This week’s key occasions introduced by Euronews’ EU senior tech and trade reporter Cynthia Kroet.
Key diary dates
- Monday 13 January: EU Council to approve Switzerland becoming a member of the EU-funded army mobility undertaking.
- Tuesday 14 January: President of the Republic of Finland Alexander Stubb will host a summit of the Baltic Sea NATO international locations in Helsinki.
- Thursday 16 December: Candidates to turn out to be the following European Information Safety Supervisor to be heard within the civil liberties committee of the European Parliament.
In highlight
Lawmakers of the Parliament’s Civil Liberties, Justice and Dwelling Affairs Committee, LIBE, will on Thursday hear 4 candidates which might be operating to turn out to be the following European Information Safety Supervisor (EDPS) – the privateness watchdog of the EU establishments.
The hearings had been due in November however obtained delayed as a result of the European Fee failed to attract up the shortlist earlier than the mandate of the present EDPS, Wojciech Wiewiórowski, expired on 5 December.
Up for the job are Wiewiórowski – who has held the place since 2019 – French college professor François Pellegrini, Bruno Gencarelli, beforehand a cupboard member of former Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders and Anna Pouliou, chair of the Information Safety Fee at nuclear analysis centre CERN.
Though the EDPS shouldn’t be in a position to nice firms for a GDPR breach, since that’s a competence of the nationwide knowledge safety authorities, its advisory position to these watchdogs is especially vital. Because the AI Act will begin to apply this yr, and knowledge safety authorities will see their privateness work increasingly more intertwined with AI, the brand new EDPS can have an agenda setting position right here.
One other subject that the brand new chief will see carried over is the compliance of the Fee itself with the EU’s privateness guidelines concerning its use of Microsoft 365. The EU govt had till December to point out its compliance, the EDPS is now analysing the proof.
Coverage newsmakers
Gasoline transit spat
Slovakian prime minister Robert Fico was in combative temper after assembly EU high brass final week to debate Ukraine’s resolution to finish the transit of Russian gasoline by means of its territory, reiterating warnings of “reciprocal measures” towards its war-ravaged neighbour.
These may embody limiting electrical energy provides and help for Ukrainian refugees, Fico mentioned, additionally implying that his authorities is likely to be ready to dam motion on the EU degree.
“Sure, some might say that it’s merciless what I’m saying now, however it’s also merciless what [Ukrainian president Volodymyr] Zelenskyy is doing to us and what he’s doing to the EU,” Fico informed reporters in Brussels. “It’s damaging. It’s merciless.”
