Even before the European Commission presented its proposals to do away with red tape for tech companies on Wednesday, November 19, the plans had already drawn sharp criticism from liberals and the left in the European Parliament, as well as from consumer advocacy groups.

Now, under pressure from Germany, many of whose proposals are in the new omnibus law, as well as from the United States and major industry players, the Commission made some decisive choices. The stated goal: to help the European Union (EU), which has lagged significantly behind the United States and China in digital innovation, avoid missing out on the artificial intelligence (AI) revolution.

Some proposed measures have proven especially controversial. Chief among them are those that, in the name of innovation, challenge an EU cornerstone: the 2016 General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Brussels’ proposal to delay the entry into force of obligations created by the 2024 Artificial Intelligence Act (AI Act) for so-called “high-risk” AI models also foreshadowed difficult debates among member states and within the European Parliament, which will both have to eventually weigh in.

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