EU

Researchers flag risks in EU AI changes

A research paper by Hannah van Kolfschooten, Barry Solaiman and Daria Onitiu examines how recent European Union policy proposals could affect safeguards for medical AI under the EU AI Act. The study focuses on changes linked to broader simplification initiatives.

According to the authors, the reforms could maintain the classification of AI-enabled medical devices as high risk while removing key obligations tied to that classification. These include requirements on data governance, risk management and human oversight.

The paper argues that this shift would separate risk classification from the safeguards that give it practical meaning. It suggests that reliance may move back towards existing medical device laws without equivalent AI-specific protections.

The authors warn that such changes could weaken oversight, increase legal uncertainty and affect patient safety where AI systems influence clinical decisions in the European Union.

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EU updates technology licensing competition rules to reflect data and digital markets

The European Commission has adopted revised rules governing technology transfer agreements (Technology Transfer Block Exemption Regulation and Guidelines on the application of Article 101 of the Treaty to technology transfer agreements), updating a framework originally introduced in 2014.

These changes aim to reflect developments in the digital economy, particularly the growing role of data and standardised technologies in enabling interoperability across markets.

Technology transfer agreements allow firms to license intellectual property such as patents, software and design rights, supporting the dissemination of innovation. While such agreements are often considered pro-competitive, they may also create risks if they restrict market access or distort competition.

The revised framework clarifies how these agreements are assessed under Article 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.

The updated rules introduce specific guidance on data licensing and licensing negotiation groups, addressing new market practices.

They also refine conditions under which agreements benefit from exemptions, including simplified criteria for early-stage technologies and clearer safeguards for technology pools linked to industry standards.

Overall, the revision by the EU seeks to improve legal certainty for businesses while ensuring that licensing practices support innovation, competition and the broader functioning of the single market. The new framework will apply from May 2026.

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EU proposes data sharing measures for Google under Digital Markets Act

The European Commission has issued preliminary findings proposing measures for Google under the Digital Markets Act, focusing on access to search engine data.

These measures aim to ensure that third-party services can compete more effectively in digital markets characterised by high concentration.

The proposal would require Google to provide access to key categories of search data, including ranking, query, click and view data, on fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory terms.

Eligible recipients may include competing search engines as well as AI-based services with search functionalities.

Additional provisions address how data should be shared, including frequency, technical access conditions and pricing parameters. The framework also includes safeguards for anonymisation, reflecting the need to balance competition objectives with data protection requirements.

The Commission has opened a public consultation to gather stakeholder input on the proposed measures.

A case that illustrates ongoing efforts to operationalise the Digital Markets Act by addressing structural imbalances in access to data within the platform economy.

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Six Spanish cities receive EIB support on electric mobility infrastructure

The European Investment Bank (EIB) has launched a technical advisory service to support the rollout of electric charging infrastructure in six Spanish cities participating in the European Union’s Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities Mission: Barcelona, Madrid, Seville, Valencia, Valladolid, and Zaragoza.

The agreement is intended to help the cities determine investment requirements for charging infrastructure and phase in deployment by 2030.

According to the EIB, the advisory support will focus on charging infrastructure for cars, vans, and light goods vehicles, while also encouraging broader integration of electric vehicles into urban transport systems.

The service helps cities identify investment gaps, develop public-private partnership approaches, and examine European funding mechanisms for sustainable mobility projects.

All six cities are part to the European Union Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities Mission and hold the EU Mission Label for their climate plans and investment strategies. The agreement is also intended to support the exchange of best practices and replicable models that could be used elsewhere in Spain and across Europe.

Technical assistance under the agreement is not linked to EIB financing and instead centres on advisory work. This includes building project pipelines, analysing barriers to investment and rollout, encouraging collaboration between public authorities, private investors, and sector specialists, and monitoring impacts through agreed metrics.

The advisory work will be delivered with support from the SUEZ/IDOM consultancy consortium and is financed by the InvestEU Advisory Hub. In the background section, the EIB links the initiative to the wider Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities Mission under Horizon Europe, which aims to support climate-neutral and smart cities by 2030 and use them as hubs for wider urban transition by 2050.

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EU investigates Meta over WhatsApp AI access in major antitrust enforcement case

The European Commission has issued a supplementary charge sheet to Meta (called Supplementary Statement of Objections), outlining concerns over potential restrictions on third-party AI assistants’ access to WhatsApp.

A move that forms part of an ongoing investigation into a possible abuse of dominant market position under the EU competition rules.

The Commission’s preliminary assessment suggests that recent policy changes, including the introduction of access fees, may have effects equivalent to an earlier exclusion of competing AI services.

Something that raises concerns about barriers to entry and reduced competition in the emerging market for AI assistants.

As part of interim measures under Article 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, regulators are considering requiring Meta to restore access to its services under previous conditions.

Such measures aim to prevent serious and potentially irreversible harm to competition while the investigation continues.

The case has been expanded to cover the entire European Economic Area, reflecting coordination with national authorities.

These proceedings highlight increasing regulatory scrutiny of platform control over AI ecosystems and access to digital markets.

