Europe Aimed to Set Standards for Tech Rules, Now It Wants to Roll Them Back: Backed by France and Germany, the EU thinks easing back on legislation will make the bloc less dependent on U.S. tech

By Bertrand Benoit, Kim Mackrael and Sam Schechner of The WSJ. Excerpts:

"Europe is moving to relax some of the world’s tightest digital regulations in a bid to boost growth and reduce its reliance on U.S. tech."

"The European Commission . . . introduced a proposal to pare back some elements of its sweeping digital laws."

"measures that aim to make it easier for companies to use data to train AI models and delays to the enforcement of certain provisions in the EU’s new AI law."

"German Chancellor Friedrich Merz [said] . . .“Unnecessary regulation…must not inhibit Europe’s innovative strength.”"

"France and Germany would push for . . . EU’s AI rules to be postponed by a year and for Europe’s stringent data-privacy rules, known as the General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR, to be relaxed."

"business leaders across Europe have grown frustrated at the torrent of legislation that has been gushing from Brussels"

"the resulting red tape a bigger obstacle to growth than President Trump’s tariffs."

"the simplest client question—does this rule affect me?—can take several lawyers two days to answer."

"the EU is now pushing to make the bloc more attractive for investment, seeking to ease the regulatory burden"

"European leaders also think a regulatory rollback will help the region’s economy reduce its dependence on" [the U.S. and China]

"“We have to innovate before regulating . . . said Macron."

"onerous regulations, especially on the handling of data, and political disagreements within Europe have hobbled the emergence of European players on a scale to rival their U.S. competitors."

"the top French and German business organizations wrote  . . . Europe . . . should focus on “creating a supportive investment climate"