December 2020 - Dialogues on European Digital Transition

The new Digital Services Act takes on the big online platforms

European Association for Digital Transition Democratic quality December 29, 2020June 9, 2021Digital rights, Digital Services Act, European Commission

On December 15, the European Commission presented its regulatory proposal on a single market for digital services (known as the Digital Services Act), a common set of rules on intermediaries’ obligations and accountability across the digital single market.

The battle for local businesses as a symbol of European digital sovereignty

European Association for Digital Transition Economic future December 22, 2020June 9, 2021Amazon, Local business, saveyourzone

Should it be of interest, we are reproducing an article written by our president, Ricardo Rodríguez Contreras, in the Spanish newspaper El Economista, about our ‘Save your zone’ campaign.

All you have to do is walk down the shopping streets of any Spanish city to verify a reality: the lock downs and restrictions to fight the pandemic have put nearby businesses on the edge of a cliff. According to the Spanish Trade Confederation (CEC), some 67,500 establishments, 15% of the total, have already closed forever. And in the short term, almost 50,000 more could fall, estimates the same source. One in four businesses could disappear in just one year.

‘Save your zone’: A campaign going beyond local business

European Association for Digital Transition Economic future December 21, 2020June 9, 2021Amazon, Labor Relations, Local business, saveyourzone

Since the end of November, the European Association for Digital Transition has been doing the ’save your zone’ campaign in the four leading economies of the European Union – Spain, France, Italy and Germany. With this initiative, we are looking to defend nearby stores during a Christmas season that, for many businesses, will decide their survival.

Europe’s battle between ePrivacy and child safety

European Association for Digital Transition Rights and freedom December 4, 2020June 9, 2021Childhood, European Commission, Privacy

When the European Commission adopted a proposal for a Regulation on Privacy and Electronic Communications back in 2017, it probably had no idea of the conflict to come. Better known as the ePrivacy Directive, the proposed legislation simply aims to update protections of the fundamental right of EU citizens to privacy and confidentiality when using public communications networks. And it’s finally due to come into effect on 21 December.

After the US launch of Amazon Pharmacy, is Europe next?

European Association for Digital Transition Economic future December 3, 2020June 9, 2021Amazon, Competition, health, Local business

Amazon’s announcement last week that it was launching its own online pharmacy not only shook the US drugs market but also raised questions here in Europe. The online retail giant has already reshaped the shopping and shipping landscape. Now, it plans to enter the prescription and over the counter medicine market worth the equivalent of €260 billion in the US alone.

OK, Amazon is too powerful. What should we do?

European Association for Digital Transition Economic future December 2, 2020June 9, 2021Amazon, Local business, saveyourzone

Amazon was born in 1994 as a bookstore, because it was clear to Jeff Bezos that book sales were a perfect fit for e-commerce. The founder of Amazon developed the right idea at the right time, and the rest is an impressive story of business success: Amazon is worth more than a trillion and a half dollars on the stock exchange today. To give some context, this is a figure that far exceeds the combined GDP of Spain and Portugal.