European Union

In June 2025, the European Parliament (“EP”) published its draft report on “Copyright and generative artificial intelligence – opportunities and challenges” (available here). The draft report calls on the European Commission to make a series of changes to the way that copyright is protected in the age of generative AI (“GenAI”). The EP notes the challenges in finding a balance between respecting existing laws and protecting the rights of content creators on the one hand, while not hindering the development of AI technologies in the European Union on the other. In its report, the EP focuses on the perceived copyright-related risks posed at the GenAI training stage and the GenAI output stage.Continue Reading European Parliament Proposes Changes to Copyright Protection in the Age of Generative AI

On 21 January 2026, the European Commission (“Commission”) unveiled its landmark proposal for the Digital Networks Act (“DNA Proposal”), an ambitious attempt to overhaul the framework for the regulation and development of electronic communications networks and services across the EU. The Commission’s stated aim with the DNA Proposal is to establish a “modern and simplified legal framework that incentivises the transition from legacy networks to fibre, high quality 5G and 6G networks, and cloud-based infrastructures, as well as increased scale through service provision and cross-border operation.” To do this, the DNA Proposal would replace and consolidate several existing EU laws, including the European Electronic Communications Code (“EECC”), the BEREC Regulation, and parts of the Open Internet Regulation and e-Privacy Directive.

A key theme of the proposal is harmonization of rules—arising first and foremost from the fact that this is a directly-applicable Regulation rather than a Directive like the current European Electronic Communications Code. Several of the substantive provisions in the DNA Proposal may take a significant amount of influence over the communications networks and services away from Member State governments and up to EU level. In turn, the Commission clearly hopes to promote larger-scale communications network and service providers that can operate across the EU, and that have the funds to invest in modern communications infrastructure. The DNA Proposal could, therefore, have a substantial and long-lasting impact on the connectivity and communications markets in the EU, although we anticipate significant debate about many of the provisions of the DNA Proposal throughout the legislative process.

Below, we summarize seven of the most eye-catching changes to the regulatory framework for communications providers in the DNA Proposal.Continue Reading Seven Major Changes in the European Commission’s Proposal for an EU Digital Networks Act

The Commission has issued a call for evidence in relation to its 2026 evaluation and review of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive (“AVMSD”). 

The AVMSD came into force in 2010 and establishes the EU’s regulatory framework for audiovisual media services.  It governs the EU level coordination of national legislation on all audiovisual media, including traditional TV broadcasts and on-demand services.

The first review of the AVMSD was carried out in 2018 and resulted in the introduction of new provisions governing video sharing platforms.

Under Article 33 of AVMSD, the Commission is required to assess the impact and added value of the AVMSD and present an ex-post evaluation report, accompanied where appropriate by proposals for reviewing the Directive, by 19 December 2026.  This second review of the AVMSD is also part of the Commission’s commitments in the recently announced European Democracy Shield, which aims to foster the EU media sector to achieve stronger and more resilient democracies. Continue Reading The European Commission calls for evidence ahead of its 2026 evaluation and review of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive

In this blog post we set out key practical steps for technology-focused deal-making, having regard to the regulatory, antitrust and foreign investment screening issues identified in our earlier blogs here and here.

Key impacts of technology regulation on deal outcomes

The evolving regulatory landscape is having a significant impact on deal outcomes, including (i) longer timelines due to complex regulatory approval requirements; (ii) higher diligence burden, especially around data, AI and ownership transparency; (iii) greater risk allocation pressure in deal terms; and (iv) increased use of creative structures to mitigate regulatory exposure. Continue Reading Technology Industry Trends and M&A Outlook in the EU and UK, Part 3: Recommendations for Tech M&A and Strategic Transactions

Until the last year, merger control in the UK has been fairly hostile towards tech deals, with a highly interventionist competition authority taking an uncompromising line on global deals; even where those deals had only a limited nexus to the UK. The EU has generally taken a more pragmatic approach, clearing Google’s acquisition of Fitbit in 2020, and Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision in May 2023, following the acceptance of remedies by the tech firms. However, it, too, has taken some more hardline positions, such as prohibiting the Booking.com/etraveli merger based on a novel theory of harm related to the Booking.com travel ecosystem. 

