In a nutshell: genuine simplification should make rules clearer, enforcement stronger & justice accessible.

Simplification means:
✅ Clearer rules and stronger enforcement
✅ Strengthen protections for people, not weaken them
✅ Ensure equal access to rights for all communities, especially those most affected by technology harms.

Anything less risks rolling back years of progress, putting 500 million people at risk of privacy, equality, and security breaches.
(6/n)

edri.org/our-work/deregulating…

Deregulating digital rights: Why the EU’s war on ‘red tape’ should worry us all - European Digital Rights (EDRi)

The European Commission has made deregulation a top priority for the EU over the next four years. Under the banner of ‘simplifying’ EU rules, we risk seeing the entire digital rulebook – for which we have advocated for years – being stripped away.

^{European Digital Rights (EDRi)}

But that’s not it: the process itself is deeply flawed. Short consultation timelines, industry-dominated “reality checks,” and optimistic impact assessments leave little room for alternative views.

That’s not meaningful participation: it creates legal uncertainty and reduces scrutiny, undermining democratic oversight, while leaving room for corporate wish-lists.

Something we have previously raised together with other 470 CSOs & trade union groups.
(5/n)

edri.org/our-work/open-letter-…

The Omnibus also targets the EU’s new AI Act before it’s even in force.

While the Act could go further, it’s a major step for accountability, transparency and fairness in AI. Cutting or delaying it now would create legal uncertainty & make it harder to enforce rights.

Meanwhile, the Commission’s other plans – like “AI Continent”, “Apply AI” - push for massive AI adoption at the risk of trampling privacy, environmental protections & public accountability
(4/n)

edri.org/our-work/open-letter-…

Data protection is under threat. Part one of the Omnibus tackles data flows. But “simplifying” could blur the lines between what’s personal and what’s not.

The #DataGovernanceAct already left cracks: fuzzy consent rules, weak post-sharing protections, and shaky anonymisation standards.

If the Commission “simplifies” without fixing these problems, GDPR crumble.
(2/n)

edri.org/our-work/the-data-gov…

Then we have cookie banners: Article 5(3) of the ePrivacy Directive, a cornerstone of EU digital rights.

Under the pretext of “cookies annoyance”, the Commission is ready to cut on rules that protect the privacy and confidentiality of our communications.

Weakening them means more silent surveillance by companies and governments.

The fix isn’t deregulation, it’s better enforcement and privacy-by-design tools that make choices simple.
(3/n)

euobserver.com/*/ard653a0af

ALLOW ALL? Brussels deregulation drive to make rejecting cookies harder

The EU Commission seemingly wants to alter the obscure Article 5(3) of the ePrivacy Directive, through its 'Digital Omnibus' package. The official justification? To reduce 'cookie fatigue.

^EUobserver

The EU Commission has been running “reality checks” on 5 core areas of EU digital law: data, privacy, cybersecurity, AI, & eID. Here’s the paradox: these laws are being “simplified” before they’ve even been properly implemented or enforced.

These cuts are part of a broader “digital simplification” agenda that could:
❌ Undermine EU hard-won data protection framework
❌ Weaken net neutrality
❌ Follow the withdrawal ePrivacy Regulation & AI Liability Directive
(1/n)

edri.org/our-work/deregulating…

Deregulating digital rights: Why the EU’s war on ‘red tape’ should worry us all - European Digital Rights (EDRi)

The European Commission has made deregulation a top priority for the EU over the next four years. Under the banner of ‘simplifying’ EU rules, we risk seeing the entire digital rulebook – for which we have advocated for years – being stripped away.

^{European Digital Rights (EDRi)}

In the next month, the European Commission plans to drop the so-called #DigitalOmnibus, a deregulation package that could quietly rewrite digital rights in the EU.

EDRi responded to the Commission’s call for evidence, warning it’s not an administrative tidy-up but a political step that treats rights as “red tape,” weakening protections and boosting corporate influence ➡️ edri.org/our-work/consultation…

Let’s unpack it 🧵

The FSFE is meeting Apple at the European Union Court of Justice 🧐

On October 21, we will participate in the hearing of the #DMA litigation against #Apple

👀 What does this case mean for #FreeSoftware and what is at stake?

fsfe.org/news/2025/news-202510…

DMA litigation against Apple: a quick recap - FSFE

The Digital Markets Act aimed to open Europe’s digital ecosystems, but that promise is now being tested. In Apple v. European Commission, Apple challenges ...

^{FSFE - Free Software Foundation Europe}