During the plenary session of the European Parliament in Brussels (17-20 May 2021), MEPs debate on the digital future of Europe: digital single market and use of artificial intelligence (AI) for European consumers. Opening statements by Nicola BEER (Renew, DE) ITRE; Kosma ZŁOTOWSKI (ECR, PL) TRAN; Sabine VERHEYEN (EPP, DE) CULT; Marion WALSMANN (EPP, DE) JURI; Annalisa TARDINO (ID, IT) LIBE and by Margaritis SCHINAS, Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of promoting our European Way of Life. This transcription speech is the result of an automatic process. Check against delivery

Brussels

statement

debate

plenary session

VERHEYEN, Sabine (EPP, DE)

consumers' protection (T)

use of robotics and artificial intelligence (T)

ZŁOTOWSKI, Kosma (ECR, PL)

SCHINAS, Margaritis (EPP-DE, EL, EC)

BEER, Nicola (Renew, DE)

WALSMANN, Marion (EPP, DE)

TARDINO, Annalisa (ID, IT)

digital Europe programme 2021-2027 (T)

Digital future of Europe: opening statements by Nicola BEER (Renew, DE), Kosma ZŁOTOWSKI (ECR, PL), Sabine VERHEYEN (EPP, DE), Marion WALSMANN (EPP, DE), Annalisa TARDINO (ID) and by Margaritis SCHINAS, Vice-President of the European Commission

SOUNDBITE (German), Nicola BEER (Renew, DE), Mr President, Commissioner, our objective is to have a strong European set of artificial intelligence, that means that we have to have clear legislation and perspectives. The solution is legislation which takes account of the high risk to define this without affecting our competitiveness. Let's give wings to our industry rather than trammelled.

SOUNDBITE (German), Nicola BEER (Renew, DE), Everybody should know when they are talking about artificial intelligence, for example, or on the phone. We invest one billion every year and up to 20 billion extra investment should come from member states. From the Rickover refund, we get another billions for the artificial intelligence. We must develop the applications for tomorrow.

SOUNDBITE (German), Nicola BEER (Renew, DE), We have to experiment in the sandbox. Environment innovation are essential so that we're ready for the challenges of tomorrow and the day after. Thank you to all colleagues for constructive cooperation. I think we've achieved a good result.

SOUNDBITE (Polish), Kosma ZŁOTOWSKI (ECR, PL), president, commissioner systems based on advanced algorithms and using the opportunities offered by, I will play a key role in the modernisation of the European transport system. This concerns not only the automation of transport, but also the creation of intelligent traffic management systems, improving vehicle and driver safety if we don't use the potential of the digital revolution.

SOUNDBITE (Polish), Kosma ZŁOTOWSKI (ECR, PL), We will find it practically impossible to achieve the objectives of vision zero. One of the key obstacles for the practical implementation of AI technologies in transport is the lack of clear and coherent rules on sharing liability in case of an accident or failure.

SOUNDBITE (Polish), Kosma ZŁOTOWSKI (ECR, PL), Another challenge is ensuring an appropriate level of cybersecurity for vehicles communicating with one another, and that we should place a special stress on that while working on the regulation on A.I. in order to create innovative products and services in transport and tourism. European companies need a lot of digital data.

SOUNDBITE (Polish), Kosma ZŁOTOWSKI (ECR, PL), We should encourage the member states to make public data available for free. And this should include land surveying and cartographic data. Only this way will our potential in artificial intelligence bring real economic benefits. Thank you very much.

SOUNDBITE (German), Sabine VERHEYEN (EPP, DE), Thank you very much, President, commissioner, colleagues, on behalf of the Cultural Affairs Committee. I would like to thank the rapporteur for the wonderful cooperation on this particular front. And there were numerous different elements that we introduced into the report. And she always agreed with us and was very, very helpful.

SOUNDBITE (German), Sabine VERHEYEN (EPP, DE), So getting rid of geo blocking, this is absolutely necessary. And without that, to a certain extent, many of the various points in this particular report would not be able to be would not materialise. So with the geo blocking regulation, we see that it's absolutely necessary to be very, very careful as far as calibrating for the evaluation of the commission on geo blocking indicates the necessity to introduce certain changes to this particular field.

SOUNDBITE (German), Sabine VERHEYEN (EPP, DE), So it is extremely important on this particular front to be very, very careful as far as how we move as concerns geo blocking and the commission are to be aware of that. The portability aspect is also very important, the access to audiovisual material. These are elements of this report which we feel to be extremely important. And we do hope that in the future the audiovisual element will be adopted and taken on board by reports of this nature. Thank you.

SOUNDBITE (German), Marion WALSMANN (EPP, DE), Commissioner. Ladies and gentlemen. How can our digital future be structured in such a way that the use of A.I. is improved by consumers? I think, first of all, we've got to have clear legislation and we shouldn't reinvent the wheel. We have existing sector specific legislation which should not be changed.

