European Parliament

On June 26, 2025, the Council and the European Parliament reached a provisional agreement on modernizing the EU’s framework for alternative dispute resolution (ADR) in consumer matters.

The current ADR framework—established in Directive 2013/11/EU (ADR Directive)—has not been amended since its adoption in 2013. As noted in our previous blog, the European Commission recognized the need to modernize the system and, on October 17, 2023, proposed a legislative package to (i) amend the ADR Directive, and (ii) repeal the Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) Regulation, which created the European Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) Platform, on the basis that this platform was infrequently used. The ODR repeal regulation was formally adopted on November 19, 2024 and the ODR Platform will be discontinued on July 20, 2025. Since then, the focus has shifted to finalizing a reformed ADR framework.Continue Reading Council and Parliament Agree on Key Reforms to the EU ADR Framework

On August 22, 2023, the Spanish Council of Ministers approved the Statute of the Spanish Agency for the Supervision of Artificial Intelligence (“AESIA”) thus creating the first AI regulatory body in the EU. The AESIA will start operating from December 2023, in anticipation of the upcoming EU AI Act  (for…

Continue Reading Spain Creates AI Regulator to Enforce the AI Act

On 11 May 2023, members of the European Parliament’s internal market (IMCO) and civil liberties (LIBE) committees agreed their final text on the EU’s proposed AI Act. After MEPs formalize their position through a plenary vote (expected this summer), the AI Act will enter the last stage of the legislative…

Continue Reading EU Parliament’s AI Act Proposals Introduce New Obligations for Foundation Models and Generative AI

According to the European Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality, Věra Jourová, the EU and the US have finalized the EU-US Umbrella Agreement (for the press release, see here). This is a remarkable breakthrough after the first calls for such an agreement back in March 2009, when the…
Continue Reading EU – US Umbrella Agreement about to be concluded: towards a transatlantic approach to data protection?

The outcome of the European Parliament (“EP”) elections, which ended on May 25, will lead to a more unstable political landscape.  This will require companies interacting with EU legislators to adapt their lobbying strategies.  They are likely to find a shift away from the current pro-business approach in the European…
Continue Reading Business Implications of the European Elections

Europe is on the verge of major political developments.  On May 22-25, EU voters will elect members of the European Parliament.  In June, the European Council will appoint a new President and High Representative in charge of Foreign Affairs and Security Policy to succeed the visible Cathy Ashton.

In the…
Continue Reading Uncertainty in the European Political Landscape