MEPs called on Wednesday (8 October) for stronger enforcement of digital rules, amid concerns over external pressures that can undermine Europe’s digital sovereignty.
The European Commission has outlined how they are enforcing the EU’s digital regulation, citing this year's decision to impose multimillion-euro fines on both Apple and Meta for breaching rules under the bloc's flagship Digital Market Act (DMA).
“It's not up to companies to decide whether to comply with our rules, and it's not up to them or the other countries to decide how we enforce our rules," EU commissioner for digital affairs Henna Virkkunen told MEPs. "Europe decides for itself.”
But Malta socialist MEP Alex Agius Saliba argued that the Brussels executive had to be stricter in showing teeth in implementing the rules.
"This is not only a question of imposing fines. It is a situation where the European Commission should show that it is against how these platforms are operating," he said.
The plenary debate comes amid US president Donald Trump's threats of additional tariffs and US tech companies repeatedly disregarding EU rules — and lobbying against them.
Trump has threatened to impose additional tariffs and sanctions on countries that implement digital taxes or regulations perceived to disadvantage US Big Tech companies. The threats have raised concerns about potential retaliatory measures, which could impact trade negotiations, and have a negative impact on key European sectors.
"We have to work to keep a united west, but at the same time, we need to develop a guarantee of technical sovereignty for our continent," said rightwing Italian MEP Stefano Cavedagna of the European Conservatives and Reformists.
For her part, French Left MEP Leila Chaibi called the commission "a vassal of the US" that "does what Trump says."
Meanwhile, some MEPs have called for more rules to protect Europeans from the abuses of Big Tech —despite the upcoming digital omnibus expected to be unveiled in November.
"In order to avoid a wild west, we need more legislation," Danish socialist MEP Christel Schaldemose said.“For far too long, their business model has been at the detriment of our data and our welfare.”
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Owen Carpenter-Zehe is a junior reporter from the US at EUobserver, covering European politics.
Owen Carpenter-Zehe is a junior reporter from the US at EUobserver, covering European politics.