European Business Summits
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PRIVACY-POLICY | GENERAL TERMS OF SALES
HIGHLIGHTS
Thank you for attending the ReThink Digital Summit 2021 edition!
Below you will find the highlights and take-aways of each session!
OPENING WORDS
“The EU has the potential to become a leader when it comes to fostering a trusted, human-centric, safe and at the same time innovative online environment.”
Arnaud Thysen
EBS Director General
OPENING CONVERSATION: EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH COMMISSIONER REYNDERS
- “We have a human-centric approach to digital transformation: to put human at the centre of legislation became a model in many other regions in the world”
- “It is not needed to reform GDPR legislation, we want to go further in its implementation. It can be dangerous to modify the legislation, it’s like opening Pandora’s box”
- “The Digital Services Act imposes a level playing field on the removal of hate speech across different virtual platforms in addition to the use of AI for its detection”
- “We need to provide to the consumers the same level of protection online as they have offline. We will review the Consumer Credit Directive during the summer to that end”
“The new US administration is more open to discussing at a multilateral level. We want to engage with the US on enforcing citizens’ rights in case of a violation of data protection.”
Didier Reynders
Commissioner for Justice & AI
OPENING CONVERSATION: EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH CEDRIC O
- “On the Digital Markets Act – France is quite optimistic – strong convergence in Europe. The Digital Markets Act will require more efforts but we will also strike an agreement”
- “Brain drain in France for a long time but in last 2 years inversion of the trend. People come back from the US for the quality of life, mood of the French ecosystem, new size of the French tech- Now France offers many more opportunities”
- “We produce the talent. But so far we were exporting those talents in the US. France is now creating the ecos. that allows us to keep talent here. We’re on the right track but need to keep up with the reform”
- “EU-US: cultural legal diff. exist, but we have a like-minded approach”
- “France’s image among entrepreneurs has improved in past years, what big changes allowed that? 1. the President highlighted that entrepreneurs are important for the country 2. the President took concrete steps e.g. labour market reform”
“The EU has to decide its future on its own, independently of the US administration. What legal framework do we want? What balance between innovation & regulation? It’s our deal!”
Cédric O
French Secretary of State for the Digital Economy
PANEL DISCUSSION: ENSURING FAIR AND OPEN DIGITAL MARKETS
Olivier Guersent
- “Great interest for DMA. We have a long experience. Nothing revolutionary, we are building on an existing framework. Good as we need to get it right”
- “When is the last time you saw a company innovating? Innovation comes from newcomers. That’s why contestability is key”
- “Companies are testing the limits of what they can do. The issue is that in digital the pace is fast. DMA provides a clear framework of action for this”
Guido Lobrano
- “We fully endorse the goal of the DMA. We need a regulatory dialogue between policymakers and companies keeping in mind: 1. Presumptions and approximations have to be accurate 2. Account for specificities”
- “More competition leads to more innovation. Regulatory fragmentation makes innovation slower. The DMA can do more on this. A shared dialogue can be useful”
- “Focus on the core platform services, not on companies. We need to address the specific challenges, creating a dialogue between different stakeholders involved.”
Andreas Schwab
- “We are working on the contestability of markets. We believe that innovation is hampered. We need to focus on the gatekeepers on the basis of our legislation”
- “In my opinion there can be no discussion between policymakers and companies. No discrimination but the choice is for the regulators”
- “The gatekeepers are few. We need a residual clause to ban illicit behaviour. We want to see a level playing field with clear rules that apply to all companies”
Annabelle Gawer
- “Lot to like in the current DMA proposal but some things could be improved. Positive: recognition of a small number of digital platforms. To be improved: code of conduct which should be customised to each gatekeeper.”
- On the DMA: “The devil is in the details. The institutional arrangement of the implementation of theses rules is very important. Good relation between the digital platforms & the institutions is critical.”
Carel Maske
- “In 20 years, Microsoft has become a regulated platform & realises that competition law enforcement is not enough. We’re supportive of the discussions on the DMA which will allow innovation to come forward & the digital market to dvlp.”
- “DMA application- number of unintended consequences. We call for digital market to focus on intermediation / we need more clarity, regulatory dialogue. The more clarity we have the more effective the digital market will be.”
- “What do we mean by ‘innovation’? Clarity has helped Microsoft to comply with the rules. Only if the market & the consumers know what to ask for there will be clarity to enable a smooth process.”
