In a freshly released document, the European Commission discloses its intention to reduce the frequency of cookie pop-ups while also clarifying and simplifying AI regulations. As stated in a press release, the EU aims to update the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) by lessening the prevalence of bothersome cookie banner pop-ups along with refining AI guidelines.
With these forthcoming modifications, users will have the ability to express their consent with a single click and store their cookie preferences through their browser settings or operating system. This way, users won’t need to provide or refuse cookie tracking permission each time they visit a new page.
However, that’s not the only alteration proposed by the European Commission, which is also advocating for a “digital omnibus package.” This would ease existing regulations concerning AI, cybersecurity, and data within the European Union. Here’s what you need to know about these amendments and their potential implementation timeline.
EU aims to accelerate AI integration
According to the press release, the European Commission seeks to help businesses save up to 5 billion euros in administrative expenditures by the year 2029. This goal could be achieved by standardizing how cybersecurity matters are reported, as businesses currently must prepare various reports following different regulations. An additional enhancement is that for “high-risk” AI systems, companies would only be required to fulfill all obligations once the necessary support tools and standards are established, allowing them a grace period of up to 16 months for compliance.
The new legislation would also clarify rules under the Data Act, and a new “European Business Wallet” for enterprises would provide digital signing, timestamping, document sharing, and secure cross-border business identification, which could potentially lead to annual savings of up to 150 billion euros. Nonetheless, the EU aims to cut administrative burdens by at least 25% by the conclusion of 2029.
Conversely, opponents of these changes, including European Digital Rights, argue that the EC’s proposals could undermine the core principles of human rights and technology policy within the EU. With the proposal now made public, it must be presented to the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union for approval.
