Macron calls for deepening EU’s digital rules in face of US pushback

The EU should strengthen its digital rulebook – the Digital Services Act (DSA) and Digital Markets Act (DMA) – in the face of escalating geopolitical instability, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday.

European democracies are at risk of “sustained pressure from authoritarian regimes and the algorithms controlled by a powerful few”, Macron said during a speech in front of ambassadors, reframing previously stated concerns about the Trump administration’s ongoing offensive against the bloc’s tech rules.

The French president has previously criticised the EU’s enforcement of the DSA as “way too slow.” On Thursday he went further, calling on the bloc “to defend” and “strengthen” the DSA and the DMA – offering an aggressive counter narrative to Washington’s increasingly bold attacks on Brussels’ digital rule of law.

Macron also used the speech to signal France’s support for the recently adopted Commission communication on the European Democracy Shield – a democratic resilience strategy adopted in November that’s aimed at fending off online disinformation and hybrid attacks, especially from Russian actors.

But, despite quickly name-checking Russia, the bulk of Macron’s speech focused on the current state of transatlantic relations, responding to how the second Trump administration has sharply stepped up criticism of EU tech rules, such as the DSA, claiming the bloc is singling out US platforms.

Last month, the Trump administration named several large European companies – including France’s AI darling Mistral – as potential targets for US sanctions if the EU continues hitting US tech giants with fines.

Macron also blasted back at the US for “breaking free from international rules” and “gradually turning away” from its European allies, following renewed US rhetoric about taking over Greenland, an autonomous territory of EU member Denmark.

“We need to act as Europeans and own a power posture,” Macron urged.

The French president also used the speech to reiterate his plan to beef up online protection for children by introducing a national bill to ban social media for under 15s.

(nl)