A view from Brussels: A streak of summer signals

Several debates are likely to dominate discussions the remainder of the year in Brussels: online child safety, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence are at the top of the list. The common theme is not immediate regulatory upheaval, but rather a maturing of Europe's positions. Let's look at some of the signals we are catching this summer. 

Signals of moderation

Let's start with the devil we know. The U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Trump v. Slaughter prompted discussions about the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework by confirming the U.S. president's authority to remove commissioners of the Federal Trade Commission.

From a European perspective, one notes the lack of visible alarm from EU officials and regulators in the weeks that followed the decision. The European Data Protection Board discussed the issue during its July plenary and issued a letter to the European Commission this week asking it to "closely assess whether this development affects the functioning" of its adequacy decision. This is a normal progression that is only slightly raising the stakes at this moment. Some data protection authorities, such as Denmark's, encourage organizations to revisit their transfer impact assessments. 

The European Commission's messaging remained measured, pointing to other parts of the DPF agreement that continues to be in place. That calm for now is a signal worth noting. That said, it is notable that EU officials put the decision and its implications in the broader EU-U.S. agenda — one tainted with volatility over tariffs, enforcement of EU laws against some major U.S. tech companies and a complicated global security canvas.

Signals of planning

For years, numerous strategies and laws have addressed children's online safety across privacy, consumer protection, audiovisual regulation, law enforcement, platform governance, etc. A growing momentum is now building behind national initiatives: over a dozen countries including Denmark, Germany, Greece, Italy and Spain are advancing measures that seek to limit children's use of social media or strengthen age-based protections online. In late July, France adopted a new law banning social media for children under age 15. 

This momentum is impossible for Brussels to ignore. In the wake of the recent expert report on child safety online commissioned by Brussels, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen indicated two clear questions to tackle: which types of platforms may be harmful to children and whether access should be graduated according to age.

The direction of travel is becoming more clear. The implementation path, however, remains extraordinarily complex. We expect announcements during the State of the Union address in early September. 

Signals of acceleration

The growing convergence of AI and cybersecurity policy is definitely on the European radar. The Commission's recent Action Plan on Cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence reflects a broader international shift toward viewing AI simultaneously as a tool for defense and a source of emerging risks.

The Commission's priorities are ambitious: expanding AI evaluation capabilities, accelerating remediation of critical vulnerabilities through implementation of the NIS2 Directive, Digital Operational Resilience Act and the Cyber Resilience Act, and building sovereign European AI-powered cyber capabilities. 

Broad political support exists for these goals, but important questions remain regarding industrial policy, strategic autonomy, deregulation and enforcement. A planned discussion of the European Council later this year could provide greater clarity on how member states want to balance those competing objectives.

Signals of patience

Finally, negotiations on the Digital Omnibus continue, albeit at a slower pace than many expected. Unlike the AI Omnibus, there is no looming statutory deadline forcing rapid compromise. As a result, negotiations appear driven more by political trade-offs than by time pressure.

The transition of the Council Presidency, from Cyprus to Ireland, 1 July added another dimension. Ireland's extensive involvement in digital regulation ensures deep expertise, but it also guarantees heightened scrutiny from stakeholders who question whether Dublin can act as a sufficiently neutral broker on files with profound implications for the technology sector.

Meaningful indications of member state positions may not emerge until later this autumn. Even then, lengthy trilogue negotiations will likely follow.