EU digital law: Still not that simple
Speaker: Prof. Gloria González Fuster
Date: Friday, 18 September 2026
Host: Institute for Information Law (IViR)
What does "simplifying" EU digital law actually mean in practice, and what are its real consequences for the future of data and AI governance?
Prof. Gloria González Fuster will deliver the opening IViR Lecture of the academic year, hosted by the Institute for Information Law (IViR), examining the realities and ambiguities behind Brussels' latest regulatory push.
Abstract
Months of policy and legislative discussions in Brussels about the ‘simplification’ of European Union (EU)’s digital law have shown the process is apparently more complicated than initially imagined by those who launched it, and nevertheless possibly more deeply impactful than ever feared by anyone trying to resist it.
This talk will reflect on the effects of this ongoing ‘simplification’ wave by situating it in the broader landscape of the evolution of EU digital law, understood broadly as a field composed by EU data and Artificial Intelligence (AI) law. It will examine pervasive ambiguities about the object and goals of this ongoing intense effort, ranging from trying to (finally) make sense out of the extraordinary legislative frenzy of the first mandate of Ursula Von der Leyen’s European Commission to tackling supposed insurmountable complexities within the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) that had never been identified before. It will also analyse the coexistence of these highly debated changes with a much less commented but incoming review of key GDPR elements via the Procedural Harmonisation Regulation, and it will additionally discuss also the occasionally paradoxical role of Data Protection Authorities in these debates.
In this first IViR lecture of the academic year, Prof. González Fuster aims to paint a picture of the current policy situation that may help navigating upcoming developments, for which further turbulence has already been announced.
Practical Information
The lecture will take place on Friday, 18 September 2026. Further details and attendance information are available via IViR.