Europe Retreats on Tech Regulation: GDPR and AI Act Face Major Rollbacks Under Industry Pressure
16 Sources
[1]
Europe's Ready to Dilute Its Tough Rules on Privacy. You Can Blame AI for That
Katie is a UK-based news reporter and features writer. Officially, she is CNET's European correspondent, covering tech policy and Big Tech in the EU and UK. Unofficially, she serves as CNET's Taylor Swift correspondent. You can also find her writing about tech for good, ethics and human rights, the
[2]
Europe is scaling back its landmark privacy and AI laws
After years of staring down the world's biggest tech companies and setting the bar for tough regulation worldwide, Europe has blinked. Under intense pressure from industry and the US government, Brussels is stripping protections from its flagship General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) --
[3]
How the EU botched its attempt to regulate AI
The birth of the Artificial Intelligence Act was a drawn-out, exasperating affair. In December 2023, European officials laboured for 36 hours to agree on the legislation considered to be a world first. "I saw my colleagues at their wits' end," says Laura Caroli, who took part as an assistant to
[4]
EU to delay 'high risk' AI rules until 2027 after Big Tech pushback
BRUSSELS/STOCKHOLM, Nov 19 (Reuters) - The European Commission proposed on Wednesday streamlining and easing a slew of tech regulations, including delaying some provisions of its AI Act, in an attempt to cut red tape, head off criticism from Big Tech and boost Europe's competitiveness. The move by
[5]
European policymakers want to ease AI and privacy laws
European policymakers have proposed sweeping changes to the way the EU regulates the tech industry. In just the last few months, the likes of Meta and Google have questioned strict EU policies relating to privacy and AI expansion, but if the European Commission's new package of proposals are
[6]
The EU wants to make some major changes to GDPR - could big tech be getting its way at last?
Other changes aim to simplify processes and remove outdated/unnecessary steps The European Union has revealed plans to simplify all of its digital legislation in response to concerns regulatory complexity might be hampering innovation and competitiveness, particularly within the realms of
[7]
European Commission accused of 'massive rollback' of digital protections
Proposed changes to AI Act would make it easier for tech firms to use personal data to train models without consent The European Commission has been accused of "a massive rollback" of the EU's digital rules after announcing proposals to delay central parts of the Artificial Intelligence Act and
[8]
EU moves to delay 'high-risk' AI rules amid pressure to boost innovation
The European Commission on Wednesday proposed easing key AI and data privacy rules to help Europe's tech sector compete globally, despite criticism that the bloc is retreating from its role as a digital watchdog. The EU executive proposed rolling back key AI and data privacy rules on Wednesday as
[9]
France, Germany support simplification push for digital rules
The Commission, with French-German backing, plans to ease AI and data rules to ease the burdens on European companies. Members of Parliament and NGOs fear it will open "pandora's box" of negative ramifications. As the European Commission prepares to simplify digital rules with a new omnibus plan
[10]
EU to revise GDPR, AI Act as part of regulatory simplification push - SiliconANGLE
EU to revise GDPR, AI Act as part of regulatory simplification push The European Union has proposed a set of regulatory changes designed to make it easier for companies to comply with the bloc's AI Act and GDPR privacy law. The European Commission, the EU's executive arm, announced the initiative
[11]
EU claims cuts to GDPR, AI rules will help business growth
From left: Henna Virkkunen, Valdis Dombrovskis and Michael McGrath. Image: European Union, 2025 The EU wants to consolidate all rules around data into two major laws, the Data Act and the GDPR. The EU wants to cut down and streamline rules around AI, cybersecurity and data in a bid to better
[12]
Why Europe's craven capitulation to Big Tech confirms that the wheels have come off the Omnibus of supposed digital ethical leadership
After decades of macho posturing and pious hectoring of the Americans on how they ought to be running their tech industry, the Eurocrats caved to pressure from the silicon lobby today as the European Commission (EC) proposes watering down tough legislation that was previously pitched by Brussels as
[13]
Under pressure, EU to scale back digital rules
Brussels (Belgium) (AFP) - The EU will unveil plans on Wednesday to overhaul its AI and data privacy rules after coming under pressure from European and US companies. The proposals are part of the bloc's push to cut red tape to drive greater economic growth and help European businesses catch up
[14]
EU to delay 'high risk' AI rules until 2027 after Big Tech pushback
The European Commission proposed easing and delaying parts of major tech laws, including shifting high-risk AI rules to 2027. The "Digital Omnibus" aims to cut red tape while maintaining strong regulation, simplifying cookie consent and allowing limited personal-data use for AI training under
[15]
EU Calls for 'Cutting Red Tape' for Tech Companies | PYMNTS.com
By completing this form, you agree to receive marketing communications from PYMNTS and to the sharing of your information with our sponsor, if applicable, in accordance with our Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions. The project, announced Wednesday (Nov. 19), centers around a "digital omnibus"
[16]
EU to delay 'high risk' AI rules until 2027 after Big Tech pushback
BRUSSELS/STOCKHOLM (Reuters) -The European Commission proposed on Wednesday streamlining and easing a slew of tech regulations, including delaying some provisions of its AI Act, in an attempt to cut red tape, head off criticism from Big Tech and boost Europe's competitiveness. The move by the EU
Share
Copy Link
The European Commission proposes significant changes to its landmark GDPR privacy law and AI Act, including simplified cookie banners and delayed AI regulations, marking a major shift from Europe's traditionally tough stance on tech regulation.
