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EU signs Pax Silica Declaration on AI supply chains

The European Commission has signed the Pax Silica Declaration on behalf of the EU, joining an international initiative focused on AI security and resilient silicon supply chains.

Pax Silica is a US-led initiative that aims to strengthen cooperation among allies and trusted partners across the AI supply chain, from critical minerals and energy inputs to semiconductor manufacturing, AI infrastructure and logistics.

The Commission said secure access to silicon and related technologies is becoming increasingly important as AI reshapes economies, security and industrial competitiveness.

The declaration commits signatories to closer cooperation on trusted technology ecosystems and more resilient supply chains. It also aims to reduce strategic dependencies and improve coordination on the materials, infrastructure and manufacturing capacity needed for AI development.

The EU’s signature follows the adoption of the European Technological Sovereignty Package, which includes Chips Act 2.0 and measures to strengthen Europe’s capacity in semiconductors, AI, cloud and open-source technologies.

The Commission said participation in Pax Silica could support European businesses, strengthen international partnerships and contribute to Europe’s broader technological sovereignty objectives.

Why does it matter?

AI development depends on far more than models and software. Advanced chips, critical minerals, energy, manufacturing capacity, cloud infrastructure and logistics are becoming strategic layers of the AI economy. By joining Pax Silica, the EU is linking AI competitiveness and security to semiconductor supply-chain resilience and cooperation with trusted partners. The move also shows how digital sovereignty is increasingly pursued through both domestic capacity-building and selective international alignment.

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EU targets AWS and Azure under the DMA

The European Commission has informed Amazon and Microsoft of its preliminary view that their cloud computing services, Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure, should be designated as gatekeepers under the Digital Markets Act.

The move could extend the DMA’s reach into cloud infrastructure, a sector the Commission describes as critical to Europe’s digital economy and AI development.

The Commission opened market investigations into AWS and Azure in November 2025. It has now been provisionally concluded that both services act as important gateways between businesses and customers in the EU, despite not meeting the DMA’s standard quantitative thresholds.

According to the Commission, AWS and Azure benefit from large and established user bases, high switching costs, loyalty effects, broad cloud ecosystems and long-standing market positions. It also said their AI tool portfolios and partnerships are becoming increasingly important for cloud customers.

Amazon and Microsoft now have the opportunity to examine the investigation files and respond to the preliminary findings. If the Commission confirms its assessment, AWS and Azure would be designated as gatekeepers, and the companies would have six months to comply with DMA obligations.

The Commission said fair and competitive cloud markets are important for secure, sustainable and interoperable cloud services in Europe. It also linked the case to Europe’s wider technological sovereignty objectives, as cloud infrastructure underpins AI systems, enterprise software and public services.

Why does it matter?

The case shows how the EU competition policy is moving deeper into the infrastructure behind the AI economy. Cloud platforms are no longer just business services; they shape access to compute, data, AI tools, software ecosystems and switching options for companies and public institutions. If AWS and Azure are designated as DMA gatekeepers, the decision could affect cloud interoperability, customer lock-in and the balance of power between US hyperscalers and European cloud providers.

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EDPS strengthens monitoring of emerging technologies

The European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) has developed a structured framework for monitoring emerging technologies and assessing their implications for privacy and data protection. As digitalisation accelerates, the EDPS recognises that some new technologies do not merely improve existing processes but fundamentally alter how personal data is handled, requiring proactive and ongoing scrutiny.

At the heart of the framework is an annual monitoring cycle that moves from early signal detection to in-depth analysis and public engagement. The EDPS works with the Joint Research Centre’s TIM Analytics service to identify technologies at an early stage and prioritise those most likely to affect data protection over the short and medium term.

The main output of this foresight work is TechSonar, the EDPS’s flagship report on technologies expected to become relevant within the next one to five years. Designed for a broad audience, it outlines emerging technology trends and assesses their potential implications for personal data protection.

Complementing TechSonar, the TechDispatch series provides more detailed analysis of individual technologies, including factual descriptions, preliminary privacy assessments and consideration of how they interact with GDPR principles and data subject rights.

Complementing these publications is the Internet Privacy Engineering Network (IPEN), established by the EDPS in 2014. At least once a year, IPEN brings together public authorities, academics, open-source projects, and private businesses to discuss engineering solutions to privacy challenges, with findings feeding back into the broader technology monitoring work.

