EU’s Ambitious New Tech Rules to Be Delayed Further Into 2022

European Union countries will delay a key target of finalizing new rules hitting tech platforms by the spring of 2022, now saying they aim to reach a deal “as soon as possible” ahead of a leaders’ summit on October 21. The EU’s Digital Markets Act and Digital Services Act are two heavily debated pieces of legislation unveiled in 2020 by the European Commission that seek to curb the power of Big Tech. The Digital Markets Act seeks to curb anti-competitive behavior, while the Digital Services Act would regulate online content. The Commission set an ambitious goal of reaching a deal with EU countries and the European Parliament in 2022. It can take years though for the EU to finalize legislation once it’s been approved by the commission, as member states and the parliament have to agree. EU countries are also planning to push for heavier legislation to protect against increasing cyberattacks as part of the EU’s “unwavering commitment to pursuing democratic values, both online and offline.” Countries also stressed the importance of “secured space-based connectivity,” although this line might be taken out of the European Council conclusions approved later this week, as talk about space based connectivity is early and those efforts could be expensive.