A panel discussion at this year’s CPDP conference in Brussels explored growing concerns around the European Commission’s proposed Digital Omnibus package and what it could mean for consumers, competition and the future of digital regulation in Europe.
The session, Simplification for Whom? Unpacking the Consumer Impact of the Digital Omnibus, brought together perspectives from consumer organisations, regulators, policy experts and the European Commission to debate whether current efforts to simplify rules around the GDPR and AI Act risk weakening protections in the name of competitiveness.
A recurring theme throughout the discussion was whether claims that Europe’s digital rules are too complex are being driven by genuine operational challenges or by sustained lobbying pressure from large technology companies.
Finn Myrstad of the Norwegian Consumer Council argued that enforcement failures and market concentration remain among the biggest structural problems facing Europe’s digital economy. He criticised what he described as lengthy procedural delays in major privacy cases and warned against narratives suggesting that consumer protections themselves are the primary obstacle to innovation.
The discussion also touched on concerns around surveillance advertising, platform lock-in and the growing dominance of major technology firms across digital ecosystems. Myrstad argued that limited competition and data-driven business models risk creating increasingly addictive and exploitative online environments, particularly as AI systems become more deeply integrated into consumer platforms.
Several speakers highlighted the importance of ensuring that any simplification agenda does not come at the expense of legal certainty or fundamental rights. Participants questioned whether proposed revisions to the GDPR and AI Act could unintentionally create further fragmentation or uncertainty for businesses and consumers alike.
Representatives from the European Commission acknowledged concerns around inconsistent interpretation and implementation of existing rules across member states. The discussion referenced ongoing work examining how compliance burdens could be reduced while maintaining the core principles of the GDPR. Particular attention was given to challenges around data-sharing mechanisms, scientific research and the practical application of risk-based approaches.
The panel also explored the broader question of enforcement cooperation across Europe’s digital regulatory landscape. Reference was made to the European Data Protection Supervisor’s Digital Clearing House initiative, which aims to improve coordination and information-sharing between regulators working across competition, consumer protection and data governance issues.
Despite differing views on the scale and direction of reform needed, the discussion reflected a wider debate now shaping Europe’s digital policy agenda: how to balance competitiveness, innovation and simplification with consumer trust, effective enforcement and the protection of fundamental rights in an increasingly AI-driven economy.