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EU committee backs digital vehicle registration and mileage data sharing

The European Parliament’s Committee on Transport and Tourism has backed draft rules introducing digital vehicle registration certificates and wider cross-border sharing of vehicle data, including mileage and inspection results, as part of the revision of the EU rules on vehicle registration documents.

According to the committee, the digital vehicle registration certificate would become the main format within three years of the new rules entering into force. Members of the European Parliament also want a physical version to remain available on request for people with limited digital access or skills, and support the use of a QR code for immediate access to vehicle information.

The draft rules would require core vehicle information to be registered electronically, including the vehicle’s make, weight, owner, regular inspection results, and reasons for cancelling registration. The committee says this is intended to support roadworthiness inspectors and authorities responsible for re-registering vehicles.

To address fraud, questionable practices in the second-hand car market, and the illegal trade in stolen vehicles, the draft text would also require EU countries to make these registers accessible to one another.

In addition to vehicle registration data, mileage, and regular and roadside inspection results, the committee added an obligation to share, where available, remote sensing data and data relating to tampered heavy-duty vehicles.

The committee also backed opening negotiations with the EU member states on the final form of the legislation. That decision still requires approval by Parliament as a whole.

The proposal forms part of the roadworthiness package, presented by the European Commission in 2025, which seeks to update minimum standards for vehicle inspections, vehicle registration documents, and roadside inspections to improve road safety, support sustainable mobility, and facilitate the free movement of people and goods.

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EU-backed financing boosts Bulgaria’s high-tech sector and innovation growth

The European Investment Fund (EIF) will manage a €210 million financing initiative to support high-tech businesses in Bulgaria, focusing on sectors such as AI, microelectronics and advanced technologies.

The programme operates within the JEREMIE Bulgaria framework, which aims to improve access to capital for small and medium-sized enterprises.

An initiative that reflects a broader EU strategy to strengthen innovation capacity and support sustainable economic growth through targeted investment mechanisms.

The EIF, a subsidiary of the EIB Group, will prioritise equity financing and scale-up support to address structural gaps that often limit the expansion of high-growth companies within national markets.

A programme that also aligns with wider efforts to retain technological talent and reduce reliance on external capital by reinforcing domestic innovation ecosystems.

By supporting dual-use technologies and strategic sectors, the measure contributes to both economic competitiveness and technological resilience.

Through its revolving funding model, reinvested capital is expected to sustain long-term financing capacity, reinforcing the position of Bulgaria within regional venture capital networks and supporting the development of a more mature innovation economy.

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EU monitoring highlights platform performance under revised hate speech code

The European Commission has published the first monitoring results under the revised Code of Conduct on Countering Illegal Hate Speech Online+, providing insight into how major platforms handle reported content.

The assessment combines independent monitoring with self-reported data from participating companies.

Findings indicate that most platforms reviewed a majority of notifications within 24 hours, in line with their commitments.

However, a significant share of reported cases was either disputed or classified as erroneous, with inaccuracies partly attributed to monitoring bodies’ misuse of reporting channels.

The monitoring exercise functions as a structured stress test within the framework of the Digital Services Act (DSA), assessing whether platforms meet minimum response thresholds and apply appropriate measures when illegal hate speech is identified under national and the EU law.

Such a publication of results aims to strengthen transparency and accountability, while informing future improvements ahead of the next monitoring cycle.

The Code of Conduct on Countering Illegal Hate Speech Online+ now operates as part of the EU’s co-regulatory approach to platform governance.

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EU approves Italian State aid to support graphene-based photonic chip development

The European Commission has approved a €211 million Italian State aid measure to support the development of photonic chips based on graphene technology.

A funding will be provided to the Italian SME CamGraPhIC, with project activities taking place in Pisa and Bergamo.

Such an initiative focuses on optical transceivers that transmit data using light rather than electrons. The use of graphene instead of silicon is expected to enhance performance and energy efficiency across sectors such as telecommunications, automotive, aerospace and defence.

The Commission assessed the measure under the EU State aid rules and concluded that the funding is necessary, proportionate and aligned with research and innovation objectives. It also found that the project would not proceed without public support, demonstrating an incentive effect.

A decision that reflects broader EU efforts to strengthen semiconductor capabilities and support advanced digital technologies through targeted public investment and regulatory oversight.

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EU launches Mediterranean digital programme to support governance, cybersecurity and skills

The European Commission has launched a digital transformation programme for countries in North Africa and the Middle East, marking the first digital initiative under the Pact for the Mediterranean.

EU aims to support inclusive and sustainable growth by improving access to digital services and strengthening regulatory alignment.

The initiative focuses on enhancing digital governance by aligning telecommunications regulations with the EU standards and strengthening national regulatory authorities. It also promotes regional cooperation by creating coordinated networks across participating countries.

Cybersecurity forms a central component, with measures designed to improve national frameworks and institutional capacity to prevent and respond to cyber threats.

Additionally, the programme advances digital skills development based on EU competency frameworks, supporting long-term capacity development.

Such an approach reflects a broader policy objective to foster regional digital integration, strengthen institutional resilience and promote secure and inclusive digital transformation across neighbouring regions.

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