beyond access restrictions, proposing a digital curfew for older teenagers and expanding existing school phone bans to include high schools.
These measures reflect increasing reliance on regulatory intervention instead of voluntary platform safeguards, as evidence links prolonged digital engagement with risks such as cyberbullying, disrupted sleep patterns and exposure to harmful content.
Political backing for the initiative has emerged from figures aligned with Emmanuel Macron, reinforcing the government’s position that stronger oversight of digital environments is necessary. The proposal also mirrors developments in Australia, where similar restrictions have already entered into force.
A debate that is further influenced by legal actions targeting major platforms, including TikTok and Meta, amid allegations that algorithmic systems contribute to harmful user experiences.
The outcome of the parliamentary discussions in France is expected to shape future approaches to child safety, platform accountability and digital rights governance across Europe.
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