New EU rules to shape digitalisation innovatively

CEC European Managers welcomes the proposal by the European Commission to regulate the digital economy. The Digital Service Act and Digital Market Act will be key in bringing back competition to an increasingly concentrated market, where fake news and unfair practices become widespread. Managers need a clear legal framework, besides being equipped with skills needed to make the digital transformation about innovation. Our Secretary General, Maxime Legrand comments the initiatives.

The year 2020 has been more than ever the year of the use of digital platforms, whether for consumption, work or even, more recently, for sharing moments with family and friends. We therefore leave a lot of our information there, a bit of us. By definition, digital has no borders, it is immediately global. The absence of regulation can therefore give free rein to the worst forms of behaviour. For that reason, we welcome the proposed regulation on a single market for digital services, particularly because it perfectly reflects what makes us Europeans, what our specific expectations as Europeans are.

CEC European Managers wants these platforms to:

• Be transparent and responsible
• Be at the service of the users and not the providers
• Enable new entrepreneurial opportunities for all, also for new entrants
• Foster innovation and growth, also for European SMEs
• Protect our fundamental rights and our freedom of expression
• Reinforce the added value of our internal market.

As the proposal states, we want „a safer and open digital with European values at the centre”. Since the previous directive dates back to 2000, it is about time to face the new digital reality. It was time to act. The proposals call for more fairness, transparency and accountability for digital services’ content moderation processes, ensuring that fundamental rights are respected. Furthermore, it has to be welcomed that the Acts are also consistent with the new EU Cybersecurity Strategy.

Creating a fair level playing field for digital will create tremendous opportunities for innovation. If the framework becomes clearer when adopted, it will however also require to invest in digital skills of both managers and workers. That’s why CEC also welcomes the digital skill agenda. As our Guidelines for Managing the Digital Transformation highlight, we also need to cultivate a new mindset that will create benefits for the wider stakeholder systems of digital innovators. The role of qualified and ethical professional and managerial staff becomes crucial in shaping the European world of tomorrow.