Written by Irene Veth
Dear reader,
Welcome to Publyon’s Digital Policy Update (DPU). The birds are chirping, the flowers are starting to bloom, and Brussels has enjoyed a rare week (or two) of sunshine. In this Spring edition, we are happy to provide you with insights on the latest EU policy trends and developments to keep you informed. We cover the recently launched Clean Industrial Deal, the EU’s blueprint to decarbonise and strengthen its economy. In our Geopolitical corner, we look at the latest shenanigans in the US, Europe and the … European Parliament. And as always, we dive into the latest AI, cyber, and other digital policy news.
Europe’s bold plan for sustainable growth, the “Clean Industrial Deal”, represents a major shift for EU businesses, especially in energy-intensive sectors. Don’t miss your chance to engage with the Commission to shape this deal and influence the policy direction for the next five years.
The spotlight
Clean Industrial Deal
Spring is in the air, and so is the long-awaited Clean Industrial Deal (CID)! Published on 26 February, the CID prioritises AI-driven smart grids and IoT-based energy monitoring to optimise energy use and lower costs for energy-intensive industries.
Clean tech & clean energy
Initiatives like the European Grids Package (Q1 2026) and Clean Flexibility Instrument (Q4 2025) will facilitate real-time grid management, predictive maintenance, and demand-side flexibility, ensuring cheaper, cleaner energy.
Europe’s energy-intensive sectors require rapid transformation to remain competitive while meeting decarbonisation targets. The Industrial Decarbonisation Accelerator Act (Q4 2025) will introduce measures to fast-track permitting for electrification and clean energy projects, reducing bureaucratic delays. AI and big data analytics will optimise industrial efficiency by speeding up procedures and giving greater timing predictability.
The CID focuses on creating lead markets for decarbonised products, ensuring businesses investing in clean tech have long-term economic incentives. A voluntary low-carbon product labelling system (Q4 2025) will begin with steel and expand to cement and other materials, helping industries track and verify emissions. The revision of Public Procurement Directives (Q4 2026) will further embed sustainability criteria, ensuring that public and private sector purchasing supports low-carbon industrial development.
Money, money, money
To scale up digital and clean tech investments, the CID proposes the TechEU investment programme (2026), backed by the European Investment Bank (EIB) and private investors, to support industrial-scale technology adoption. The Industrial Decarbonisation Bank (Q2 2026) will mobilise €100 billion for clean manufacturing, leveraging resources from the Innovation Fund, which will provide €6 billion in 2025 for clean tech, battery manufacturing, hydrogen projects, and industrial decarbonisation. Additionally, the planned Competitiveness Fund under the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) will further support clean industry innovation and financing, acting as a one-stop shop for EU funding access.
Digital literacy and skills
The Clean Industrial Deal (CID) fosters digital and green skills through the Union of Skills initiative, published on 5 March, which prioritises STEM, ICT, AI, and engineering training for clean industry jobs and automation. The 2030 Roadmap on Digital Education and Skills (Q4 2025) will expand access to digital education, while the AI in Education and Training initiative (2026) will establish an AI literacy framework and integrate AI into workforce training. The STEM Education Strategic Plan (Q1 2025) aims to reverse declining STEM performance and improve gender balance in tech fields.
The Skills Portability Initiative (2026) will enhance qualification recognition and job mobility, while the European Fair Transition Observatory (Q1 2026) will track job security and workforce upskilling, using insights from the European Skills Intelligence Observatory to guide policymaking.
The CID will turn over a new leaf in ensuring the EU’s industry will remain competitive, while still seeking to reach the EU’s climate and energy goals.
Curious how the CID and the coming initiatives can impact your business? Don’t hesitate to reach out to our director Cathy Kremer at c.kremer@publyon.com.
Impact analysis for your business
Our free policy updates keep you informed, but is that enough? With our tailored EU Digital Policy Updates you’ll receive:
- Custom insights on how upcoming policy changes might impact your business;
- Strategic advice from your dedicated policy consultant on how to turn challenges into opportunities;
- Early warnings about key legislative developments.
Geopolitical corner
In Publyon’s geopolitical corner, we explore how geopolitics intertwines with digital (policy) developments. Read on to learn more about what the hottest topics were this month!
Sergeant McGrath
2025 is shifting gears, and so is the geopolitical world. Last month we reported the winter clouds that formed over Paris with JD Vance slashing EU regulations – the Digital Services Act (DSA) and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). In the meantime, Chairman of the American Federal Communications Commission, Brendan Carr, DSA rules was “something that is incompatible with both our free speech tradition in America and the commitments that these technology companies have made to a diversity of opinions”. In response, the EU sent their justice fighter, Commissioner Michael McGrath, to Washington who underlined the EU’s DSA “is absolutely not about censorship, it’s in many respects the opposite.” The Commissioner did an American tour defending the EU’s tech rules, arguing that no single company receives preferential treatment and will have to comply if needed, being American or not.
