Overview
- The Commission outlined an omnibus simplification drive covering the GDPR, the EU Data Act, cybersecurity rules and the AI Act, with possible changes to cookie consent practices.
- The proposals are not yet law and require approval from EU governments and the European Parliament before any changes take effect.
- French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz urged a one‑year delay to high‑risk AI obligations and called for GDPR simplification at a Berlin digital summit.
- Parts of the AI Act are scheduled to be enforced by the European AI Office from August 2026, while industry groups continue to seek more time to comply.
- More than 120 organisations including Amnesty International, along with MEPs such as Alexandra Geese, cautioned that ‘simplification’ must not erode citizens’ rights, as the Commission’s Henna Virkkunen pledged to keep strong safeguards.