In this blog, we analyse the Labour government's planned reforms to the UK's data protection and cyber security frameworks.
What next for cyber security and data protection regulation in the UK?
Written by Matthew Niblett on 16 Aug 2024
Will Breton be back?
Written by Igor Ramage on 26 Jul 2024
In this blog, we investigate what role current French Commissioner for Internal Market Thierry Breton might play in the upcoming European Commission.
Supreme Court decision to overturn Chevron Deference signals shift in regulatory abilities
Written by Sameer Surti on 25 Jul 2024
On 28 June, the US Supreme Court overturned the ‘Chevron deference’, an administrative law principle allowing federal agencies to interpret and implement statutes with the understanding that federal courts would ultimately defer to those agencies’ interpretation of ambiguous laws. In this blog, we will go over the Supreme Court’s ruling and the implications it could have on the technology sector, with a particular focus on AI.
European Parliament gets to work
Written by Nathan Shepura on 23 Jul 2024
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has won a second five-year term. Her focus will be competitiveness, security and sustainability — defined less by green ideology than a push for clean industrialisation. With the European Parliament’s committees now formed, work will start in the autumn: to vet commissioners-designate, and vie for political control of the new programme. In this blog, we explore the key committees and committee members for the tech sector.
King’s Speech – the UK’s legislative programme for the tech, climate, and energy sectors
Written by Mitali Sud on 18 Jul 2024
On 17 July, King Charles III delivered the King's Speech, outlining the government's legislative programme for the new parliamentary session. The government has announced 40 bills which aim to unlock growth and ‘take the brakes off Britain’. This blog examines the proposals affecting the tech, climate, and energy sectors, and what business should expect as the government introduces legislation.
What does Labour’s election win mean for the tech, climate and clean energy sectors?
Written by Pia Doering on 05 Jul 2024
The electorate has given Labour the second-largest majority (after Tony Blair in 1997) in British parliamentary history since Clement Atlee led a Labour Government in 1945. While the result needs to be qualified by the low voter turnout (at an estimated 60%, it was the second-lowest in post-war history) and the low share of the vote that Labour obtained (at only approximately 34%), the size of its majority means the party will have a largely free hand in pushing its agenda through parliament. Now that the UK has a new Prime Minister, a new parliament, and, shortly, a new cabinet, we look at what Labour’s victory could mean for the tech as well as the climate and energy sectors.
Online Safety Act: What happens now?
Written by Pia Doering on 03 Nov 2023
The Online Safety Bill was introduced in March 2022 to make the UK the ‘safest place in the world to be online’. After a long journey through Parliament, the Bill passed its final parliamentary stages on Tuesday 19 September and was granted royal assent on 26 October 2023, meaning it is now enshrined in law as the Online Safety Act (OSA). However, companies will not have to comply with most of the Act’s provisions immediately. Rather, many details are yet to be set out via secondary legislation and guidance. In this blog post, we take a look at the next steps under the UK’s new online safety regime.
Short-term rental regulation could lead to fragmentation and legal uncertainty for platforms
Written by Inline Policy on 31 Jan 2023
On 7 November 2022, the European Commission published a proposal for a Regulation on data collection and sharing relating to short-term rentals. The proposed Regulation aims to establish a framework to share data between online platforms, hosts and public authorities. This blog analyses the two most pertinent parts of the proposed Regulation; it identifies the aspects that may cause friction; and it suggests how this friction could be addressed by policymakers.
The Swedish Presidency’s Programme – for a greener, safer, freer Europe
Written by Inline Policy on 20 Jan 2023
Sweden assumed the Presidency of the Council of the EU on 1 January and presented its policy programme on Tuesday 17 January to the European Parliament. The programme focuses on competitiveness, security, rule of law and sustainability. In this article, we examine the digital and sustainable priorities outlined in the programme. The Swedish Presidency is expected to drive progress in areas such as cyber security, data sharing, digital identity, and sustainability.
Local elections 2021: red wall versus blue wall?
Written by Matthew Niblett on 10 May 2021
Much of the focus on this weekend’s election results has been on the Conservative successes in the so-called red wall but less attention has been paid to the inroads by other parties in the Tory’s ‘blue wall’ in the south east of England. In this blog, Matt Niblett rings a warning bell for the Tories.
Why a European AB5 is still some way off
Written by Matthew Niblett on 06 Mar 2020
California’s recent regulation to address perceived imbalances in the gig economy (known as AB5) has set tongues wagging about the future of companies like Uber and Lyft. Given Europe’s reputation for being tough on tech giants, is a similar intervention on this side of the Atlantic now inevitable?
Consumer protection legislation in the connected future
Written by Inline Policy on 02 Mar 2020
The spread of tiny chips into more and more everyday items promises a cumulative leap in convenience for consumers and productivity for businesses. Yet as ever more consumer devices become hooked up to the internet and the line between hardware and software blurs, the question of consumer protection and the need for new consumer regulations will receive greater attention.
The politicisation of technology regulation: four drivers that will shape 2020
Written by Inline Policy on 16 Jan 2020
As Europe begins the year in a state of relative stability with the EU Commission firmly in place as well as new governments in the UK and Spain, all eyes are on how policymakers will now respond to popular demand for changes to our liberal order. The tech sector could be in for a rough ride.