The Seven Acts at a Glance

Under Pillar 1: Closing the Innovation Gap of the Competitiveness Compass, the Commission plans to develop the following seven acts:

• European Innovation Act (Q4 2025 – Q1 2026): This act aims to promote the access of innovative companies to European research and technology infrastructures. It will also support the commercialization of intellectual assets generated by publicly funded research and development and the use of regulatory sandboxes, which allow innovators to test new ideas.
• European Research Area Act (2026): This act is designed to strengthen R&D investment in the EU and bring it up to the 3% of GDP target. It will also focus research support on strategic priorities, reinforce alignment between the EU and Member States’ funding priorities, and foster the circulation of knowledge and talent across Europe.
• EU Cloud and AI Development Act (Q4 2025 – Q1 2026): This act will mobilize public and private initiatives to establish new AI Gigafactories specialized in training large AI models, which are critical for AI ecosystems. It will also set minimum criteria for cloud services offered in Europe. The act aims to complement support for chip design and manufacturing in Europe, including cutting-edge AI chips.
• Quantum Act (Q4 2025): This act will address regulatory fragmentation, align EU and national programs, and support investment in pan-European quantum computing, communication, and sensing infrastructure. It builds on the existing Chips Act to promote the development of quantum technologies.
• Advanced Materials Act (2026): This act will provide the framework conditions to support the entire lifecycle of advanced materials, from research and innovation to start-up creation, manufacturing, and deployment. It is designed to address the increasing demand for innovative advanced materials and reshape global supply chains.
• Space Act (Q2 2025): This act aims to safeguard and improve the functioning of the internal market for space activities through measures that harmonize requirements for the safety, resilience, and sustainability of space activities at the Union level. It will also remove fragmentation arising from national legislation and support the competitiveness of the European space sector.
• Digital Networks Act (Q4 2025): This act will propose solutions to improve market incentives for building the digital networks of the future, reduce burden and compliance costs, and improve digital connectivity for end-users. It will create an integrated single market for connectivity and a more coordinated EU spectrum policy.

Integration with Existing Digital Laws

The Competitiveness Compass highlights the EU’s intended approach toward reducing regulatory complexity while maintaining existing legislative frameworks. The Commission intends to shift the focus from creating new regulations to simplifying and harmonizing existing ones.

GDPR: Harmonizing Enforcement

The Communication highlights an ongoing effort to simplify record-keeping under the GDPR, as part of a broader goal of reducing regulatory burden. The EU further aims for a more harmonized implementation and enforcement of the GDPR to ensure a level playing field across the Single Market and to combat fragmentation. The aim is to simplify the practical application of the rules for companies.

AI Act: Practical Application Over New Rules

The Communication mentions AI Act as an example of the EU providing  a stable and secure framework for companies developing and operating digital technologies in the Single Market. Now, the EU intends to shift the focus  to enabling the practical application of the Act and not the creation of new rules. Initiatives like AI Factories and the proposed EU Cloud and AI Development Act aim to streamline access to computing power for start-ups, researchers, and industry, helping them train and improve AI models without unnecessary complexity. This is aimed at nurturing tech talent and accelerate industrial AI development in sectors such as manufacturing, energy, and robotics.

Cyber Resilience Act: Continuing to Build Security

Like the AI Act, the Cyber Resilience Act is mentioned as part of the EU's efforts to create a stable and secure framework for digital technologies in the Single Market. The Communication suggests that the EU's focus is now on practical implementation of the legislation to derive productivity gains from technology. It further discusses the importance of protecting digital and physical infrastructure from cyber threats and ensuring security is integrated into policies

Data Act: Towards Data Union Strategy

Like the AI Act and Cyber Resilience Act, the Data Act is seen by the Commission as a measure that has influenced the evolution of the global regulatory framework. Similarly, the focus is now on Focus on enabling tech talent and  practical implementation of the Data Act. The Commission will propose a Data Union Strategy to improve and facilitate secure private and public data sharing, with the aim of simplifying the regulatory regime and its application, and accelerating the development of new systems or applications.

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