EU chiefs warn/Brussels data law could harm competition and cyber security

2023-05-08 08:53:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

EU chiefs warn/Brussels data law could harm competition and cyber security

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The CEOs of several major European companies have asked the Commission to pull back on plans to regulate the use and access of blockchain-generated data, arguing they could cause lasting damage to the bloc's competitiveness and cybersecurity.

In a letter sent to Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager last week and seen by Euronews, they wrote of their "deep concerns" about the content and speed of inter-institutional negotiations on the Data Act. warning that the legislation in its current form could jeopardize European leadership and innovation.

The signatories of the letter – which include the CEOs of Siemens AG and Healthineers, SAP, Brainlab and Datev – are seeking to be accepted by the EU executive as soon as possible.

The European Data Act was unveiled by the Commission in February 2022 to create harmonized rules for access and fair use of data across the bloc's 27 countries. It aims to allow easier sharing of data between businesses and consumers, businesses and businesses and businesses and governments, and enables customers to effectively switch between different cloud data processing service providers.

The commission said at the time that the law would create a fair digital environment, stimulate a competitive data market, open up opportunities for data-driven innovation and make data more accessible to all.

But the five CEOs and DigitaLEurope, a trade organization representing digitally transformed industries across the bloc, say trilogue negotiations between the Commission, MEPs and member states are now moving at "great speed" and that there is "little space to discuss these complex details in depth".

They argue that being forced to share data with other companies could not only lead them to reveal details about their internal systems, processes or technologies that could leave them vulnerable to malicious actors, but also competitors benefit, especially third countries. operators who may not have to comply with the same rules.

"This not only undermines EU competitiveness and innovation, but also raises questions about the EU's technological leadership," they write.

Stefan Vielsmeier, CEO of Brainlab, added in a statement that "the proposed regulation will further weaken Europe's economy in competition with China in particular, forcing companies to disclose an unprecedented level of knowledge in related business practices and supply chains. value".

Therefore, they call for the implementation of protective measures. These include the right to refuse to share data with other businesses where trade secrets, cyber security, health and safety are at risk, assurances that when governments request access to data, it is "proportionate and limited to emergency situations of clearly defined types of data and public bodies"./ CNA.al