SOUNDBITE (German), Marion WALSMANN (EPP, DE), Secondly, producers and users need a reliable and clear and future proof legislation for A.I., which makes it possible to innovate and stop any discriminatory use. Thirdly. Robotics and the Internet of Things which rely on I must be safe authorisation of products on the single market should therefore be dependent on risk assessment, and SMEs and start ups need assistance in the use of AI and the development of products containing AI. If we take account of these points, then we take a big step towards AI made in Europe.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Annalisa TARDINO (ID, IT), Thank you. Thank you very much, Madam Fatman. Our next speaker is calling Guardino. Grazi president, thank you very much, president, commissioner I is one of the major challenges of our time, the development of technology and in infrastructure, digital infrastructure is something which is absolutely necessary right now to improve our competitiveness and to be able to function effectively for the internal market as well.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Annalisa TARDINO (ID, IT), But we need a regulatory framework which is effective, which creates an atmosphere where there is proper regulation, providing security to users as well. Privacy, data protection are elements which are extremely important and we need indeed a proper legislative framework for that purpose.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Annalisa TARDINO (ID, IT), So we have to have a human centred approach in dealing with this issue, taking into consideration traditional elements. For example, the existence of a legal entity. A legal entity, has to be properly protected in this digital world of artificial intelligence. And we have to be very clear as far as what our role will be as far as protecting the rights of citizens in this AI new environment. Thank you very much.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Margaritis SCHINAS, Vice-President of the European Commission, Ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to start by thanking you for this very impressive report. It comes at a key time. The pandemic, as important as shown, is the once again the importance of digital work and artificial intelligence. But the pandemic is not over. I think the drive towards digitalisation will continue.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Margaritis SCHINAS, Vice-President of the European Commission, Europe is in a unique position to develop and use advanced digital technologies, for example, artificial intelligence, big data, Internet things. And we can do this in an ambitious, sustainable and innovative manner. So the integration of this technology is vital for the for Europe's economic recovery. Our role, our obligation as decision makers is to facilitate and accelerate this process.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Margaritis SCHINAS, Vice-President of the European Commission, In order to do so, we need to remove obstacles to the digital single market. We need to give people the tools to use these new technologies. We also need to focus on the traditional weaknesses of our digital infrastructure. We in the commission want to make 2020 the decade of digital Europe. We want to digital policies which will strengthen individuals and businesses, autonomy, independence and drive us towards a sustainable and prosperous digital future.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Margaritis SCHINAS, Vice-President of the European Commission, This European digital decade will be built around four key pillars. Firstly, talent. Secondly, infrastructure. Thirdly, business transformation. And fourthly, digitalisation of public authorities. For each of these four areas, we will propose some very clear aims which will need to be achieved by 2030. We will also have specific aims for SMEs and start ups.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Margaritis SCHINAS, Vice-President of the European Commission, We've listened to stakeholders and then we will come forward with a communication and we also count on support of this House to achieve these aims to encourage the digital transformation. The commission has already set out very important legislative proposal, which is on your table, for example, the digital single market, the services, the cyber security and data protection.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Margaritis SCHINAS, Vice-President of the European Commission, We have also noted that artificial intelligence can have a strategic role to help us to achieve our aims. The key to benefit from all of these changes was using artificial intelligence systems, as we will suggest in a new legislative proposal, the Data Act, which is expected later on this year. Again, we share the same concerns.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Margaritis SCHINAS, Vice-President of the European Commission, I believe your report also highlights the fact that we've found a way of protecting European values, security and fundamental rights our way, our European way of living. And we've done so without undermining or jeopardising the potential for innovation. We've also highlighted the importance of taking into account the needs of SMEs.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Margaritis SCHINAS, Vice-President of the European Commission, We need to focus both on large businesses and SMEs as well. Our package on AI, which we proposed in April, reflects this twin approach. We want to develop the potential of AI. At the same time, we want to focus on the problems that may result from AI. Our proposal here is built so that all European citizens can have trust in the management of AI.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Margaritis SCHINAS, Vice-President of the European Commission, We want to see proportionate and flexible rules to address the specific risks which come from AI in certain contacts. We are also for seeing a technocratic, logical neutrality of a I so that it can be expanded to a range of other sectors which are not currently known or developed. We also want to see use of other tools which are there rather than there are problem areas as well.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Margaritis SCHINAS, Vice-President of the European Commission, We need to have an approach which is linked to risk, a risk based approach, because this depends on how I is used and we need to look at these high risk areas. High risk areas should meet a range of specific criteria to increase transparency and to reduce the risk for security and fundamental rights.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Margaritis SCHINAS, Vice-President of the European Commission, The coordinated plan, which was published jointly, also sets out the investments that we need a European level to have to make Europe a global leader in this area. We want to encourage member state investment and also private investments so that in a progressive manner we can achieve all of the investment needed in this area. We we want to see 20 billion euros per year by the end of the decade.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Margaritis SCHINAS, Vice-President of the European Commission, The Commission will invest around one billion euros per year in this area as part of the Horizon Europe programme and the Digital Europe programme for the for the coming budget period. And this obviously does not count a range of other investments in the area of cohesion. These investments want to support research, innovation, testing, development of skills and the rollout and uptake of AI in SMEs.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Margaritis SCHINAS, Vice-President of the European Commission, Europe has excellent research community. We have a sector of robotics and we have a high performing industrial sectors. Together, they contribute to European excellence in use of AI and they will help us to benefit from the benefits of AI.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Margaritis SCHINAS, Vice-President of the European Commission, We have also included measures on AI in the area of health and the development of green intelligence and multiple friends allow me to conclude by highlighting the constructive role that this Parliament has played and will need to continue to play so that we can see this ambitious European programme progress.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Margaritis SCHINAS, Vice-President of the European Commission, I would like to also say, before of conclusion, I thank you for yourimpressive work, impressive report, and bringing together our compatible and convergent approaches. Thank you very much.