Latest news with #StéphaneSéjourné
Epoch Times
23-05-2025
- Business
- Epoch Times
EU Plans to Slash Red Tape for Medium-Sized Companies
The European Commission is creating a new category of companies that will be exempted from some rules as part of its ongoing effort to slash red tape. On The creation of the new category of company means that they are granted exemption from some laws on data protection and net-zero rules. The EU said that when companies grow beyond 250 employees, they become large enterprises under the current rules and face a sharp increase in compliance obligations. It said that this 'cliff-edge' can discourage growth and limit competitiveness. There are nearly 38,000 companies now potentially classed as small mid-caps in the EU. Related Stories 5/21/2025 4/13/2025 Some of the measures include simplifying the record-keeping obligation in the EU's 2018 personal data GDPR law. About 10,000 small businesses will no longer have to fill out EU climate paperwork for selling or importing items such as used cars with air-con gas, under the new rules planned for 2026. 'Cutting red tape and simplifying rules means giving businesses the freedom to innovate, grow, and create jobs,' Executive Vice-President for Prosperity and Industrial Strategy Stéphane Séjourné said in a statement. The tech lobby group Computer and Communications Industry Association (CCIA) Europe said that the changes were too minor. 'Easing GDPR requirements for small and mid-sized companies may offer limited relief, but this minor change falls far short of addressing the deeper structural issues that plague the EU's data protection framework,' 'At best, today's proposal will ease GDPR burdens for just 0.2 percent of EU companies. While well-intentioned, its limited scope means it won't meaningfully strengthen Europe's dwindling digital competitiveness. These are cosmetic fixes, not systemic solutions.' The EU Commission has already proposed reforms to the law to reduce red tape for European businesses. The call from the EU's biggest economies comes as the bloc rolls out its 'Simplification Omnibus,' which aims to enable the 27-nation alliance to compete with countries such as the United States and China. On Feb. 25, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen 'This will make life easier for our businesses while ensuring we stay firmly on course toward our decarbonization goals. And more simplification is on the way,' she said. The European Commission, the bloc's executive arm, aims to reduce reporting burdens by 25 percent in an initial wave of measures in the first half of 2025. It said this would translate into savings of 40 billion euros ($42 billion) for European companies. France and Germany recently called on the EU to scrap a supply chain audit law. The Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), approved in May 2024, establishes far-reaching mandatory human rights and environmental obligations on both EU and non-EU companies meeting certain turnover thresholds, starting from 2027. While requiring companies to make environmental and human rights checks on their direct suppliers, the law also forms part of the European Green Deal. Companies will be required to adopt and implement a French President Emmanuel Macron said on U.S. President Donald Trump has also committed to a red tape-cutting strategy after establishing the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in January to root out fraud, waste, and abuse within the federal government. The task force has a deadline to complete its work by July 4, 2026, but senior presidential adviser and Tesla boss Elon Musk
Euronews
23-05-2025
- Euronews
The top 5 tech that caught our eye at Computex in Taiwan
The Computex tech fair in Taiwan's capital closes its doors on Friday after a week filled with weird and wonderful product announcements. Euronews Next spent the week trawling the exhibition to find the most practical, beautiful, and frankly, the oddest tech announcements. Here is what caught our eye on the showfloor. Gaming is a massive part of Computex, so as you would expect, there was plenty on display. One bit of tech generating a lot of buzz was MSI's upgraded Windows PC handheld device, the Claw A8 with AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme. It comes in a variety of bright colours and has a built-in front-facing camera and mic, allowing gamers the freedom not to have to use a headset. It also has a massive 80Wh battery and has a roomy screen. It also looks to be the first handheld to use the high-end chip Z2 Extreme, and it boasts plenty of RAM. No release date has been set for its launch, but it comes as the Nintendo Switch 2 is about to be released. Though split keyboards are not exactly new, one designed specifically for gamers is. Asus displayed its ROG Falcata, a wireless keyboard that connects or disconnects magnetically, at the show in Taipei. The exact point of the design is so that gamers can have more space for the