The EU AI Act contains several key principles (e.g. transparency, human centricity..) that should underpin its implementation. Given the new mandate will be tasked with creating a myriad of instruments, including implementing and delegating acts, documentation templates, the development of codes of practice and codes of conduct, guidelines, and requests for the development of harmonised standards, it is important to ask how to responsibly implement the AI Act without creating barriers for innovation. On this note, the discussion will focus on how guardrails for AI should be implemented both at the EU and at the global level to ensure that it benefits society as a whole, enabling innovation, preserving the competitiveness of markets and protecting fundamental rights.

The digital ecosystem places a premium on safety, fairness, and consumer choice, advocating for greater empowerment in the digital age. This encompasses promoting transparency, informed decision-making, and tools to safeguard rights and safety. Embracing openness and interoperability as fundamental to EU competitiveness and innovation, discussions delve into integrating these principles into future tech policy dialogues. Additionally, responsible implementation of EU platform laws, notably the Digital Markets Act (DMA), underscores the importance of uniform enforcement across gatekeepers and consistent compliance interpretation across entities. This discussion invites policymakers, industry leaders, consumer advocates, and academics to collaborate on a digital landscape that balances innovation with consumer protection, ultimately boosting competitiveness in the EU's digital economy.

As the EU emerges from a regulatory-intensive term for the tech sector, questions arise about its impact on innovation and consequently, Europe's global competitiveness. This panel aims to explore strategies ensuring that newly adopted regulations are complemented by effective policy initiatives, nurturing Europe's innovation ecosystem. It will explore the way forward for a fully-fledged Digital Single Market; enhanced collaboration across a diversity of stakeholders notably through open research and innovation; a skilled digital workforce; and a strengthened entrepreneurial and startup ecosystems.

The EU has set ambitious targets for 2030 under the Digital Decade to ensure a future ready connectivity ecosystem build on top of a robust digital infrastructure. How should the EU institutions radically reimagine telecom regulation? What are the elements necessary for the EU to build a strategic and secure digital infrastructure?

Digital infrastructures and foundational technologies have been recognised as a vital enabler of energy efficiency and greater sustainability in other sectors such as energy, transport, housing, and agriculture. However, concerns have also been expressed that the energy consumption and environmental footprint of the digital infrastructures and technologies themselves may undermine gains made elsewhere. The different EU institutions, regulators, and industry should get together to review progress by regulators and industry. This discussion will focus on improving the contribution of the digital sector and on the potential need for alternative or additional solutions at the national, European, or international level via new or existing regulatory tools to enable a sustainable digital transition.