The European Commission has officially withdrawn draft regulations concerning technology patents, artificial intelligence, and consumer privacy on messaging platforms, citing a lack of foreseeable agreement among EU lawmakers and member states. The scrapped proposals, heavily contested by industries and Big Tech, included rules for regulating standard essential patents (SEPs) used in telecom equipment, mobile phones, and connected devices. Initially proposed two years ago, the patent rule aimed to reduce costly litigation but faced opposition from patent holders like Nokia, Ericsson, and Siemens.
Nokia welcomed the decision, stating that the rules could have negatively impacted global innovation and reduced incentives for European R&D investments. However, the Fair Standards Alliance, representing companies like BMW, Tesla, Google, and Amazon, expressed disappointment, criticizing the move as harmful to businesses relying on predictable SEP licensing systems.
The AI Liability Directive, which aimed to hold developers and providers accountable for AI-related harm, was also shelved. While the EU executive promised to review the potential for a future proposal, legal experts like Rod Freeman emphasized that existing groundbreaking AI laws in Europe are yet to reveal their full impact.
Lastly, the Commission abandoned its ePrivacy Regulation proposal, which would have applied stricter privacy rules to Big Tech services like WhatsApp and Skype. The plan, stalled since 2020 due to disagreements on cookie tracking and child protection measures, was deemed outdated in light of recent legislative developments.
Source: Swifteradio.com
