Tech Policy Conference 2026

09:30 - 10:00

KEYNOTE ADDRESS: Two years into von der Leyen 2.0’s Commission: Are the EU’s digital rules surviving or thriving?

Two years into Ursula von der Leyen’s second Commission, technology is playing an unprecedented geopolitical role, after US Big Tech aligned itself with the Trump administration – which has openly threatened the EU with retaliatory tariffs and sanctions if the bloc enforces its digital rulebook on US tech. As a taster, Trump slapped travel restrictions on a former EU tech commissioner (Thierry Breton) early in 2026. High profile American tech CEOs have joined in with attacks on the bloc, with the likes of X owner Elon Musk openly insulting EU regulations and institutions.

At the same time, the von der Leyen Commission has been preoccupied with how to boost competitiveness and productivity – eyeing chasing the AI boom. The Commission’s Digital Omnibus package has seen the EU move to relax long-standing privacy standards and delay AI rules under a simplification drive that's geared towards accelerating AI development, yet some of the revisions have attracted accusations of yielding to a US Big Tech agenda.

Against this backdrop, Euractiv's Tech Policy Conference will dive into a shifting landscape for EU policymaking and enforcement, examining the mix of tensions driving lawmakers and assessing how changing power dynamics are impacting our digital rule of law.
10:00 - 11:00

PANEL 1: Overhauling the telecoms sector - Is the Digital Networks Act a step in the right direction?

Europe’s telecoms sector is under pressure to deliver reliable, high-quality connectivity while funding major upgrades to next-generation networks. The proposed Digital Networks Act aims to modernise the regulatory framework and create conditions that better support investment across the EU. Join this session to explore whether the initiative can tackle persistent market challenges and help ensure Europe’s connectivity infrastructure is ready for the demands of a more digital economy.

Panellists:
Audrey Scozzaro Ferrazzini, Vice-President Government Affairs, Qualcomm

Further panellists to be announced soon.
This panel is supported by Qualcomm.
11:00 - 11:45

PANEL 2: Rebooting Europe’s digital competitiveness: AI, cloud and the EU rulebook

Artificial intelligence and digital infrastructure are central to the EU’s ambitions on competitiveness, growth and digital sovereignty. With debates underway on the Digital Omnibus and a potential Cloud and AI Development Act, policymakers face a delicate balancing act: simplifying the digital rulebook and accelerating AI and cloud investment, while preserving trust, legal certainty and competition.

This panel will examine whether the EU’s emerging approach can genuinely boost AI uptake and infrastructure deployment, reduce strategic dependencies, and keep European markets open and competitive in a global digital landscape.
11:45 - 12:15 COFFEE BREAK
12:15 - 13:00

PANEL 3: Can the EU draft strong rules for the upcoming Digital Fairness Act alongside its push for tech simplification and concerns about digital under-enforcement?

As the EU advances plans for a Digital Fairness Act, questions are emerging about how new consumer protection rules will fit within the broader push to simplify the digital rulebook. At the same time, concerns around under-enforcement of existing legislation continue to grow, raising doubts about whether new obligations will deliver real impact. Join this session to explore how the EU can design effective and enforceable digital fairness rules, ensure consistent application across Member States, while balancing simplification with strong consumer protections in the evolving digital economy.
13:00 - 13:45

PANEL 4: Reinforcing Europe’s cybersecurity – Reconciliating openness with security and sovereignty

As cyber threats grow in scale and sophistication, strengthening Europe’s cybersecurity has become a strategic priority. The EU is expanding its cybersecurity framework through new rules, cooperation mechanisms, and resilience requirements, while seeking to preserve openness, innovation, and international cooperation. Join this session to examine how Europe can protect critical infrastructure, support a competitive cybersecurity industry, and reduce strategic dependencies, without fragmenting the digital single market or undermining global connectivity.

Panellists:
Marketa Gregorová MEP, Member, INTA Committee, European Parliament

Further panellists to be announced soon.

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Видео Tech Policy Conference 2026 канала Euractiv