Henna Virkkunen survives EU grilling

Finnish EU candidate Henna Virkkunen has set her sights on boosting the EU’s tech sovereignty, promising to reboot Europe’s digital defences and double-click on innovation.

On Tuesday, November 12, Virkkunen faced a grilling from the Industry and Internal Market committees, as she laid out her high-speed plans to strengthen the EU’s digital independence, secure critical infrastructure, and give Europe’s competitiveness a much-needed upgrade.

Virkkunen’s vision for sovereignty and security

In her opening statement, the Finnish hopeful vowed to firewall the EU against cyber threats and hybrid attacks. She argued in favour of installing a ‘true defence union,’ hinting at an upcoming defence white paper that promises to be anything but paper-thin.

Virkkunen pledged to roll out an action plan on cybersecurity, urging member states to fully implement existing rules and to patch any vulnerabilities in critical infrastructure. She committed to investing in cyber-defence and attracting top tech talent to Europe, aiming to cloud out dependencies on foreign services.

Driving the digital transformation

When it comes to artificial intelligence, Virkkunen is ready to hit the ground running. She promised swift implementation of the AI Act and unveiled plans for an ‘AI factories’ initiative within her first 100 days in office. The idea seems to be that Europe can become the ‘AI continent’, aiming to draw in the best and brightest minds.

The Members of Parliament quizzed her on the nitty-gritty of enforcing the Digital Services Act and Digital Markets Act, especially concerning social media’s darker sides and the sale of dodgy products from abroad. But, Virkkunen didn’t miss a beat, emphasising her commitment to protecting children online and announcing an action plan on cyberbullying. She also promised to tackle systemic risks like addictive algorithms, ensuring the digital playground is safe for all users.

Clicking into place: Freedom of speech and democracy

Addressing concerns about free speech and fundamental rights, Virkkunen highlighted the upcoming Democracy Shield initiative. She stressed the need to combat foreign interference and disinformation, underlining the importance of a ‘pluralistic’ media landscape. Drawing a line in the virtual sand, she asserted that Europe’s digital rules apply to all who wish to operate in the EU.

Next steps: Will Virkkunen’s code compile?

With the hearing wrapped up, the committees’ chairs and political group coordinators will swiftly assess Virkkunen’s performance. The final evaluation by the Conference of Presidents is set for November 21, with MEPs scheduled to vote on the full college of Commissioners during the November 25-28 plenary session in Strasbourg, France.

Will Henna Virkkunen’s ambitious programme get the green light, or will it crash on launch? Europe’s digital destiny may hang in the balance.

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