Notices by Thierry Breton (ec_commissioner_breton@social.network.europa.eu)

To access a plurality of voices and reliable sources of information, Europeans need #local and #regional media ?️

To support media #pluralism, we are launching today:

✔️A mapping of "media deserts"
✔️€1.2 million to boost innovation

Find out more ⤵️

https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/news/local-media-democracy-project-will-support-local-media-eu-news-deserts

#MediaFreedomAct??

?? As the last Telecommunication Council under the Czech Presidency of the EU was hosted yesterday, let’s have a look at some of the work accomplished in the past semester. ?

A General Approach on the AI Act:

The AI Act will guarantee the protection, the safety and the fundamental rights of our European citizens with regards to AI technologies.

At the same time, it will offer legal certainty to companies and entrepreneurs to allow them to make long-term investments.

https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/european-approach-artificial-intelligence

A general approach on the European Digital ID:

The e-ID will ensure the respect of privacy and personal data for European citizens.

The proposal also establishes a high level of security to access personal data through a harmonized approach.

It will allow European citizens to access public and private services with a sovereign form of identity.

https://ec.europa.eu/info/strategy/priorities-2019-2024/europe-fit-digital-age/european-digital-identity_en

Progress on the Data Act:

The Act consists of a horizontal set of rules on the sharing of data for all sectors of the EU economy.

The Data Act will strengthen the role of the EU data economy in the world to become a leader in this field.

It will ensure fairness in the value of data among actors in the data economy and foster access to and use of data.

https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/data-act

Progress on Cyber Resilience Act

Progresses were made on this proposal, which will establish a minimum set of cybersecurity requirements.

It will build our resilience to protect the internet of things against cyberattacks and to bring more transparency to the European consumers.

https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/library/cyber-resilience-act

Debate on Digital skills for the Digital Decade

For the 2023 European Year of Skills, we need to reduce our digital skills deficit, as 90% of workers today need a level of digital skills.

Let’s intensify our collective efforts for the digital decade and reach 80% of digital skills for the European population by 2030.

Let’s also help to close the gender gap in the field, as women only account for 20% of the digital workforce today.

https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/digital-skills

Information on the Telecom support for Ukraine

We continue our efforts to bring accessible roaming to millions of Ukrainian refugees.

Works are also ongoing to bring Ukraine within the European free roaming space, to support its war efforts.

I welcome Elon Musk’s statements of intent to get Twitter 2.0 ready for the DSA.

I am pleased to hear that he has read it carefully and considers it as a sensible approach to implement on a worldwide basis.

But let’s also be clear that there is still huge work ahead, as Twitter will have to implement transparent user policies, significantly reinforce content moderation and protect freedom of speech, tackle disinformation with resolve, and limit targeted advertising.