Data shows that incoming EU technical commissioner Hena Virkunen has shown an increased interest in technical documents such as audiovisual law during her 10 years as an MP.
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Incoming EU Commissioner for Technology, Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, Hena Virkunen (EPP, Finland), has served two terms as a member of the European Parliament and was elected for a third time in June. was nominated. Commissioner in early July.
Euronews investigated her main digital focus areas as a member of parliament’s Industrial Research and Energy Committee (ITRE) since 2014, based on written and oral questions she submitted to the committee. It shows that her interest in audiovisual and small business has increased since 2014. year.
Audiovisual questions
In his second term (2019-2024), Virkunen posed more questions to the EU executive than in his first term. Of the 76 written questions she submitted, about 15 dealt with technology and industry topics. Additionally, she asked six verbal questions, one of which was related to technology.
This is an increase compared to her first assignment (2014-2019), when she asked a total of 40 written questions, seven of which were technology-related. She asked eight oral questions, two of which were related to technology: consumer rights and online services.
The questions in her first role were broader, covering a range of issues including consumer protection and VAT on e-books and online sales.
For example, on data, she discussed how the European Commission intends to ensure access and availability of data to support innovation and development, and how the EU intends to ensure that liability rules are harmonized across Europe. I asked if the executive branch was planning to change the liability rules.
This changed in his second assignment, where he asked six written questions related to intellectual property and audiovisual law, as well as two questions about small and medium-sized enterprises and two questions about energy efficiency and IT.
Her question on audiovisual touched on the Digital Services Act (DSA). She said that in 2021, the film and audiovisual sector has “suffered severe losses due to the widespread illegal use of copyrighted content, including during the pandemic”, but that the DSA could protect it. . Requests the committee to confirm that there is no “privilege of responsibility.”
Also in May 2021, Mr. Virkkunen asked about the European Commission’s approach to supporting the recovery of the audiovisual sector and guaranteeing full territorial exclusivity and commercial freedom.
The third question focused on whether the Commission plans to include streaming platforms with a competitive advantage in the common media data space.
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Last November, she said she wanted to know more about the Digital Networks Act, a planned overhaul of EU telecommunications rules scheduled for next year, and said regulations “need to encourage investment”.
“To reduce the amount of unnecessary regulation, ambitious and quantitative targets need to be set, and these should be actively monitored. Regulation must be consistent and predictable. “It must be neutral, competitively and technologically neutral,” he said, adding that the European Commission must ensure that such “unnecessary regulations in the field of electronic communications” are removed during the remainder of his current term. I asked if they wanted to abolish it.
As rapporteur (a member of parliament who prepares parliamentary views on legislation), she was responsible for the report on online platforms and the digital single market in 2018.
She contributed to separate Digital Single Market reports between 2014 and 2019 as a so-called shadow rapporteur (representing her political group on the dossier). In addition, she wrote an opinion piece on Horizon Europe, a technology and innovation fund.
In her second role, she prepared a report on cybersecurity for EU institutions and, as a shadow rapporteur, prepared a report on cybersecurity requirements for products. She also submitted an opinion on information security in EU institutions and an opinion on the Digital Services Act.
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Virkkunen will need to stick to the work that Commission President Ursula von der Leyen outlined in her mission letter, including promoting AI innovation, digital network legislation and strengthening cybersecurity, but she will be required to do so in parliament next month. She will likely be grilled about her ideas.
In a July post on It added that this includes “accelerating digitalization and investment.”
