Yesterday, the EU Parliament Magazine recapped the priorities announced by the two Commissioners in charge of the Digital Single Market, Andrus Ansip and Günther Oettinger.
What we can extrapolate from the series of statements is that the Commission will start with a proposal to "modernise" existing copyright rules (modernisation which, indeed, many stakeholders invoke), to then move to telecoms and audiovisuals. Less specific undertakings concern search engines and the digitalisation of public administrations, while a last topic-"striking the right balance between keeping the internet open as a forum for freedom of expression, while also making sure it is not abused as a vehicle to fuel hatred"- might be more contentious, especially since its pertinence to the digital single market agenda seems questionable.
The article highlights how the two Commissioners expect the Parliament to cooperate with the effort; while the latter, however, emphasises the need to concentrate on "supporting consumers rights" in the digital marketplace, the Commissioners seem more concerned with the establishment or improvement of market conditions in the first place- a difference in vision that might make cooperation less smooth on given occasion.
Of course, we will know more after May, when the copyright proposal will be presented.