mouse. The right side of the keyboard is less interesting for gamers, as the keys that are mainly used are W, A, S, and D. Or, if not used for gaming, you can just detach the two sides for a more ergonomic keyboard. A release date has been set for the summer, but the price is so far unknown. While smart rings can be on the pricey side (think Samsung's Galaxy ring, which retails around €449, or Ultrahuman's luxury 18-carat gold ring, at around €2,000), Acer has a more humble offering. The company showed off a titanium smart ring, which has a $199 (€175) price point. It also, unlike many other companies, has no subscription. The ring comes in black or rose gold, has four days of battery life. It shows health data such as heart rate, sleep quality, and blood oxygen levels. It will be available for purchase this summer. Tech giant MSI showed off a beautiful laptop lid that looks like it had been hand-painted. MSI partnered with Japanese art studio Okadayo to create a limited edition lacquered print laptop. The art can also be placed on a computer mouse. The first design is Hokusai's iconic The Great Wave off Kanagawa. MSI will only produce a few hundred per month for the moment, as applying the art requires extra steps in manufacturing. One of the main highlights at Computex was the level of creativity on show - and the number of beautiful and strange PC cases was certainly one of the focal points. Many of them were colourful and themed; others also had a beer and wine tap built in. It all comes down to personal preference. EU Industry Commissioner Stéphane Séjourné has asked member states to agree among themselves on whether to support the Commission's intention to ditch a proposal on standard essential patents (SEP). The French commissioner for the internal market has said he wants to hear back from governments in the next three weeks. Member states are divided about the way forward after the Commission said in February it intended to withdraw a plan on SEPs which it presented in 2023, arguing that it couldn't see an agreement being reached. SEPs are patents that protect the technology deemed essential in a technical standard or specification and are used in the automotive, smart energy, and payment industry. Which means that if a company wants to make a product that complies with technical standards (such as 5G or wifi), it needs to use the technology covered by SEPs. Disputes over the value of SEPs licenses are proliferating as their use increases. The Commission proposal intended to make the process of licensing SEPs more transparent, which was welcomed by patent lobby organisations who called for modernisation of the rules to make the bloc more competitive. A group of eight countries – Czechia, France, Germany, Italy, Hungary, Latvia, Portugal, Slovakia and Spain – called for other EU member states to support continued work on the file during a meeting of industry ministers in Brussels on Thursday, arguing that the rules are crucial for industry. The Spanish representative said that SEPs will be beneficial for Europe's automotive industry. Italy added that: 'We need to ensure the value chains are resilient in the current geopolitical situation.' Ireland, Finland and Sweden, by contrast, backed the Commission's assessment that since no deal is within reach it should be dropped. The Swedish representative said that the proposal had created 'major divisions in the business community', adding that 'any initiative in this field needs to encourage innovation and not create undue regulatory burden.' Finland added that the decision to withdraw is in line with the Commission's simplification plan. 'We think there are fundamental problems in the proposal, they cannot be amended with this draft.' Séjourné told lawmakers of the European Parliament's Legal Affairs (JURI) in April that the Commission scrapped the SEP proposal in a bid to reach a broader agreement on the topic. Some argue however, that the incoming US administration and the EU Commission's current strategy for deregulation killed the proposal. While the majority of the member states do not see the need to continue with the topic, lawmakers want it kept on the table. The proposed rules on SEPs were agreed by the Parliament in February 2024 - with 454 votes for, 83 against and 78 abstentions - before the Commission announced its intention to withdraw the file. German MEP Bernd Lange (EPP), who chairs the heads of the Parliamentary committees, is expected to discuss the issue with Parliament President Roberta Metsola in June. A letter signed by Lange and seen by Euronews, said that the Committee on Legal Affairs (JURI) – which is leading on the file – 'objects, by a large majority, to the proposed withdrawal.' 'The proposal remains highly relevant due to its impact on competitiveness, transparency, and innovation, particularly for SMEs,' the letter said. The Commission has until August to decide whether to go ahead with its intention to withdraw the plan.
