The Regulation of Digital Technologies in the EU
Act-ification, GDPR Mimesis and EU Law Brutality at Play

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EU regulatory initiatives concerning technology-related topics have spiked over the past few years. On the basis of its Priorities Programme, which is focused on making Europe ‘Fit for the Digital Age’, the European Commission has been busily releasing new texts aimed at regulating a number of technology topics, including data uses, online platforms, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence.
This book identifies three phenomena which are common to all EU digital technologies-relevant regulatory initiatives: act-ification, GDPR mimesis, and regulatory brutality. These three phenomena serve as indicators or early signs of a new European technology law-making paradigm that now seems ready to emerge. They divulge new-found confidence on the part of the EU digital technologies legislator, who has now asserted for itself the right to form policy options and create new rules in the field for all of Europe.
Bringing together an analysis of the regulatory initiatives for the management of technology topics in the EU for the first time, this book will be of interest to academics, policymakers, and practitioners, sparking academic and policymaking interest and discussion.
Additional material
Note. This page collects essays, posts, and talks related to The Regulation of Digital Technologies in the EU. After publication, the book is the authoritative statement; any earlier pieces that diverge should be read as superseded by the book.
Academic article
- [Article] The regulation of digital technologies in the EU: The law-making phenomena of “act-ification”, “GDPR mimesis” and “EU law brutality” — Technology and Regulation (TechReg), 2022. [PDF]
Blog posts
- [Blog] The act-ification of EU law: The (long-overdue) move towards eponymous EU legislation — European Law Blog.
- [Blog] Post-GDPR EU laws and their GDPR mimesis: DGA, DSA, DMA and the EU regulation of AI — European Law Blog.
- [Blog] EU lawmaking in the Artificial Intelligent Age: Act-ification, GDPR mimesis and regulatory brutality — European Law Blog.
Talks & media
- [Video] Seminar: Regulation of Digital Technologies in the EU — [LeADS Online Seminars], [June 2024].
Last updated: October 2025.