The EDPS also coordinates the Internet Privacy Engineering Network (IPEN), established in 2014, which brings together regulators, researchers, open-source communities and industry to discuss technical solutions to privacy challenges and feed those insights into its wider technology monitoring work. Recent activities have included a new video series on AI literacy and a newsletter covering AI governance, the Digital Omnibus debate, and AI use in hiring practices.

Why does it matter?

Emerging technologies such as AI are evolving faster than traditional regulatory processes, making early assessment increasingly important for protecting privacy and fundamental rights. By identifying technologies before they become mainstream, the EDPS aims to help policymakers, regulators and public institutions anticipate risks rather than respond only after new technologies are widely deployed.

The framework also supports greater consistency in European data protection governance. Through publications such as TechSonar and TechDispatch, together with collaboration via IPEN, the EDPS provides a common evidence base that can inform policy development, regulatory enforcement and privacy-by-design approaches across the EU as new technologies continue to emerge.

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EDPB updates right to erasure case digest

The European Data Protection Board has updated its one-stop-shop case digest on the GDPR rights to erasure and to object.

The digest is based on final one-stop-shop decisions from the EDPB’s public register under Article 60 of the GDPR. It presents key decisions on a specific theme and provides aggregate findings from relevant cross-border cases.

The updated digest focuses on how data protection authorities assess the internal processes organisations use to comply with erasure requests and objections to processing.

It also lists frequent infringements and provides an overview of corrective measures issued by data protection authorities. Cases include objections to direct marketing and requests by individuals to delete accounts or online data profiles.

The update reflects hundreds of new one-stop-shop decisions adopted by data protection authorities since the original digest was finalised.

The digest was developed under the EDPB’s Support Pool of Experts programme, which supports cooperation among European data protection authorities by providing expertise and enforcement tools.

Why does it matter?

The right to erasure and the right to object are among the GDPR rights most directly used by individuals to control how organisations handle their personal data. The updated digest can help regulators and organisations understand how data protection authorities apply these rights in practice, especially in cross-border cases. It also supports more consistent GDPR enforcement by highlighting recurring infringements, procedural weaknesses and corrective measures.

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European Commission explores scaling AI in agriculture

The European Commission’s Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development (DG AGRI) and Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology (DG CONNECT) jointly organised an online expert workshop on 24 June to explore how to accelerate AI adaption and scale trusted AI solutions across the agriculture sector.

The workshop was organised within the framework of the Commission’s Apply AI Strategy, which aims to accelerate AI adoption in strategic sectors, including agri-food, while strengthening European competitiveness, technological sovereignty and uptake among small and medium-sized enterprises. Participants discussed AI applications already being deployed in farm management, precision agriculture, crop and livestock monitoring, advisory services, agricultural robotics and the simplification of administrative processes.

The workshop focused on three priorities: assessing the current level of AI adoption in EU agriculture, identifying barriers to wider deployment and exploring policy measures that could support greater uptake. An interactive session also examined what is needed to ensure AI solutions in agriculture are developed, tested, and validated in a trustworthy and responsible manner.

The workshop’s findings will inform a stakeholder input note identifying priority AI use cases, barriers to adoption, infrastructure and data requirements, and potential follow-up actions under the Apply AI Strategy and related EU programmes supporting the digital transition of agriculture.

Why does it matter?

The workshop illustrates how the European Commission is moving from promoting AI in principle to addressing the practical conditions needed for large-scale deployment. In agriculture, AI has the potential to improve productivity, reduce resource use and simplify administrative tasks, but broader adoption will depend on access to high-quality data, digital infrastructure, trusted solutions and support for farmers and SMEs.

The initiative also reinforces the EU’s wider strategy of linking AI deployment with competitiveness and technological sovereignty. By connecting the Apply AI Strategy with the Common Agricultural Policy, the Common European Agricultural Data Space and Horizon Europe, the Commission is seeking to build an ecosystem in which AI can be adopted responsibly while supporting the long-term digital transformation of Europe’s agri-food sector.

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IWF backs strengthened EU child protection rules on AI-generated abuse

The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) has welcomed the political agreement on the revised EU Child Sexual Abuse Directive, saying the legislation marks an important step in strengthening Europe’s response to online child sexual abuse and exploitation.

The organisation says the updated rules address legal gaps created by emerging technologies, particularly the misuse of AI to generate child sexual abuse material.

The revised Directive introduces new criminal offences covering the design, adaptation, distribution and supply of AI systems intended to generate child sexual abuse material. It also criminalises the possession of AI-generated abuse content and materials that provide instructions for committing child sexual abuse.