Euronews
23-05-2025
- Business
- Euronews
Séjourné canvasses governments on patents after dropped proposal
EU Industry Commissioner Stéphane Séjourné has asked member states to agree among themselves on whether to support the Commission's intention to ditch a proposal on standard essential patents (SEP). The French commissioner for the internal market has said he wants to hear back from governments in the next three weeks. Member states are divided about the way forward after the Commission said in February it intended to withdraw a plan on SEPs which it presented in 2023, arguing that it couldn't see an agreement being reached. SEPs are patents that protect the technology deemed essential in a technical standard or specification and are used in the automotive, smart energy, and payment industry. Which means that if a company wants to make a product that complies with technical standards (such as 5G or wifi), it needs to use the technology covered by SEPs. Disputes over the value of SEPs licenses are proliferating as their use increases. The Commission proposal intended to make the process of licensing SEPs more transparent, which was welcomed by patent lobby organisations who called for modernisation of the rules to make the bloc more competitive. A group of eight countries – Czechia, France, Germany, Italy, Hungary, Latvia, Portugal, Slovakia and Spain – called for other EU member states to support continued work on the file during a meeting of industry ministers in Brussels on Thursday, arguing that the rules are crucial for industry. The Spanish representative said that SEPs will be beneficial for Europe's automotive industry. Italy added that: 'We need to ensure the value chains are resilient in the current geopolitical situation.' Ireland, Finland and Sweden, by contrast, backed the Commission's assessment that since no deal is within reach it should be dropped. The Swedish representative said that the proposal had created 'major divisions in the business community', adding that 'any initiative in this field needs to encourage innovation and not create undue regulatory burden.' Finland added that the decision to withdraw is in line with the Commission's simplification plan. 'We think there are fundamental problems in the proposal, they cannot be amended with this draft.' Séjourné told lawmakers of the European Parliament's Legal Affairs (JURI) in April that the Commission scrapped the SEP proposal in a bid to reach a broader agreement on the topic. Some argue however, that the incoming US administration and the EU Commission's current strategy for deregulation killed the proposal. While the majority of the member states do not see the need to continue with the topic, lawmakers want it kept on the table. The proposed rules on SEPs were agreed by the Parliament in February 2024 - with 454 votes for, 83 against and 78 abstentions - before the Commission announced its intention to withdraw the file. German MEP Bernd Lange (EPP), who chairs the heads of the Parliamentary committees, is expected to discuss the issue with Parliament President Roberta Metsola in June. A letter signed by Lange and seen by Euronews, said that the Committee on Legal Affairs (JURI) – which is leading on the file – 'objects, by a large majority, to the proposed withdrawal.' 'The proposal remains highly relevant due to its impact on competitiveness, transparency, and innovation, particularly for SMEs,' the letter said. The Commission has until August to decide whether to go ahead with its intention to withdraw the plan. A US federal judge decided to let a wrongful death lawsuit continue against artificial intelligence (AI) company after the suicide of a teenage boy. The suit was filed by a mother from Florida who alleges that her 14-year-old son Sewell Setzer III fell victim to one of the company's chatbots that pulled him into what she described as an emotionally and sexually abusive relationship that led to his suicide. The lawsuit alleges that in the final months of his life, Setzer became increasingly isolated from reality as he engaged in sexualised conversations with the bot, which was patterned after a fictional character from the television show 'Game of Thrones'. In his final moments, the bot told Setzer it loved him and urged the teen to "come home to me as soon as possible," according to screenshots of the exchanges. Moments after receiving the message, Setzer shot himself, according to legal filings. Meetali Jain of the Tech Justice Law Project, one of the attorneys for Garcia, said the judge's order sends a message that Silicon Valley "needs to stop and think and impose guardrails before it launches products to market". The company tried to argue that it was protected under the First Amendment of the US Constitution, which protects fundamental freedoms for Americans, like freedom of speech. Attorneys for the developers want the case dismissed because they say chatbots deserve these First Amendment protections, and ruling otherwise could have a "chilling effect" on the AI industry. In her order Wednesday, US Senior District Judge Anne Conway rejected some of the defendants' free speech claims, saying she's "not prepared" to hold that the chatbots' output constitutes speech "at this stage". In a statement, a spokesperson for pointed to a number of safety features the company has implemented, including guardrails for children and suicide prevention resources that were announced the day the lawsuit was filed. "We care deeply about the safety of our users and our goal is to provide a space that is engaging and safe," the statement said. The suit against Character Technologies, the company behind also names individual developers and Google as defendants. Google spokesperson José Castañeda told the Associated Press that the company "strongly disagree[s]" with Judge Conway's decision. "Google and Character AI are entirely separate, and Google did not create, design, or manage Character AI's app or any component part of it," the statement read. The case has drawn the attention of legal experts and AI watchers in the U.S. and beyond, as the technology rapidly reshapes workplaces, marketplaces and relationships despite what experts warn are potentially existential risks. "The order certainly sets it up as a potential test case for some broader issues involving AI," said "It's a warning to parents that social media and generative AI devices are not always harmless," Lyrissa Barnett Lidsky, a law professor at the University of Florida with a focus on the First Amendment and AI. No matter how the lawsuit plays out, Lidsky says the case is a warning of "the dangers of entrusting our emotional and mental health to AI companies". "It's a warning to parents that social media and generative AI devices are not always harmless," she said.
