EDRi-gram, 1 July 2026

What has the EDRi network been up to over the past few weeks? Find out the latest digital rights news in our bi-weekly newsletter. In this edition: The heat is on

By EDRi · July 1, 2026

Europe is feeling the heat. As Belgium records its highest temperature since measurements began in 1833, Brussels is also heading into a particularly hot political season for digital rights.

In the past weeks, the European Commission finally unveiled its long-awaited Tech Sovereignty Package, promising to boost Europe’s technological independence. Yet behind the rhetoric lies a familiar story: billions for AI, chips and data centres, alongside growing pressure to treat fundamental rights and digital safeguards as obstacles to “competitiveness”. And yes, also a new EU’s AI envoy that is a tech CEO – conflict of interest in plain sight.

Meanwhile, the Commission is proposing a major overhaul of Europol’s mandate – the third in six years – to expand its operational powers, weakening data protection safeguards. Despite years of going rogue – unlawful data processing, weak oversight and the recent revelations that the agency operated a secret second database with limited safeguards – the response from Brussels is more powers and more funding. This is definitely not what accountability looks like. But hey, it comes to no surprise as the EU has let Europol get away with this before.

At the same time, lawmakers are pushing ahead with the AI Omnibus, a proposal that risks delaying key protections and setting a troubling precedent for the EU’s digital rulebook. Similarly, the future of the Data Omnibus also hangs in the balance as the Council failed to agree on a compromise text on Friday.The failure to reach agreement raised serious questions about continued pressure to weaken GDPR and ePrivacy protections even further under the banner of “simplification”.

While our protections are continuing to burn in the year-long (and more) deregulation drive of the European Commission, we joined forces with our allies and hosted the “Fight for Us, Not for Them” Summit to discuss why Europe’s digital future should be shaped by the public interest, not by the demands of Big Tech and billionaire lobbyists. We launched “Make It Real: Calls to Action for a Flourishing and Just Digital Europe”, a stirring manifesto that sets out an actionable vision for ensuring that people’s rights and a thriving digital economy flourish together.

We are spreading our message to the EU institutions far and wide, and not even Brussels’ landmarks are off limits. We reminded our representatives to stand up for us, not for Trump’s Billionaires. Our right to privacy, safety and democracy are not up for negotiation, let alone for sale.

Explore this and and more in this edition of the EDRi-gram.

RECOMMENDED

  • [📺watch] Fight for Us, Not for Them Summit . Last week, EDRi – together with other 12 partners – hosted an afternoon of conversations on the concrete human, societal and geopolitical consequences of the European Commission’s deregulation agenda. Looking at the Digital Omnibus, prominent speakers – from civil society, the academia, institutions and industry – explored how Europe can promote innovation, economic prosperity and democratic values while safeguarding fundamental rights and the public interest. With hard-won digital protections under increasing pressure, the event provided a valuable opportunity to discuss the future of EU tech policy and the path Europe should take towards technological self-determination. If you missed it, you can now access the event recordings!
  • [📰read ] Nvidia’s Investment Boom by SOMO. Nvidia has become one of the biggest winners of the AI boom. Yet, its influence extends far beyond the chips that power ChatGPT and other AI systems. Through a growing network of investments and partnerships, the company is shaping the future of the AI industry while increasing its influence and profits. For Europe, that raising a question: how can self-determination be achieved while relying on infrastructures controlled by a single US tech giant?
  • [📰read ] The EU corporate league 2026 by Corporate Europe Observatory and LobbyControl. Corporate spending on lobbying the EU continues to rise, and lobbyists are achieving better results than ever before (take the Omnibus package, for example). A report by Corporate Europe Observatory and LobbyControl reveals that the top industry lobbyists (those with budgets for influencing of over €1 million) are spending almost €381.75 million annually on lobbying EU institutions. This is 50% more than in 2020. Can you guess which sector tops the ranking? The tech industry, with an annual budget of €73 million – almost 60% more than in 2020 – which is used to oppose strong rules to protect our digital rights.

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