EU Tech Chief Virkkunen backed him up in a letter to the US House Judiciary Chair, reassuring that the DSA is content-agnostic and guarantees free speech unlike regimes in Russia, Iran or China.
Sun’s out, (hybrid) guns out
James Appathurai, NATO’s Deputy Secretary General and Kaja Kallas, EU Foreign Chief, made it clear during an interview that hybrid attacks will not end soon – even during a ceasefire with Russia in Ukraine. Appathurai reacted to an investigation of the European Broadcasting Union Investigative Journalist Network reporting an increasing number of hybrid attacks on European targets in the last 15 months by Russia.
Kallas didn’t mince words, bluntly describing it as “state-sponsored terrorism by Russia and Iran.” She warned Europe to brace for a long-term hybrid threat by Russia aimed at weakening the West.
Meanwhile, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is exploring alternative ways to unlock €800 billion for defence and joint procurement through Eurobonds, with regulatory easing on the table. Her “ReArm Europe” initiative calls for greater investment in defence capabilities, which could bode well for the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP). The scheme may be expanded to include digital innovations, clean and resource-efficient solutions, and biotechnology. We are keeping an eye out for the European Council Summit on 21 March.
Spring cleaning in Parliament
Speaking of China, the European Parliament is doing some spring cleaning in its transparency register. Nine Huawei employees have been temporarily banned from Parliament premises in Brussels, Luxembourg, Strasbourg and other offices worldwide. The move follows an ongoing investigation into alleged bribery, corruption, and forgery by the Chinese tech firm. The Belgian prosecutor’s office searched houses and offices in Portugal and Belgium, uncovering evidence of payments, excessive gifts, football game invites and trips dating back to 2021. Several people are being questioned, but no names have been released.
Policy updates
AI Act
The experts in the Working Groups are marching forward with drafting the Codes of Practice (CoP) for General-Purpose AI (GPAI). On 11 March, they presented the third draft of CoP, containing segments on transparency, copyright obligations and systemic risk assessments and mitigation. Interested in what it entails? See here for a summary and more information.
The AI Office will publish guidance in due time on clarifying the scope of GPAI rules. This will include definitions of AI models, market placement, provider roles, responsibilities along the value chain, and exemptions for models under open-source licenses. For now, answers to your questions can be found here.
Scientific panel
The Commission has adopted technical legislation to establish the rules and procedures for establishing and operating the scientific panel under the AIA. This advisory body, consisting of independent experts, would offer technical advice and input on enforcement to the AI Office and the national authorities. Experts be aware – a call for expression of interest for the panel will soon follow.
Reopening of the AIA?
Moreover, Lucilla Sioli, head of the Commission’s AI Office, confirmed that the ArtificiaI Intelligence Act (AI Act) would be part of the upcoming digital package (Q4 2025), with a focus on simplifying compliance for SMEs. The assessment will likely examine how the AIA intersects with other legislation and also tackle cybersecurity reporting and data-sharing rules.
However, whether this will lead to reopening the AIA itself remains uncertain. The Commission had previously announced an assessment of whether digital regulations meet the needs of businesses, especially SMEs and small midcaps.
What’s more in the pipeline?
AI remains high on the wish list of the Commission. According to the latest agenda, the AI Continent Action Plan will be published on 9 April. This strategy will focus on establishing AI gigafactories (large public access data centres) to boost supercomputing in the EU for SMEs. This follows the announcement of von der Leyen to mobilise up to €200 billion of European investments through the InvestAI initiative. In the meantime, the EuroHPC Joint Undertaking has presented six additional AI factories in Austria, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Poland and Slovenia, supported by national and EU investments of circa €485 million.
Additionally, we can welcome the Apply AI strategy in September 2025, which aims to increase the uptake of AI in the EU, including industrial uses. This strategy will be accompanied by dialogues between the Commission and relevant stakeholders to collect their views on the obstacles to adopting AI. A public consultation is set to be launched in April – which is the perfect time for companies to give input.
Last but not least, a little birdie told us the Cloud and AI Development Act is in the pipeline for 2026. This legislation will strengthen Europe’s cloud sovereignty, aiming to establish the right conditions for the EU industry to provide fully sovereign solutions for all strategic use cases within the EU. This concludes our busy update for AI this month!