Forbes
22-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Concerns Rise About Proposed Changes To GDPR Reporting Rules
Photo byWith the EU proposing to simplify the General Data Protection Regulation, industry bodies and campaign groups are wary. The changes come as part of a broader drive to simplify EU regulation to make it easier for the bloc to compete with the U.S. and China. And their main aim is to ease reporting requirements for small businesses, but there's also talk about broader reforms at a later stage. Currently, only businesses with fewer than 250 employees are exempt from a requirement to keep detailed records of their data processing activities, including the purposes of the processing, the categories of data held and its third-party recipients, along with, where possible, a description of their technical and organizational security measures. Now, though, this exemption has been extended to companies with fewer than 750 employees and either less than €150 million in turnover or less than €129 million in total assets. The exemption applies unless their data processing is likely to result in a "high risk" to data subjects' rights and freedoms, or where special category data is processed. According to the European Commission, there are around 38,000 of these small mid-cap companies across all EU member states. "Cutting red tape and simplifying rules means giving businesses the freedom to innovate, grow, and create jobs," said Stéphane Séjourné, executive vice-president for prosperity and industrial strategy. "Today's Omnibus is another stepping stone in this regard, extending new benefits to small and mid-cap companies and ensuring that legislation is aligned with on-the-ground reality." However, the changes are receiving a wary response. In an open letter, civil rights collective European Digital Rights said it was concerned that the changes might not represent a genuine simplification, but could instead roll back key accountability safeguards. "In practice, they could allow some companies to avoid keeping records of data processing (even when handling special categories of data) purely based on staff headcount or turnover". the letter reads. "While competitiveness is important, using it to justify exemptions from core protections sends a worrying message: that people's rights are expendable when economic interests are at stake". Meanwhile, industry body the Computer and Communications Industry Association said the changes don't go far enough. "Easing GDPR requirements for small and mid-sized companies may offer limited relief, but this minor change falls far short of addressing the deeper structural issues that plague the EU's data protection framework. Without further adjustments, enforcement and implementation will remain weak", said CCIA Europe's privacy and safety lead Claudia Canelles Quaroni. "At best, today's proposal will ease GDPR burdens for just 0.2% of EU companies. While well-intentioned, its limited scope means it won't meaningfully strengthen Europe's dwindling digital competitiveness. These are cosmetic fixes, not systemic solutions." The CCIA is calling on the EU to align GDPR implementation across all EU legislation for greater coherence, reinforce the one-stop-shop mechanism and work to prevent fragmentation in the way member states implement the rules. These are the first proposed changes to the GDPR since its introduction in 2018, and there are fears that the Commission is opening up a can of worms - especially given persistent rumors that there may be more proposed changes to come later this year or next.