- “We need to protect consumers. But some services are made exactly to benefit consumers. Some specific cases need to be addressed individually”
“We need more clarity, regulatory dialogue. The more clarity we have the more effective the digital market will be.”
Carel Maske
Senior Attorney at Microsoft
POST-SESSION INTERVIEW WITH MEP YON-COURTIN
- How soon do you expect the DMA to be implemented? “The sooner the better! Hopefully for the French presidency of the EU in the next semester. We have to make sure we develop a flexible & efficient legal tool to regulate gatekeepers”
- “DMA has to be a tool for every company willing to enter the digital market. It will complement competition. We need to make sure that these regulations are there to restore the market”
- “The DMA is not the only tool to support innovation. It will be a first step to bring back competition. We also need to boost the entrepreneurial spirit. That is part of the EU digital strategy”
- “The US seem to have an eye on the EU for its upcoming regulation. It’s not a geopolitical war, it’s just a matter of making sure markets compete globally & that we innovate & are dynamic”
How soon do you expect the DMA to be implemented?
“The sooner the better! Hopefully for the French presidency of the EU in the next semester. We have to make sure we develop a flexible & efficient legal tool to regulate gatekeepers”
Stéphanie Yon-Courtin
MEP
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: VALUES-DRIVEN LEADERSHIP FOR A NEW TRANSATLANTIC TECH AGENDA
Anne-Marie Engtoft Larsen
- “Denmark launched a strategy for tech diplomacy to put governments back in the driver seat to build our shared technological future. Democracy on a global scale is challenged”
- “Salesforce is a great example of one of the companies really pioneering in the meaning of taking additional responsibility when you are a large tech company.”
Eric Loeb
- “Salesforce is known for being a value-driven business, which explains our success in Europe. Innovation and equality have become even more important during the last year”
- “Technologies need to respect fundamental rights. There is so much work we need to do together for the advancement of policy and business & all the critical values”
“Technologies need to respect fundamental rights. There is so much work we need to do together for the advancement of policy and business and all the critical values”
Eric Loeb
EVP for Government Affairs of Salesforce
PANEL DISCUSSION: ENSURING A SAFE AND ACCOUNTABLE ONLINE ENVIRONMENT
Werner Stengg
- “The encouraging fact is that the cornerstones of our proposal are widely shared. All stakeholders are deeply engaged in the process of DSA”
- “DSA is a horizontal instrument predominantly about illegal activity, is not about value gap, acting as a procedural instrument to tackle illegal content”
- “We consider our proposal to be business model neutral. We took a functional approach. The DSA makes sure to protect consumers through clear and powerful obligations”
Siada El Ramly
- “We’ve learned a lot in the past years, also thanks to the challenges of Covid. The Code of Conduct can create necessary safeguards for companies to work with researchers”
- “I would like to see a more harmonised European approach across the Member States. The issue is to find a common definition keeping in mind cultural differences”
- “We need legal certainty, avoiding contradictory obligations e.g. the Copyright Directive is there, and other instruments are coming soon, but coherence is key”
Alexandre de Streel
- “Need of a public law framework, those platforms are a public space. Is it right that social networks should be financed with advertising? We need to rethink how those services should be provided”
- How key is enforcement in the DSA efficacy? “3 things I like in the legislative process: key role of the EC – getting more power
- New role of the public authorities / authorities should dvlp their own algorithms to perform better.”
Paula Forteza
- “Business model choice: no barriers of entry for social media platforms – gather millions of people & host public debates. We should concentrate on how the content can be viral & harm at the level of society and democracy”
- “We need to stop talking about content and start thinking of social media as public spaces for a better and more effective regulation”
“I would like to see a more harmonised European approach across the Member States. The issue is to find a common definition keeping in mind cultural differences”
Siada El Ramly
Director General of DOT Europe
PANEL DISCUSSION: CREATING A COMPETITIVE AND TRUSTWORTHY AI ECOSYSTEM
Irina Orssich
- “We need excellence and trust. We need to promote AI and make it trustworthy so that companies are happy to adopt it.”
- “We want to support AI, also to help companies. We don’t want to regulate the technology but only cases where there is a danger in terms of lack of transparency and information.”
Eva Maydell
- “AIDA Special Committe’s aim: have a place where we speak about the future technologies that will be created in the EU & create a place for them to foster and grow.”
