EU Tech Developments: Irish Presidency, Europol Powers, Smart Glasses Regulation, Digital Embassies
The EU executive is seeking to enhance Europol with cloud infrastructure and data probing powers. Ireland's upcoming EU presidency will focus on tech regulation. Lawmakers are concerned about surveillance risks from smart glasses, and governments are increasingly storing data abroad due to security threats.
The EU executive has proposed that Europol, the union's police agency, should be equipped with cloud infrastructure and greater authority to probe data, according to a draft mandate. This aims to strengthen the agency's capabilities in combating crime.
Ireland is set to assume the presidency of the Council of the European Union on July 1. Tech regulation will be a central theme of Dublin's leadership, shaping rules for the companies it hosts.
In a separate development, European lawmakers and regulators are alarmed by the surveillance risks posed by cameras embedded in smart glasses. A crackdown on such devices is being considered.
Additionally, governments are increasingly storing their data outside national borders. This trend is driven by the need to protect against cyberattacks, hybrid warfare, and military conflicts, leading to the rise of so-called digital embassies.
