Over 35 European NGOs call on the EU Commission in an open letter to strictly enforce its rules against tech companies. Dedicated implementation of the Digital Services Act, the Digital Markets Act and competition policy is crucial to protect citizens and democracy, promote innovation and limit the market power of tech companies. In the current situation, the EU must not allow itself to be intimidated by lobby pressure.
Donald Trump’s inauguration as US president threatens to weaken the rules against tech companies in Europe. The big tech companies are trying to use their new influence and connections to the Trump administration to attack European digital laws. In the letter, a broad civil society alliance is now calling on EU Commission President von der Leyen and the Commissioners for Digital and Competition, Henna Virkkunen and Teresa Ribera, to take decisive action on the part of the EU.
The EU must resist the political pressure from Big Tech and the Trump administration and continue to take decisive action against tech companies’ disregard for European digital laws. It must swiftly and consistently bring the proceedings against tech companies for violations of the Digital Services Act (DSA) and the Digital Markets Act to a conclusion. The DSA or data protection rules are essential to protect people from the abuse of digital power and to limit foreign influence in our democratic processes.
There have been unclear signals in recent weeks: according to unconfirmed media reports, the EU Commission may want to re-examine or pause proceedings against tech companies. At the same time, there are statements that the EU continues to support effective enforcement of digital rules. Tech companies have long been trying to weaken EU rules and make their implementation more difficult by exerting heavy lobbying pressure. The pressure will increase under Trump. But if the EU buckles, it will only weaken its own position and jeopardize digital sovereignty.
Instead, the EU must consistently combat the market power of the big tech companies and their abuse. To do this, we need a strict approach to competition policy, such as the proceedings on Google’s abuse of power in online advertising, the so-called adtech sector. The EU must not shy away from structural measures such as spin-offs in order to stop unfair competition and preserve opportunities for innovative European companies.
The signatories include EDRi, LobbyControl, Rebalance Now, Somo, other German NGOs such as Algorithmwatch, Finanzwende, Femnet, Germanwatch and Goliathwatch as well as the Open Markets Institute, Access Now, the European Public Services Union, the cloud provider Nextcloud and others.
> Here is the wording of the open letter.
