Source: Lawfare

Lawfare analyzes a significant strategic pivot in the European Union's approach to digital legislation as of December 2025. After a decade of aggressive regulatory expansion—culminating in the GDPR, the Digital Services Act (DSA), and the AI Act—the article suggests that Brussels is entering a phase of consolidation and enforcement rather than drafting new statutes. This shift is reportedly driven by growing concerns over Europe's economic competitiveness and the "regulatory burden" cited in recent high-level economic reports, which argue that complex compliance frameworks may be stifling innovation and widening the productivity gap with the United States and China.

The piece details how the new European Commission is prioritizing the practical implementation of existing laws, focusing on streamlining procedures and clarifying ambiguities for businesses. There is a noted emphasis on "regulatory simplification" to foster a more favorable environment for tech startups and scale-ups. However, the author warns that this change in course does not signal a deregulation, but rather a more targeted application of the EU's digital rulebook, ensuring that the ambitious standards set in previous years are effectively translated into market realities without hindering technological growth.