UK Data Protection Reform: Implications of divergence from the GDPR Blog post The publication of the post-Brexit UK Data Protection and Digital Information Bill (Data Reform Bill) in July 2022 signalled the UK Government’s intention to diverge from European data protection law in several critical areas. This blog post analyses this regulatory divergence and their potential implications, not only for UK-EU trade and relations, but also data subjects’ rights. By Mariano delli Santi
Big Tech Regulation: Contrasting UK and EU approaches to content moderation Blog post The differing approaches to the regulation of big tech in the UK and EU highlight some crucial questions for law-makers in both jurisdictions. The EU’s Digital Services Act and the UK’s Online Safety Bill both tackle the need to restrict certain content online and create a framework for regulating online platforms. The measures affect the underlying fundamentals of Internet services in very different ways, which could impact their operation across borders. This blog post considers how current policy choices in these two laws may influence future policy directions and ultimately the whole Internet ecosystem. By Dr. Monica Horten
Digital rights post-Brexit Dossier Since leaving the EU, the United Kingdom has new autonomy to explore differing approaches to regulating the digital economy and is seeking to deliver the potential benefits of regulatory divergence. This dossier considers the emerging issues within each major area of policy intervention – data protection, content policy and competition – to help policy makers in Europe and the UK begin a discussion about the potential effects of EU-UK divergence, to begin to think about where co-operation may still be needed, and, if this cannot be achieved, the best way to deal with the impacts they may be dealt with.
Annual Report 2021 Annual report As we write this in March of 2022, our review of the year 2021 is overshadowed by Russia’s brutal war of aggression against Ukraine. Because of this, not only foreign policy, but also domestic politics have now entered a new era. pdf
It is time for a European Association Statute! Dossier So far there has been no separate legal status for associations organised at European level. This not only makes transnational cooperation more difficult, but also makes civil society vulnerable.
“The time is right for a European Association” Interview As rapporteur for the European Parliament, MEP Sergey Lagodinsky has launched an initiative for a European legal framework for associations. With Christine Pütz, he discusses the objectives pursued and what it will take for the initiative to succeed. By Dr. Christine Pütz
European Democracy Conference 2022 Dossier Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine represents a watershed moment of truly unfathomable magnitude in European post-war history. This war between democracy and authoritarianism is also waged on another battleground: the media. A free, independent press and a vital, diverse media landscape are the backbone of a liberal democracy. But especially in Europe and in the EU, these pillars of democratic order are coming under increasing pressure. The Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung's European Democracy Conference 2022 will therefore focus on the question of how we can specifically and decisively counteract the advancing deterioration of free reporting.
The lessons we must learn from EuroPride Belgrade Commentary The EuroPride 2022 fiasco shows us one thing: Serbia will not become part of the EU under President Aleksandar Vučić. The EU must face the cultural war in the Western Balkans head on, tackle disinformation and take Serbia’s EU accession seriously. By Simon Ilse
A lot of “first times:” is Italy going to be the forerunner again? Analysis On 25 September 2022 Italy goes to the polls in an election that is characterized by many “first times.” It is the first time ever that the country votes just after the summer. Moreover, Italy is, for the first time, the country receiving most of the EU’s Next Generation EU budget (around 191 billion euros granted by common bonds). The “how to spend it” is of concern not only to the Italians and Brussels, but to the EU as a whole. By Costanza Hermanin
Gender agenda: The big conundrum in the general elections in Kenya and Senegal Analysis In the months of July and August 2022, Senegal and Kenya will hold their general elections. However, the big question remains: Where do Senegalese and Kenyan women stand on their quest to parliamentary mandates and political offices? By Dr. Saliou Ngom , Dr. Selly Bâ , Caroline Kioko and Nicola Egelhof
