Without a hitch, a now-familiar playbook unfolded: The European Commission\u00a0stood by its \u201csovereign right to regulate,\u201d European lawmakers urged the EU executive not to give in, and experts quipped that the EU might have to relinquish the very right to regulate it had claimed as a big win in the trade deal.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe must stand firm on our principles and react if words actually become action,\u201d said Italian Social Democrat lawmaker Brando Benifei, chair of the European Parliament\u2019s EU-U.S. delegation. \u00a0<\/p>\n
The back-and-forth is the umpteenth episode of a saga that started right after Trump took office. The U.S. has tried every possible trick in the book to undermine the EU\u2019s tech rule books, the Digital Services Act and the Digital Markets Act, claiming they censor Americans and unfairly target American companies.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Brussels is clinging to its right to regulate the digital space and U.S. tech companies. \u00a0<\/p>\n
Just when Brussels thought it had won some relief, its biggest headache \u2014\u00a0the enforcement of its landmark tech rules \u2014\u00a0is back. The Commission\u2019s tech and competition departments, DG Connect and DG Comp, are overseeing several open probes under the DSA and the DMA, while one against Elon Musk\u2019s X is being closely watched. \u00a0<\/p>\n