The Tech Policy Press Podcast What Is Europe Trying to Achieve With Its Omnibus and Sovereignty Push?
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Nov 23, 2025 In this discussion, Julia Smakman, a Senior Researcher at the Ada Lovelace Institute, and Leevi Saari, an EU Policy Fellow at the AI Now Institute, dive into the EU's ambitious Digital Omnibus. They explore how the omnibus aims to simplify compliance with the AI Act and GDPR while raising concerns about digital rights. The guests dissect the true nature of digital sovereignty, questioning whether the initiative favors large tech firms over smaller ones. They also discuss advocacy strategies to influence the omnibus and the mixed reactions from member states.
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Omnibus Narrows Data Protections
- The digital omnibus shifts protections toward commercial interests by narrowing personal data definitions and reframing prohibitions as permissions.
- Julia Smakman warns this will reduce data subjects' rights and weaken safeguards against harmful automated decision-making.
Delays And Self-Scoring Reduce AI Oversight
- The AI omnibus delays enforcement of high-risk AI rules and removes registration for low-risk systems, enabling self-assessment without public records.
- Julia Smakman says this lets companies 'mark their own homework' and avoids external checks on risk claims.
Simplification Claims Favor Big Tech
- The Commission frames simplification as necessary for SME growth, but critics say benefits mainly accrue to large non‑EU tech firms seeking more training data.
- Julia Smakman links geopolitical and economic pressure, including US lobbying, to the omnibus timing.