Cyber corner
Remember the Cybersecurity Act (CSA)? The long-awaited review is coming up! The review aims to clarify the EU Agency for Cybersecurity’s (ENISA) mandate and enhance the certification framework. Additionally, it plans to streamline current cyber rules to boost resilience and support a secure supply chain, including the EU’s cybersecurity industrial base. A call for evidence will come soon, with a public consultation expected in Q1 2025. The proposal is expected to land in Q4 2025.
Meanwhile, the Cyber Resilience Act is moving forward, with the Commission preparing technical descriptions of important and critical products with digital elements. A public consultation on the draft implementing regulation is open until 15 April, allowing stakeholders to weigh in on stricter conformity assessment procedures for high-risk digital products.
Moreover, the Commission has unveiled a new cybersecurity blueprint to strengthen crisis coordination and ensure a rapid EU-wide response to cyber threats. Published on 24 February, it builds on existing frameworks like the EU Cyber Diplomacy Toolbox and the Critical Infrastructure Blueprint, reinforcing preparedness, detection, and recovery efforts. Executive Vice-President Henna Virkkunen stressed the urgency of protecting the EU’s digital infrastructure, advocating for closer EU-NATO cooperation, secure communications, and disinformation countermeasures.
Digital Fairness Act
As the season of renewal arrives, the Commission is busy preparing for the Digital Fairness Act (DFA). Commissioner Michael McGrath, responsible for the DFA, stated in a recent interview the proposal would be postponed to mid-2026. Additionally, he wants the Act to address young people and video games, stressing the need for safeguards against in-app purchases, gambling mechanics, and loot boxes that target minors.
With deceptive online tactics, dark patterns, algorithmic nudges, and subscription traps growing as rampant as springtime pollen, McGrath is stepping in. Companies should know that a public consultation will be held in mid-2025.
European Democracy Shield
We have some updates on the EU Democracy Shield report. MEP Kim van Sparrentak (Greens/EFA, the Netherlands) was appointed as the rapporteur. She will lead efforts to counter foreign digital interference and disinformation campaigns undermining EU democracy. The report will examine how big tech profits from extremist content, the role of AI-driven manipulation, and foreign actors’ cyber threats.
European Data Union Strategy
In other news, European Data Union Strategy is set for adoption in Q3 2025. It aims to streamline data-sharing rules while maintaining high privacy and security standards. Be prepared; companies will be asked to provide input to call for evidence soon, followed by a public consultation in Q1 2025. Keep an eye out!
Industrial Automotive Action plan
The Industrial Action Plan for the European Automotive Sector, published on 5 March, sets out key digital initiatives to strengthen the industry’s competitiveness. Central to this is the European Connected and Autonomous Vehicle Alliance, launching in 2025 to drive shared software and hardware development for software-defined vehicles. From 2026, large-scale cross-border testbeds and harmonised regulations will accelerate autonomous driving deployment.
Events
Our spring spots
Wondering where to mingle with us this month? Our colleague Marc Lütz will attend the Driving Effective Due Diligence: Omnibus Unpacked event on 24 March Monday, hosted jointly by the Responsible Business Alliance and the EPP.
Irene Veth will be at the ‘EU Industry: Kickstarting a resilient and decarbonised industry for clean technology’ event, jointly hosted by MEP Christophe Grudler (Renew Europe, France) and EdEn.
Additionally, Jan Van Braeken can be found sipping tonics at the Centre for Future Generations on 24 March and at Politico’s ‘Scaling up Europe’s telecom sector’ on 27 March.
Cathy Kremer will join Jan to Politico’s event on the telecom sector, and you’ll also be able to catch her at AI4Belgium’s event on the AI Act implementation tomorrow 20 March, at Bepact’s event about opportunities of AI in public affairs, and at CEPS’ event entitled ‘The geopolitics of the Clean Industrial Deal: new guidance for EU energy security and diplomacy’.
Last month, our Director Cathy Kremer and Irene Veth went to DigitalEurope’s Masters of Digital 2025. Small recap:
- “DIGITALEUROPE’s Masters of Digital is a not-to-be-missed event to be bubbling around in Brussels. As the most powerful tech lobby in town, it offers a good overview of what is trending and what you should look out for.
- “The EU Commission listened to the industry’s call to calm down on legislation. So this year, the focus shifted towards how to enable growth in Europe, i.e. through “speed and scale”. Tackle compliance costs and make sure tech can flourish in Europe. A lot of familiar calls and ideas when it comes to data, sustainability, connectivity. However, new trending topics that stood out for me were defence and water supply.”
We’re always eager to have a chat about the latest Digital Policy Update and other digital and tech news with our fellow digital policy enthusiasts. If you are interested in meeting the fanatics forming our digital and tech team, do not hesitate to reach out to us.
