#EUFridays by JEF Hungary #13
Patrik György
Feb-11-2022
Meta warns it may have to shut Facebook down in Europe
Due to European data regulations Facebook and Instagram may end up being shut down in Europe, as said by parent company Meta. EU regulations prevent Meta from storing and processing European data on US-based servers. The reaction from EU leaders has however surprisingly been one of elation. In its annual report to the US Securities and Exchange Commission Meta stated that “If we are unable to transfer data between and among countries and regions in which we operate, or if we are restricted from sharing data among our products and services, it could affect our ability to provide our services, the manner in which we provide our services or our ability to target ads”. Since then, Meta has clarified that it believes it will reach a new agreement this year. A European Commission spokesperson stated that “Only an arrangement that is fully compliant with the requirements set by the EU court can deliver the stability and legal certainty stakeholders expect on both sides of the Atlantic”.
The EU’s €43 billion chip plan
European commission president Ursula von der Leyen has revealed a €43 billion plan for the EU to become a major microchip producer in order to overcome its dependency on Asian computer chip makers. All around the world governments and businesses have been battling a supply chain crisis that is thought to persist for the year. Von der Leyen said that, “chips are at the centre of the global technological race and are the bedrock of modern economies”. The plan still requires EU parliament and member state backing. This EU move comes as Joe Biden has pushed for a $52 billion investment in the US national chip producing sector. The disruptions can be seen as a result of the Omicron strain impacting all areas of nations economies. Geopolitical shifts, rise of nationalism and climate change have all lead to governments and companies to rethink how they do business.
EU to launch inquiry on Pegasus scandal
Evidence had emerged that government critics in Hungary and Poland were targeted with the Pegasus surveillance software. Now the European parliament is preparing to launch a committee of inquiry into the matter. The software developed by an Israeli company, NSO Group, is said to have infected the phones of some 50,000 people across Europe, including the French President, the European Council president and other heads of state and senior officials in 34 countries. Didier Reynders, the EU justice commissioner “totally condemned” the alleged attempts of national security services to illegally acquire information on political opponents. He also said the pending EU privacy regulations would further strengthen the rules, and called on member states and MEPs to urgently agree on detail of the new law.