The European Union has positioned itself as an ambitious global actor in the governance of the digital economy. Through the Digital Services Act (DSA), the Digital Markets Act (DMA), and the AI Act, the world’s first comprehensive framework to regulate artificial intelligence, the EU is shaping the rules of the digital sphere. In doing so, the EU is trying to balance several objectives: protecting users’ rights and safety, ensuring fair competition, and enabling technological innovation and economic growth. 

While these frameworks are designed for the European market, they will have a global impact. Big tech companies may apply European standards worldwide (as per the so-called “Brussels effect”), giving consumers, including those in the Global South, better protection and holding companies accountable. At the same time, European regulatory requirements may impose high compliance costs on emerging companies outside of Europe, making it even harder for them to compete with tech giants. 

This raises several questions for policymakers and stakeholders inside and outside the EU, which we will discuss with international experts at this year’s Policy Lunch: 

- How will these regulatory frameworks strengthen Europe’s digital sovereignty? 

- How will they affect actors in the Global South and change the playing field for them? 

- How can Europe work with global partners to foster innovation and inclusive development rather than fragmentation?