The revised rules also strengthen protections against online grooming, including cases in which offenders falsely present themselves as children or peers, and extend limitation periods to give survivors more time to pursue justice.

The IWF argues that the legislation reflects the rapidly evolving threat posed by generative AI.

According to the IWF, realistic AI-generated child sexual abuse material increased sharply during 2025, with analysts reporting that many synthetic images and videos are becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish from authentic abuse material.

IWF warns that technological advances are accelerating the scale and sophistication of online child exploitation.

Following the political agreement, the IWF has urged EU member states to transpose the Directive into national law promptly, arguing that timely implementation will strengthen legal protections and law enforcement capabilities across the EU. The organisation argues that timely transposition will be essential to ensure stronger legal protections, improve law enforcement capabilities and reduce opportunities for offenders to exploit AI technologies across the EU.

Why does it matter?

The revised Directive reflects how advances in generative AI are reshaping criminal law and child protection policy. By introducing offences specifically targeting AI systems designed to generate child sexual abuse material, the EU is adapting its legal framework to address emerging forms of technology-enabled exploitation.

The agreement also highlights the growing need for legal systems to evolve alongside AI capabilities. Alongside new offences, the Directive strengthens protections for victims and expands tools available to law enforcement, illustrating how governments are updating criminal legislation to respond to increasingly sophisticated forms of online abuse while seeking greater consistency across EU member states.

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EU targets cross-border crime cooperation

The European Commission has proposed new measures to strengthen EU cooperation against cross-border crime, organised criminal networks, terrorism and hostile actors.

The Commission said crime is becoming more sophisticated, international and digital, requiring closer cooperation between police, customs authorities, prosecutors and courts from the start of investigations through to final judgments.

The package would strengthen the roles of Europol and Eurojust, the EU agencies that support national authorities in cross-border criminal investigations and judicial cooperation.

For Europol, the proposal would enable faster and more automated information sharing to support real-time collaboration during investigations. It would also create Europol Support Offices, staffed by former Europol officers, to provide operational assistance to the EU countries.

The Commission also wants to establish a technology and innovation hub within Europol to map law enforcement capability needs across the EU and support the use of new tools against cross-border crime.

Eurojust would receive stronger operational powers, including the ability to act on its own initiative to identify links between cases. Its mandate would also expand into emerging areas of crime, including cybercrime and gender-based violence.

The package would strengthen cooperation between Europol, Eurojust and the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, while also expanding international cooperation with third countries.

The Commission is also proposing to update the European Investigation Order, the EU procedure for gathering evidence across borders in criminal cases. A new European Remote Participation Order would allow suspects, accused persons and victims to take part remotely in criminal court hearings from another EU country.

Why does it matter?

Cross-border crime is increasingly digital and difficult for national authorities to tackle on their own. The Commission’s proposal aims to make EU investigations faster and more coordinated by improving data sharing, evidence gathering and cooperation between police, prosecutors and courts. The cybercrime and technology-hub elements are especially relevant because law enforcement agencies need technical capacity, legal tools and cross-border coordination to respond to digital criminal networks.

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Spain moves closer to hosting one of Europe’s first AI gigafactories

Spain has taken another significant step in its effort to become a leading European hub for AI and advanced computing infrastructure.

The Council of Ministers has approved a €300 million voluntary contribution to the European High Performance Computing Joint Undertaking (EuroHPC), the body responsible for supporting Europe’s AI factories and the future development of AI gigafactories.

According to the Ministry for Digital Transformation and Public Administration, the contribution is a critical component of Spain’s bid to host one of the EU’s first AI gigafactories.

The government argues that access to large-scale computing infrastructure is becoming essential for researchers, universities, startups and businesses seeking to develop advanced AI systems and remain competitive in an increasingly AI-driven economy.

The investment builds on Spain’s existing role within Europe’s supercomputing ecosystem. The country already hosts AI factories at the Barcelona Supercomputing Center and the Galician Supercomputing Center, while the MareNostrum 5 supercomputer has supported projects ranging from genomic research to climate and digital twin initiatives.

The funding also aims to strengthen Spain’s position in quantum technologies, an area increasingly viewed as strategically important for Europe’s long-term technological autonomy.

The announcement reflects a wider European push to expand sovereign computing capabilities as demand for AI training infrastructure grows worldwide.

By seeking to host an AI gigafactory, Spain hopes to attract investment, support innovation, strengthen domestic technological capabilities and position itself as a central player in Europe’s next-generation AI ecosystem.

Why does it matter?

