Joint statement: Centering public interest in EU technology policies and practices

In this joint statement, 48 civil society groups including BEUC call for a digital environment that is just, safe, open, sustainable and inclusive. We call for a renewed commitment by decision-makers to public accountability when regulating technologies and their social, economic and environmental applications and consequences. 

There is a way forward for Europe to lead on technology, policies and approaches that centre people, democracy and the planet. This approach calls on the new European Commission to do a number of things, including:

• prioritise the rights-based implementation and enforcement of digital laws and policies passed in recent years, including the GDPR, the DSA, the DMA and the EU AI Act;
• maintain offline alternatives to the all-encompassing digitalisation of public and essential services,
• ensuring that no-one is excluded or left behind by digital ‘transformation’
• level the playing field by investing in real alternative technologies and economic models that don’t
  reproduce exploitative business models or further consolidate the power of tech companies.