In particular, a series of changes threaten to weaken the entire framework of the EU AI Act by destroying its essence. The Digital Services Act and the Digital Markets Act may also be reconsidered on a large scale. Not to mention the Digital Networks Act and the EU Space Act, which are already the subject of legal disputes before they even see the light of day. Since the tariff agreement between the United States and Europe was signed last August, big tech companies backed by the Trump administration have stepped up pressure to soften the restrictions on all fronts.
Potential AI Act Delay
Europe’s landmark artificial intelligence law came into force in August 2024, but the deadline for full implementation is set for August 2027, with a key intermediate milestone in 2026. According to the Financial Times, a first review of potential amendments could take place in late 2026 as part of a wider digital omnibus package aimed at simplifying the guidelines.
At a daily press briefing on November 7, European Digital Sovereignty Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier acknowledged the growing concerns. “There is a lot happening in the field of artificial intelligence. Standards are lagging behind. There are concerns from industry and member states,” he said. “In this context, we have a ‘digital omnibus’ coming, and that would be an appropriate framework to address some of these concerns. But no decisions have been taken yet.”
The most significant change will include postponing the application of penalties for violations of the new rules by one year – from August 2026 to August 2027 – to “give providers and users of AI systems sufficient time to comply.”
Telecom industry is faltering
The Digital Networks Act was promised by the end of the year, but the EU Commission is delaying it. The Act will not be discussed again until the end of January 2026, assuming an agreement can be reached. There are strong differences of opinion between member states, particularly on two issues: decommissioning the copper network and strengthening the European regulatory authority BEREC.
On the issue of decommissioning the copper network, Germany reportedly said no to the proposed 2030 deadline, which it considered too soon. Regarding the strengthening of BEREC, several national authorities have expressed their opposition, citing differences in market conditions as their official rationale. In fact, this opposition is possible due to the fear of losing influence and power in their respective countries. In short, the single telecommunications market project is slipping away. The revision of net neutrality rules is missing from the version of the Digital Networks Act currently being worked on, while initiatives to rebalance market conditions between telecommunications and big tech companies have not been defined.
space is not unlimited
The United States has officially spoken out against the EU Space Act, and declared Europe’s proposal unacceptable because it would hinder American companies by limiting their scope of operations. In a 13-page document responding to a public consultation launched in July by the European Commission, the US State Department listed all the sections that would need to be amended for Europe to avoid retaliation for failing to meet commitments made in the framework agreement on tariffs. “The current draft of the EU Space Act contradicts the spirit of the Agreement,” the State Department wrote bluntly, calling on Europe to “allow seamless cooperation with U.S. government and industry rather than imposing additional barriers to cooperation.”
US tech giants oppose DSA and DMA
The European Commission keeps sending letters to US tech giants asking them to comply with the Digital Services Act (DSA) and the Digital Markets Act (DMA). But with a barrage of appeals from the parties involved, the deadline is becoming extremely long.
Apple and Google have sharply criticized the DMA in recent weeks, underscoring how tense negotiations with Europe are becoming. Last August, the Federal Trade Commission warned that some DSA rules may conflict with US laws, particularly regarding freedom of expression and the safety of United States citizens.
breaking the band
The US State Department reportedly lobbied on behalf of the Wi-Fi industry to protect a specific band of mobile spectrum, which includes major US companies such as Apple, Broadcom, Cisco and Qualcomm. According to MLX news outlet, the Radio Spectrum Policy Group (RSPG), which assists the European Commission in developing radio spectrum policy, has proposed a compromise on the use of the upper 6 GHz band in favor of the mobile phone industry.
The US State Department reportedly urged member states to reserve about half of the band for Wi-Fi services, particularly for high-speed, low-latency applications such as virtual reality and cloud gaming. According to MLEX, 13 out of 27 countries, including Italy, sided with mobile operators, while the others abstained. In any case, EU countries can change policy because the RSPG only issues recommendations, not binding decisions. The ball is in the European Commission’s court for the final decision.
This story originally appeared on WIRED Italia and is translated from Italian.
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