We don’t have confirmation on two of the most important Commission positions for tech, neither did we get much detail on what they plan to pursue should they be confirmed.
Last night, two of the biggest headliners for tech policy, Henna Virkkunen and Teresa Ribera RodrĂguez, the EU’s designated tech and competition czars respectively, were grilled by MEPs.
Confirmation for the two of them could come as early as tomorrow and as late as next week.
A coalition from the European Parliament's pro-European majority, EPP, S&D, and Renew, has delayed the confirmation meetings for the executive vice-president nominees, including Virkkunen and Ribera.
The effect of Trump’s election was palpable in both rooms, with Virkkunen fending off attacks that she is taking advantage of her gender to get the position and Ribera having to affirm that climate change is real.
Virkkunen towed the Commission line carefully, mainting confidence as she answered MEPs questions. She didn’t give much beyond what was in her written responses. Here are some tidbits we found interesting: She said the Digital Networks Act “could also” be a review of the European Electronics Communication Code. She is “not very satisfied” with the implementation of the 5G toolbox in the EU. She would like to see member states require mobile operators to de-risk their infrastructure by reducing reliance on products from high-risk vendors like China’s Huawei and ZTE. This could come in the current review of the Cyber Security Act. She suggested a "Quantum Act” aimed at pooling EU countries' quantum researchers and investments. She will ask the Commission services reporting to her “to list all the reporting obligations for our industries and SMEs," and "see how they can cut these obligations."
Ribera was continuously attacked by the right on her lack of experience on competition policy. She clearly did her homework though and kept a cool demeanour through a hectic hearing. That being said, she didn’t give us specifics on killer acquisitions or how a “new competition policy” will enable European tech champions without hurting consumers. She said the Commission needs to “find other means to structurally strengthen” its capacity to enforce the DMA when asked about a lack of compliance and the possibility of levying monitoring fees on Big Tech firms. | 