- “The AIDA Special Committee looks at how AI helps our society cure diseases, tackle challenges relating to the EU Green Deal, etc. Technology could play a very key role in finding a solution in competitiveness, among others”
- “Transparency and trust go together. Citizens would not want to share their health info. At the same time, we are giving data that we are not aware of. Important to explain what could be made with available data”
- “Regulatory sandboxes are a step in the right direction to enable innovation. I’ll work so that sandboxes in the Artificial Intelligence proposal are further enhanced – that they work for SMEs and innovators across Europe.”
Cornelia Kutterer
- “We engaged constructively in the debate that led to the proposal, encouraging self-assessment to adopt the proposal as we go. Still many questions to address”
- “When it comes to SMEs what we need to make self-assessment easier and less of a burden for companies”
Bernd Stahl
- “3 priorities: Clarity of the ecosystem / Knowledge base: what do people need to understand / governance structure to be able to overcome obstacles.”
- “Rather than assuming issues ex-ante, more reasonable to ensure that concrete bias can be addressed. AI concept is still hugely contested”
- “Important to have ways in which insights can be shared with those who use it or are affected by it. Transparency has to be seen in that way”
Benjamin Mueller:
- “Self-assessment is the only way to go. Cost of mandatory third-party control is not realistic. The conformity assessment is going to be extensive, I encourage a shared dialogue”
“We need excellence and trust. We need to promote AI and make it trustworthy so that companies are happy to adopt it.”
Irina Orssich
DG CONNECT’s Advisor on AI
POST-SESSION INTERVIEW WITH MEP TUDORACHE
- How do you expect AI to impact the labour market in the EU post covid? “The pandemic has accelerated the transition. Things are inevitably changing”
- On the digital social contract – “The digital transformation is touching more profoundly the way our society and democracies work, & the way individuals interact with the public authorities.”
- Where do you see the EU going next regarding the regulation of the digital landscape? “We need to look for like-minded partners to set standards for the world- 1st with the US. We need to write these rules together.”
Where do you see the EU going next regarding the regulation of the digital landscape?
“We need to look for like-minded partners to set standards for the world, starting with the US. We need to write these rules together.”
Dragos Tudorache
MEP
PANEL DISCUSSION: CYBERSECURITY – BOOSTING RESILIENCE AGAINST CYBER THREATS
Lorena Boix-Alonso
- “The Joint Cyber Unit will bring together all of the cybersecurity communities to share awareness of threats and respond collectively to incident and threats.”
Rasmus Andresen
- “Last week we approved the new Cybersecurity Center in Bucharest. It will deal with security but also research and development. We would like to see civil society and business included”
- “Some Member States are not willing to give competence to the EU in cybersecurity. Yet it’s a global challenge, and we need a stronger collective response and better coordination”
- “We are not spending enough money in cyber security. I call the EU Member States to increase the investments in this area. It’s a matter of priorities.”
Lorenzo Pupillo
- “We commend the great work of the EU Commission, but the progress made is challenged by the situation’s fast evolution. We have the talk, we now need to walk the talk.”
Anthony Grieco
- “Holistic approach is key. We need to be ready to detect, respond & be resilient in case of attacks at any scale:company, regional & state level. How to bring about talent & education & shape the future of the world on cyber education”
- “Private sector is ready to step up in providing better capabilities, but Public-Private Partnership is key in bringing broader education and awareness. In 15 years no one will leave any educational institution without cybersecurity knowledge”
- “There will always be bad actors, we need to prepare and don’t give them easy paths. A more educated environment will raise the bar constantly. When digitizing, you have to embed security tools. We cannot eliminate risk, but we can manage it”
“We are not spending enough money in cyber security. I call the EU Member States to increase the investments in this area. It’s a matter of priorities.”
Rasmus Andresen
MEP
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH PROF. VALLETTI
- “Most dominant and largest firms are American. Europe tried to put constraints but we acknowledged that finding remedies takes time. Digital reality is too fast”
- “Monopolies don’t innovate. It’s important to create a favourable environment for European firms”
- “This is only the beginning of the conversation. The #BigTech companies will try to push back. We need to be vigilant now not to lose precious time”
- “Europe has to define its own model of data ownership. We are not forced to choose between US or China models, an alternative is possible”
“Europe has to define its own model of data ownership. We are not forced to choose between US or China models, an alternative is possible.”
Tommaso Valletti
Professor of Economics at Imperial College Business School