Access to large-scale computing infrastructure is becoming a strategic prerequisite for advanced AI development. Training frontier AI models, running large-scale simulations and supporting scientific research require computing resources that are increasingly concentrated among a small number of global technology providers. Spain’s investment seeks to strengthen both national and European capacity in this critical area.

The announcement also reflects the EU’s broader push for technological sovereignty. By expanding domestic AI and supercomputing infrastructure, Europe aims to reduce dependence on foreign computing resources, support innovation ecosystems and ensure that advanced technologies are developed within frameworks aligned with European values, regulations and industrial priorities. The competition to host AI gigafactories is therefore as much about economic competitiveness and strategic autonomy as it is about computing power.

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EU drops browser-based cookie consent proposal from Digital Omnibus

The European Commission had proposed replacing cookie banners with an automated browser-based privacy signal as part of its ‘Digital Omnibus’ package, a move that would have allowed devices to communicate users’ tracking preferences directly to websites. The plan, outlined in Article 88b of the GDPR, was intended to cut red tape and reduce the burden on consumers navigating consent requests across the web.

According to digital rights organisation noyb, cookie banners were not created by data protection law but emerged as a mechanism for the online advertising industry to obtain users’ consent for data sharing with third parties. Studies suggest only 3 to 10 per cent of users actually wish to be tracked, yet so-called dark patterns, such as hidden ‘no’ buttons and pre-ticked boxes, allow the industry to achieve consent rates of up to 90 per cent. Across more than 450 million EU citizens, this results in billions of unnecessary clicks each year.

According to noyb, a lobbying document submitted by Google argued that removing cookie banners would effectively halt all online advertising, citing figures that the European Commission has since described as highly exaggerated. The Commission had made clear that consent would still be possible on a per-website and per-purpose basis, meaning users could grant access to specific outlets while withholding it from others. Google’s paper also claimed that media outlets would be harmed, despite the fact that they are explicitly exempt from the proposed provision.

According to noyb, the lobbying campaign appears to have influenced the legislative process. In the Council’s position paper of 18 June 2026, Article 88b was removed entirely from the Digital Omnibus. Noyb added that Germany, France, and Poland were among the member states supporting the article’s removal following lobbying by the online advertising industry.

The outcome is particularly striking given that many of the same member states have long called on the EU to simplify regulation and cut red tape. noyb, the European digital rights organisation, has described the result as a victory for lobbying over public interest, noting that the majority of EU citizens have consistently expressed frustration with cookie banners.

The European Parliament has not yet taken a position on Article 88b, and negotiations between the Parliament and the Council are ongoing. Noyb has urged the European Parliament to support reinstating Article 88b during the next stage of negotiations.

Why does it matter?

The debate highlights the growing tension between digital simplification efforts, privacy protection and the economic interests of the online advertising ecosystem. Browser-based privacy signals have long been discussed as a way to reduce repetitive consent requests while preserving users’ ability to decide when and how their personal data may be used.

The proposal’s removal also illustrates the influence that industry stakeholders can have during the EU legislative process. Whether Article 88b is reinstated during negotiations with the European Parliament could shape the future of online consent management in Europe, affecting digital advertising, user experience and the practical implementation of data protection rules.

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Google expands financial ad verification across EU and EEA

Google has announced the expansion of its financial services advertiser verification programme to every country in the EU and European Economic Area, extending requirements aimed at reducing fraudulent financial advertising.

The rollout will cover 24 additional countries and builds on an existing programme already active in six EU member states and the United Kingdom.

Under the programme, advertisers seeking to promote financial products or services must complete an additional verification process showing that the relevant national regulator authorises them. Google said it will check credentials against official registries across the EU and EEA.

The requirements will be introduced in phases. Businesses will have 30 days to complete the process after notification, and unverified advertisers will have their financial services ads restricted until verification is completed.

Google said the additional requirements build on its wider advertiser identity verification programme, which it says already covers more than 98% of ads seen across the EU. The company also said its systems blocked or removed more than 1.6 billion ads in the EU last year.

The expansion comes amid continuing concern over online financial scams, including fraudulent ads that impersonate legitimate financial services providers or promote misleading investment products.

Why does it matter?

Financial scams increasingly rely on digital advertising to reach consumers at scale. Google’s expansion adds another gatekeeping layer for financial advertisers across Europe by linking ad eligibility to authorisation in official regulatory registers. The measure also shows how large platforms are being pushed, by regulators and reputational pressure, to take more responsibility for the trustworthiness of high-risk advertising categories such as finance.

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