At the European Parliament in Brussels, during the confirmation hearings for future commissioners, MEP Piotr Müller asked questions of Henna Virkkunen, the nominee for the position of Executive Vice-President for Technological Sovereignty, Security, and Democracy.
Piotr Müller stated that the European Union is in an economic crisis and is increasingly becoming a user rather than a producer of new technologies. “It is also no longer competitive on the global market, and I have the impression that legislation such as the DSA, AI Act, DMA, and others that we have been preparing in recent years will not improve this competitiveness,” the MEP said. In light of this, the Polish politician called for a commitment that Henna Virkkunen, as commissioner, would curb the European Commission’s excessive regulatory activity in the digital sphere. Furthermore, Müller asked whether the new Commission intends to maintain the so-called primacy of the precautionary principle when determining the approach to regulating new issues in this area. “Do you agree with the statement that some of the regulations in recent years have had a negative impact on our economic competitiveness, particularly in the context of China or the United States?” the Polish politician asked, noting that Mario Draghi also mentions this in his report. The PiS MEP asked about the Finnish politician’s priorities in this regard, as well as whether she views the United States as a competitor or rather as a partner for joint economic action.
Henna Virkkunen emphasized that the United States is Finland’s most important trading and strategic partner when it comes to security. “We work closely with the United States, but we have distinct legislative traditions, particularly in the digital sphere,” she added. She mentioned the overregulation of the EU market and excessive administrative burdens, and emphasized that “the Commission wants to take this seriously,” and that President von der Leyen had instructed all commissioners to review their portfolios and identify areas where these burdens could be reduced by 20–30 percent. “I take this seriously, but when it comes to our digital regulations, we are entering the implementation phase,” she noted. She spoke of the need to simplify procedures, avoid duplicating certain processes, and prevent the creation of burdens for businesses. At the same time, she emphasized that regulations are needed for innovation and businesses, as “they need legal certainty.” “Regulations are necessary, but we shouldn’t approach this too bureaucratically. This is a priority for me, as well as for the Commission,” Henna Virkkunen assured.
A PiS MEP also asked a question regarding freedom of speech. He noted that citizens have concerns about preventive censorship, particularly on social media platforms. Piotr Müller asked what the future commissioner would do to ensure greater transparency regarding the European Commission’s activities in this area. The politician also referred to the allegations that had been leveled against the European Commission in connection with Platform X. “Could you commit to ensuring that all discussions and agreements made in recent months between the European Commission and Platform X will be disclosed in accordance with the principle of transparency?” he asked, arguing that citizens expect these actions to be made public so they can understand how the European Commission operates in this area.
The Finnish politician stated that “everyone conducting business within the European Union must comply with our regulations.” She also noted that the Commission is investigating those platforms that do not comply. “The DSA came into effect just a year ago. We are continuing our dialogue with the platforms on how they should comply with our regulations. I believe this is fair to these platforms, and the regulations apply to everyone equally, both in Europe and around the world,” Henna Virkkunen assured.
