BRUSSELS, 7 November, 2023 – The European Tech Alliance (EUTA) co-hosted with MEP Alex Agius Saliba (S&D, MT) a workshop on “Building Ethical Digital Interfaces: How to protect consumers without hindering innovation”, in the European Parliament.
The event brought together policymakers, digital rights experts, academics, and representatives from both consumer and tech domains, fostering a dynamic exchange on user interface designs. The discussions also focused on the necessity to safeguard user privacy while promoting fair advertising practices in the market.
Notable highlights from the event include:
➡ Time for enforcement: Digital rights experts, academics, as well as representatives from the consumer and tech sectors stressed that the digital landscape is not the lawless “Wild West”. Instead, it is a fully regulated domain, subject to a wide range of both new and updated rules. Experts highlighted the significance for policymakers to comprehensively assess the effect of existing rules and to gauge how they fit together, before drafting new laws.
➡ Use a tailor-made approach: If EU rules are needed, policymakers should be mindful of the different tech business models, and tailor EU rules to specific issues and business models. These rules should address problems without mandating specific business models or requiring interface designs.
➡ Need for a sustainable and respectful framework for consumers and businesses: EU rules should serve a dual purpose: safeguarding consumers while empowering them to make well-informed decisions. Simultaneously, these rules must also guarantee that European companies can maintain their competitiveness on the global stage and secure stable revenues. Striking the right balance is pivotal to Europe’s continued relevance, and will avoid it lagging behind other continents in the coming years.
Many thanks to our speakers:
MEP Alex Agius Saliba, Vice-President of the S&D Group;
Egelyn Braun, Team Leader for Consumer Law at the European Commission (DG JUST B2);
Marie Paule Benassi, Head of Unit for Consumer Enforcement and Redress at the European Commission (DG JUST B3);
Dr. Catalina Goanta, Associate Professor for Law, Economics and Governance at Utrecht University School of Law;
Els Bruggeman, Head Policy and Enforcement for EuroConsumers;
Diego Naranjo, Head of Policy at European Digital Rights (EDRi);
Cecile Barateau, Head of Public Affairs at Cdiscount;
Nathalie Laneret, Government Affairs & Public Policy Vice-President at Criteo;
Iacob Gammeltoft, Policy Manager at News Media Europe;
Victoria de Posson, Secretary General, European Tech Alliance.
For those who missed the event, you can watch it again here.
If you are eager to find out more about the EUTA, stay tuned. You can already register for our Manifesto launch event where the EUTA will present its vision for Europe’s digital policy for 2030.
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About the EUTA
The European Tech Alliance (EUTA) brings together and gives voice to the most exciting homegrown European tech companies across business models, member states and sectors.
Our objective is to create a better future for Europe through technology and based on shared EU values: we aim to contribute to our local economies and build a sustainable, greener, innovative and inclusive Europe for future generations.
Our track record of success highlights the recent growth and potential of the EU’s digital economy. With the right legal framework and policies that enable innovation and fair competition for all players, Europe can continue to prosper and produce more global European digital champions in the future.
Visit us at www.eutechalliance.eu
For media inquiries, please contact:
Elizabeth Wallis, EUTA Secretariat
E-mail: elizabeth.wallis@fleishmaneurope.com
E-mail: info@eutechalliance.eu
Phone: +32 2 235 29 97