This has all taken place against the backdrop of an explosion of tech regulation (see our prior blog post here). The wave of new rules also introduced new merger filing requirements for those tech firms who have been designated as gatekeepers in the EU (under the Digital Markets Act (DMA) (2022)), or firms with strategic market status in the UK (under the Digital Markets Competition and Consumers Act (DMCCA) (2024)). Just this month the CMA designated Google with strategic market status (SMS) in general search and search advertising services. This comes, almost to the day, two years after the EU’s designation of Google’s parent company and five others as gatekeepers. More tech regulation is on the horizon, for example the remaining parts of the AI Act, on general-purpose AI, are due to enter into force in the EU in August 2026.Continue Reading Technology Industry Trends and M&A Outlook in the EU and UK, Part 2: Antitrust/FDI Environment for Tech

Technology-focused deals are driving many of the largest global M&A and strategic transactions—whether digital infrastructure, artificial intelligence (AI), digital services or gaming. The successful execution of these transactions and ultimate success of the business opportunities promised by them, depends on understanding how emerging technology, regulation and market norms are evolving. In this three-part blog series, from an EU and a UK perspective, we will cover: (1) the new regulatory landscape for tech, (2) the evolving antitrust and foreign investment screening environment and (3) recommendations for planning, structuring and executing technology-focused M&A and other strategic transactions.Continue Reading Technology Industry Trends and M&A Outlook in the EU and UK, Part 1: The New Regulatory Landscape for Tech

Before issuing a proposal for a Quantum Act, the European Commission has issued a call for evidence (“Call for Evidence”), asking for views from all stakeholders on the best approach to addressing structural problems that the Commission has identified in the areas of research, industrial capacity, and supply chain resilience. Industry stakeholders already grappling with multiple EU data and cyber-related laws, regulations, and assessment procedures may be most interested in the proposal to develop an EU-level monitoring and resilience framework for supply chain products needed to build quantum technologies. The Call for Evidence is open until 26 November 2025Continue Reading European Commission launches a call for evidence on the impact assessment for the forthcoming EU Quantum Act

On September 23, 2025, the Italian law on artificial intelligence (hereinafter, “Italian AI Law”) was signed into law, after receiving final approval by the Italian Senate on September 17, 2025. 

The law consists of varied provisions, including general principles and targeted sectoral rules in certain areas not covered by the EU AI Act.  The Italian AI Law will enter into force on October 10, 2025.

We provide below an overview of key aspects of the final text of the Italian AI Law.  For full detail, please see our previous blogpost here.Continue Reading Italy Adopts Artificial Intelligence Law

On June 26, 2025, the European Parliament’s Committee on Employment and Social Affairs published a draft report (“Draft Report”) recommending that the Commission initiate the legislative process for an EU Directive on algorithmic management in the workplace.  The Draft Report defines algorithmic management as the use of automated systems—including those involving artificial intelligence—to monitor, assess, or make decisions affecting workers and solo self-employed persons.

This Draft Report follows a Commission study published in March 2025 (“Commission Study”), which found that while existing EU legislation, such as the GDPR, addresses some risks to workers from algorithmic management, others remain.  The Commission Study also recognizes that the AI Act does not establish specific rights for workers in the context of AI use, which is noted as a concern.

The Draft Report encloses the proposed text for a new Directive on algorithmic management in the workplace (“Proposed Directive”).  The Draft Report has not yet been endorsed by the European Parliament.Continue Reading European Parliament Committee Recommends Commission to Propose EU Directive on Algorithmic Management

On 25 June 2025, the European Commission (“EC”) announced its long-awaited proposal for a Regulation on the safety, resilience, and sustainability of space activities in the EU (the “Draft EU Space Act” or “Draft EUSA”). The Draft EUSA proposes to impose obligations on providers of “space services,” which are:

  • The operation and control of human-made objects sent to space;
  • The provision of space launch services;
  • Services provided by “primary providers of space-based data,” a term covering providers that carry out the first processing of either communications data or observation data received from outer space (which may include electronic communications service providers);
  • In-space services and operations; and
  • Collision-avoidance services.

Most of the obligations in the Draft EUSA would apply to providers of space services that are located in the EU, and those located outside the EU but that provide services to space operators in the EU. However, the rules on safety described below would apply to space objects that generate data or enable the provision of space services in the EU. These rules, and certain rules on collision avoidance, would also apply to space objects that at or lower than a geostationary orbit.

The explanatory memorandum notes that 13 EU Member States have passed national legislation related to space, which creates the risk of a fragmented internal market for the space sector. The Draft EUSA therefore establishes rules in four main areas in an attempt to harmonize the law relating to this sector, namely authorization and registration requirements, and obligations to ensure safety, resilience, and sustainability of space services. We describe these in more detail below.Continue Reading The European Commission announces a proposal for the first EU Space Act