The Law and Regulations Competence Group is the central platform for discussion and information among eco member companies on legal and political issues. It is where content coordination is organised, position papers are prepared, enquiries on legal and regulatory topics are answered, and the association’s position on the Internet and network policy topics and questions is discussed. Based on the Competence Group, members are given the opportunity to actively participate in legislation at the German federal and state level, as well as the EU level, and thus to participate in the development of legal policy.

In the Law and Regulations Competence Group, various points of contact arose in the political and regulatory arena during the 2024 reporting year. The work of the Competence Group was conducted exclusively virtually in 2024.

The coordination of the European election agenda and numerous statements and position papers determined the work of the Competence Group in 2024.

Key focus areas at the European level included the evaluation of the General Data Protection Regulation and the AI Regulation. The white paper “How can the demand for digital infrastructure in Europe be met?” was another key topic of discussion for the Competence Group. The renewed discussion about handling so-called General Purpose AI was also addressed. Finally, the EU Commission’s legislative package for the protection against child sexual abuse material (CSAM Regulation and CSAM Directive) represented another focus of the Competence Group’s work.

At the national level, the NIS2 Implementation and the Cybersecurity Strengthening Act, the Digital Services Act, as well as various discussions on the topic of energy efficiency in data centres determined the work of the Competence Group. The association also monitored the Mobility Data Act.

The debriefing marked the rollout of a new service for the Competence Group, providing eco members with a compact overview of central challenges from selected completed legislative processes, giving them guidance on necessary operational adjustments.