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Independent data trustees instead of tech companies – this is what the European Commission is counting on. Europe must become “the world’s number one data continent”.
By Holger Beckmann, ARD-Studio Brussels
Europe not only wants to become the world’s first climate-neutral continent, but also the number one global data continent. European Digital Commissioner Margete Vestager and EU Internal Market Commissioner Thiery Breton explained what they mean by this: they want to transform the European Union into a single market for data where optimal access to digital information is guaranteed for everyone. And this with simultaneous and reliable data protection.
In the future, European data streams are not expected to flow primarily through large US internet companies such as Amazon, Google or Facebook, but rather through independent EU-based organizations. To this end, the Commission intends to create a legal framework to pool investments in the infrastructure needed for networks and suppliers.
Trustee for greater data protection
This so-called Data Governance Act is intended to ensure that these organizations act as trustees, so to speak, in order to transmit data streams. But not to use them commercially.
This is the decisive difference from the current situation. This is to prevent large American online groups from expanding their market dominance. Instead, valuable data could be better used for non-profit purposes, such as the healthcare system.
The European Commission believes that research and science should also benefit in the future from data streams transported and collected by independent organizations.
Less power for Google and Facebook
Internal Market Commissioner Breton said the Commission is defining a truly European approach to data sharing. “Our new regulation will build trust and facilitate the flow of data between sectors and Member States,” he said. Everyone who generates the data remained in control. “Given the growing role of industrial data in our economy, Europe needs an open but sovereign internal data market.”
This is also an important competitive factor for small and medium-sized businesses. Breton spoke of the fact that illegal behavior – such as unauthorized and uncontrolled data collection – could be prevented by large internet companies in the future. This is a crucial step in limiting the power of a few large companies in this sector in the future.
Disclosure of algorithms
The European Union also wants to oblige companies to disclose their algorithms. Everyone must be able to recognize why, for example, a very specific ad appears on the screen; It is also important to flag paid advertising. In the past, the EU had accused Google, for example, of using its search engine to place certain offers higher in search results.
EU Commissioner Vestager stressed that the planned regulation would also make it possible to tackle hate speech and fake news harder in the future. Although internet companies have so far relied on voluntariness to remove such content from networks, online portals may in the future be forced to work with European regulators.
Transparent EU data exchange
In Brussels, the Commission’s approach is seen as a serious approach to effectively regulating data flows and online markets more rigorously. If you want to create a level playing field for everyone, there is no way to avoid transparent and open data exchange, was the initial response from the University of Namur in Belgium. Why: Whoever controls the data controls the new world economy.
The European Union has long been talking about the need to become more independent of US private companies. But also from Asian suppliers who are pushing more and more in this sector. And that effective tools are needed to counter their growing market power.
From the stands to the pitch
The Commission’s initiative is also welcomed by the European Parliament. CSU member of the European Parliament, Angelika Niebler, said the time has come for Europe to move from the digitization auditorium to the field. The first step will now be taken.
The European Parliament and the Member States must now discuss all of this. It can therefore take a year or two before binding regulations are reached. After all, the commission plans to present a specific legislative proposal on 9 December.
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