European Commission Proposes Major Tech Regulation Rollbacks
The European Commission announced sweeping changes to its tech regulatory framework on Wednesday, proposing significant rollbacks to both the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the AI Act. The moves represent a dramatic shift from Europe's traditionally aggressive stance toward Big Tech regulation, coming after months of intense lobbying from major technology companies and pressure from the Trump administration
1
.
Source: France 24
The proposed "Digital Omnibus" package includes simplifying the notorious cookie permission pop-ups that have become synonymous with European web browsing, allowing users to give consent with one click and save preferences across browsers. More significantly, the changes would permit tech giants like Google, Meta, and OpenAI to use Europeans' personal data to train their AI models
4
.AI Act Implementation Delayed Under Industry Pressure
Perhaps most notably, the Commission proposed delaying stricter AI regulations for high-risk applications until December 2027, pushing back the original August 2026 timeline by over a year. These delayed rules cover AI use in biometric identification, road traffic applications, utilities supply, job applications, health services, creditworthiness, and law enforcement
4
.
Source: FT
The AI Act itself has faced significant implementation challenges since its passage in December 2023. Originally designed as a risk-based approach to AI regulation, the legislation was hastily rewritten to include rules for general-purpose AI models like ChatGPT after the technology's explosive popularity. This rushed inclusion has created what critics describe as a "chaotic implementation" that has turned the Act from a symbol of European leadership into a cautionary tale
3
.Privacy Advocates Denounce Changes as "Attack on Digital Rights"
The proposed changes have sparked fierce opposition from privacy campaigners across Europe. Austrian privacy advocate Max Schrems, known for his legal battles against Meta over privacy violations, called the proposals "the biggest attack on European's digital rights in years." Schrems argued that the reforms appear primarily designed to remove obstacles preventing AI companies from using personal data, warning that politicians are "throwing protections out of the window" in pursuit of an "AI race"
1
.Johnny Ryan, director of the Enforce unit at the Irish Council for Civil Liberties, criticized the changes as likely to "entrench the dominance of US and Chinese digital giants" rather than helping European companies compete. Ryan argued that Europe's problem isn't excessive regulation but rather the failure to enforce existing rules effectively
1
.
Source: CNET
Related Stories
Political and Economic Pressures Drive Regulatory Retreat
The Commission's reversal comes amid mounting pressure from multiple sources. The Trump administration has been pushing for reduced regulatory burdens on US tech companies operating in Europe, while high-profile figures like former Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi have urged the bloc to weaken tech regulation to boost economic competitiveness
2
.Europe's struggle to develop credible competitors to US and Chinese AI giants has intensified these pressures. With very few exceptions, European companies have failed to emerge as serious contenders in the global AI race dominated by companies like DeepSeek, Google, and OpenAI
2
.Executive Vice President Henna Virkkunen framed the changes as "a face-lift with targeted amendments that reflect how technology has evolved," emphasizing the goal of encouraging AI development while maintaining high standards
1
.The proposals now face debate and votes from European countries, with significant political opposition expected given the GDPR's status as a cornerstone of European tech policy
5
.References
Summarized by
Navi
Related Stories
EU Considers Major Rollback of GDPR and AI Regulations Amid Competitiveness Concerns
10 Nov 2025•Policy and Regulation
EU Considers Loosening AI and Data Regulations Amid US Competition
10 Apr 2025•Policy and Regulation
EU Considers Delaying AI Act Provisions Amid Pressure from Trump Administration and Big Tech
07 Nov 2025•Policy and Regulation
Recent Highlights
1
OpenAI's AI Math Breakthrough on Navier-Stokes Equations Sparks Major Attribution Controversy
Science and Research
2
Anthropic Researcher Quits, Warns Self-Improving AI Poses Existential Risk to Humanity
Policy and Regulation
3
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang Declares AGI Has Arrived With OpenAI's GPT-6 Astra Release
Technology
Recent Highlights
Today's Top Stories
Don’t drown in AI news. We cut through the noise - filtering, ranking and summarizing the most important AI news, breakthroughs and research daily. Follow topics that matter to you and stay ahead.
