We are pleased to announce that CDT Europe, together with 41 civil society organizations, will host the “Tech and Community Conference” on 1 October 2024. This event aims to promote dialogue and debate between civil society and decision-makers newly elected EU. , which focuses on the intersection of technology, society and the environment. Together we build a bridge between digital rights organizations and young policymakers to support responsible, people-centered policies that advance everyone’s digital rights.
Check the schedule to see what day the drive will be.
CDT Europe @ Conference:
We will be organizing the following panels and regular discussions:
- Making EU rules work for people: how can civil society best support organisations?
In the past few years, the EU has adopted several important legal measures to deal with the effects of technology on society, fundamental rights and consumer protection. These include the GDPR, the Digital Services and Markets Act and the Artificial Intelligence Act. Civil society experts have been instrumental in providing evidence of risks and concerns and suggesting practical policy solutions. However, the legal process and subsequent enforcement processes are often difficult to access and involve civil society, especially organizations that represent people affected by the use of technology. How can the EU’s decision-making and operational processes be integrated to work in the interests of the people in practice? This round table will create an exchange between civil society and EU and national organizations on lessons learned and best practices related to public participation in policy-making, implementation and implementation of EU legislation.
Speakers:
- Asha Allen, Secretary General, Center for Democracy and Technology in Europe
- Irina Orssich, Head of Unit, AI Governance and Cooperation, AI Office
- Rita Wezenbeek, Director for Planetary Policy and Implementation (DG CNECT.F), European Commission
- Alexandre Biard, Head of Operations and Maintenance, BEUC
- Katarzyna Szymielewicz, President and co-founder, Panoptykon Foundation
Manager:
Karolina Iwańska, Digital Civic Space Consultant, ECNL
- Privacy Focus: A Joint Effort to Control Spyware in the EU (Invite Only)
CDT Europe and Amnesty International will hold a closed-door conference that will bring together influential voices from across the EU policy-making system, including policy makers and civil society, for a dedicated discussion on ways forward of EU spying. Spyware poses serious risks to fundamental rights and EU values. It undermines the independence of lawmakers, stifles public debate, and silences journalists and activists.
This round table will provide a unique opportunity for an informed and strategic debate on the EU’s adequate response to the spyware threat that puts the need to protect fundamental rights and the rule of law at the forefront. International efforts aimed at reducing the abuse of commercial espionage, such as the Pall Mall Process, as well as EU initiatives, including the recently announced review of the EU’s foreign policy framework and the much-anticipated response of the Commission to the PEGA Committee, will be at the center of the discussion.
- Round table: building an EU digital strategy (Invite only)
In collaboration with EDRi, ECNL, Amnesty Tech, BEUC, Liberties and Panoptykon Foundation, CDT Europe will organize closed doors bringing together key thinkers and implementers in the digital sector to discuss how to provide an effective policy that protects EU digital rights. .
The European Union has recently added major laws to the digital law book, such as the Digital Markets Act (DMA), the Digital Services Act (DSA) and the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Act. Together with existing laws such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and future regulations, the EU seeks to improve European competitiveness and protect human rights while addressing the challenges of digitalisation. To ensure that these laws do not become a paper tiger, the legislators have foreseen the ways of public and private action so that the concerned organizations take their obligations seriously. The co-legislators have also established several or built on existing operational networks and identified new providers. How these would work together remains a question.
The panel will attempt to answer three questions:
- How can we make sure that the action of the public authorities helps the injured people to be redressed?
- How can we create more relationships between managers in real-world situations?
- How can we make private and public organizations governed by the law?
Check out our Performance Department: Antispyware Clinic
Are you concerned about spyware like Pegasus? Attendees will be able to bring their mobile devices to the Antispyware Clinic for a quick scan by experts from the Access Now Digital Security Helpline. The CDT Europe team will also be on hand to provide an overview of civil society advocacy efforts to better regulate spyware technology in the EU.
The event is by invitation only. If you are a journalist interested in covering this event, you can reach us at [email protected].
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