Euronews
21-05-2025
- Business
- Euronews
Industry sceptical on new EU single market strategy
Business representatives gave a jaundiced welcome to a new single market strategy designed to strengthen internal trade presented on Wednesday by EU Vice-President Stéphane Séjourné, following years of promises on the issue by the European Commission. 'Every Commission term seems to feature a flagship communication on the single market, going back to the Monti Report in 2010, but unfortunately these have not always led to tangible improvements for businesses,' Ben Butters, the CEO of Eurochambres, which represents businesses across Europe, told Euronews. Then Competition Commissioner Mario Monti's 2010 report sketched a strategy to extend the opening of national markets begun following the creation of the single market in 1993. Séjourné's proposal has the same object: removing barriers between member states to ease business establishment and operation across the bloc. It includes measures such as cross-border recognition of professional qualifications and plans to address the lack of common standards. It aims also to facilitate cross-border provision of services by removing restrictive and diverging national regulations. Butters added that the new strategy tables some interesting solutions to remove barriers within the single market 'but the Commission and member states now need to get on with the task of tackling them; not by adding further layers of legislation, but by ensuring better implementation and enforcement.' Séjourné said there's momentum among industry in support of his strategy. 'In business, there is a close alignment [with the strategy's objectives] given the geopolitical context,' he said, as the EU is locked in a trade war with the US. 'The companies are ready,' he claimed, 'It's up to us to get the member states on board now.' Cutting red tape from smaller companies As part of its single market strategy, the European Commission also unveiled on Wednesday its fourth omnibus package – and which also met with a lukewarm response. One of the key proposals is the creation of a new category of company, dubbed 'small mid-caps', which would be granted exemption from certain EU rules on data protection, climate, and sustainability. Defined by the Commission as firms with more than 250 employees and fewer than 750 and an annual turnover below €150 million, the category aims to bridge the regulatory gap between SMEs and larger corporations. Séjourné also said the proposal was targeting businesses more likely to expand internationally. The move drew a mixed response. Tech lobbying group CCIA Europe welcomed the initiative but expressed disappointment at the limited scope of the exemptions. 'At best, today's proposal will ease GDPR burdens for just 0.2% of EU companies,' said Claudia Canelles Quaroni, the group's privacy and safety lead, on the exemption to the GDPR contained in the Commission's proposal, adding: 'While well-intentioned, its limited scope means it won't meaningfully strengthen Europe's dwindling digital competitiveness.' From the consumer rights perspective, Agustín Reyna, Director General of BEUC, acknowledged the value of simpler rules for both businesses and consumers. He warned however that 'simplification must in no way equal watering down standards", adding: "Opening the GDPR could not only put consumer's rights at risk but also create legal uncertainty for companies, raising their costs if they would need to adapt to new rules.' Belgian authorities have asked the European Parliament to waive the immunity of five of its members, Parliament's president Roberta Metsola announced at the beginning of a plenary session in Brussels on Wednesday. The request relates to the ongoing investigation into alleged corruption and illicit lobbying practices involving Chinese company Huawei and some EU lawmakers and assistants. Three of the five MEPs involved belong to the center-right European People's Party: the Italians Salvatore De Meo, Giusi Princi and Fulvio Martusciello. The others are the Maltese Socialist MEP Daniel Attard and the Bulgarian Renew Europe's MEP Nikola Minchev. In a previous statement to Euronews, Martusciello denied corruption, stating that he had only fleetingly met Huawei lobbyists, and that he and his staff never attended the firm's offices. De Meo anticipated his inclusion in the list telling Italian news agency Ansa: 'In my case, [the request] is linked to my participation in a convivial meeting, not organised by Huawei, which took place outside the European Parliament and which was also attended by representatives of the Huawei group." He claimed he has never taken a position in favour of Huawei, either by signing letters, presenting amendments or any legislative activity attributable to the company's interests. Attard said on his Facebook page that the request related to his presence at a football match between Belgian team Anderlecht and Hungarian team Ferencváros last September. 'I was not made aware that the invitation originated from any company, or that it involved a corporate box. I was simply informed by my assistant that a friend of his had tickets to the match [...] It has since emerged that the invitation came from a person who is currently under investigation by the Belgian authorities and who intended to speak to me about Huawei during the match,' wrote the Maltese MEP. The topic was briefly raised during the game, reads the post, and a meeting was subsequently requested, which took place two weeks later in Strasbourg. Attard stated he has not communicated with the company since, and took 'no action' in relation to it or matters related to the company, and he wrote to President Metsola to formally ask for his immunity to be waived. Attendance at an Anderlecht football match (Anderlecht-Ludogorets last October) was behind the request for Bulgarian MEP Minchev, he said in a statement to the Bulgarian press agency BTA. 'I will cooperate one hundred percent and I will ask the EP to lift the immunity as quickly as possible, because I have no connection to any illegal activity of these people, nor anything to worry about,' he said. Each request for waiver will be now be assigned to a rapporteur on the European Parliament Committee on Legal Affairs (JURI), whose next meeting is foreseen for 4-5 June. The JURI Committee will prepare a report approving or rejecting the request by the Belgian prosecutor, while each MEP concerned will be given an opportunity to be heard, and may present any documents or other written evidence. The Parliament's plenary will have the final say, deciding whether to lift or not the MEP's immunity with a vote by simple majority. None of the five MEPs replied to requests for comment from Euronews.
