Establishing an office in San Francisco is the European Commission’s latest initiative to improve the EU-US relationship over technology policies.
1. DMA and DSA
As of September 1, the EU will officially have a new office in California’s Silicon Valley, giving European regulators direct access to major digital technology companies but also American regulators to mediate with their overseas partners. The office comes as the EU prepares to implement two landmark technology regulations: the Digital Markets Act (DMA) and the Digital Services Act (DSA), set to go into effect this autumn. Both pieces of legislation are expected to have global implications and influence how tech giants like Meta and Google operate around the world.
The DMA and the DSA — passed by the Commission in March and April 2022, respectively — are the latest major tech regulations coming out of Brussels. As a package, the policies aims to create a safer digital ecosystem for internet users as well as a more open and fair digital market for technology companies. This includes, for instance, new rules aimed at curbing illegal hate speech and limiting business practices that stifle competition.
For too long tech giants have benefited from an absence of rules. The digital world has developed into a Wild West, with the biggest and strongest setting the rules. But there is a new sheriff in town — the DSA.
Christel Schaldemose, Member of the European Parliament
Now rules and rights will be strengthened. We are opening up the black box of algorithms so that we can have a proper look at the moneymaking machines behind these social platforms,” said the Member of the European Parliament Christel Schaldemose, after the adoption of the DSA and DMA in July.
2. EU Digital Diplomacy
The opening of the new office follows the European Council’s adoption of the Conclusions on EU Digital Diplomacy — a broad framework that seeks to enhance the EU’s regulatory capacity with partners around the world. The office will be headed by Gerard de Graaf, the Commission’s director of digital economy and a longtime EU official focusing on cybersecurity and digital policy. A central part of Mr. de Graaf’s work in San Francisco will be meeting with companies that must comply with EU tech rules because they do business in the 27-nation bloc.
The office will strengthen the EU’s capacity to reach out to key public and private stakeholders, including policy-makers, the business sector and civil society in the digital technology sector.
Charles Manoury, a spokesperson for the Commission
Commenting on the new EU office, Christian Borggreen, the vice president and head of Europe office for the Computer and Communications Industry Association (CCIA), a not-for-profit tech advocacy organisation whose members include Google, Amazon, Twitter and Facebook said the US is a leader in tech innovation while the EU wants to be a leader in tech regulation.
