Over the past five years, EU tech regulations have largely been personified by Thierry Breton, the European Commissioner known for his audacious presence and distinctive white hair. Breton became the emblematic figure embodying Brussels’ dissatisfaction with American tech giants, making headlines for his proactive stance, including a trip to Silicon Valley to emphasize impending regulatory deadlines.
Breton, known for his combative and outspoken manner, accused Apple of monopolizing the market for too long and expressed strong objections against TikTok, stressing that children should not be exploited by social media platforms. He also exhibited a tough stance towards tech CEOs, often making his points through posts on social media platform X. For instance, prior to Elon Musk’s interview with Donald Trump, Breton issued a vaguely threatening letter, cautioning Musk against using his platform to spread harmful content. Additionally, he published a photo with Mark Zuckerberg, undercutting Facebook’s old slogan with a new EU motto, “move fast to fix things.” In 2023, Breton secured an agreement from Google’s Sundar Pichai for an “AI pact” and promptly tweeted about it, complicating any potential reversal by Pichai.
In a recent reshuffle of top EU positions, Breton decided to resign, a move he attributed to behind-the-scenes negotiations between EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and French President Emmanuel Macron.
Umberto Gambini, a former advisor at the EU Parliament and current partner at consultancy Forward Global, remarked that tech companies were likely relieved by Breton’s departure due to his understanding that impactful fines involve hitting shareholders’ pockets.
Breton is set to be succeeded by Finnish politician Henna Virkkunen from the center-right EPP Group, known for her involvement with the Digital Services Act. According to Gambini, her approach is expected to be less aggressive and less public on platforms like X, potentially offering a fresh start in EU-Big Tech relations.
Currently, little is known about Virkkunen’s stance on the role of Big Tech in Europe’s economy. However, her new position has been realigned to match von der Leyen’s goals for the next five-year term. Unlike Breton, who was the Commissioner for the Internal Market, Virkkunen will function under the enhanced title of Executive Vice President for Tech Sovereignty, Security, and Democracy, reporting directly to von der Leyen.
The European Parliament must still approve von der Leyen’s team of 27 commissioners, each responsible for different focus areas—a process that could extend over several weeks.
Mathias Vermeulen, Public Policy Director at Brussels-based consultancy AWO, noted that while former EU commissions prioritized introducing new legislation to address various perceived threats, particularly from big tech platforms, the current focus has shifted to enforcing the already adopted legislation.
