Evolving Tech Policy in Europe The sentiment on the general direction of travel of European regulation around technology is also balanced Europe hasn’t made up its mind about whether European regulation is going in the amongst founders and investors. Though 23% of European founders and 22% of European VCs believe that the right direction. Founders and VCs are more likely to think it isn’t, whilst those in the direction regulation has taken in the past year has been negative, this is countered by the 35% and 37%, public sector or in policymaking roles are more favourable. respectively, of each group that take the opposite view. The direction of travel of European regulation around technology is positive for Founder or startup/scale-up employee the European tech ecosystem LEGEND Agree Neither agree nor disagree Venture capitalist Disagree Policymaker or employee in the public sector 0 20 40 60 80 100 % of respondents Source: The policy agenda in Europe around technology has been The policy agenda in Europe around technology has been The policy agenda in Europe around technology has been dominated by data dominated by data privacy and content copyright for the past dominated by data privacy and content copyright for the past privacy and content copyright for the past two years. two years. two years. Number of mentions of key tech-related Data privacy/ GDPR 121 86 Number of mentions of key tech-related Data privacy/ GDPR 121 86 issues in European Parliament legislative issues in European Parliament legislative documents by topic per year documents by topic per year Content & copyright 29 37 Content & copyright 29 37 LEGEND LEGEND Artificial Intelligence 15 24 FY 2017 Artificial Intelligence 15 24 FY 2017 2018* 2018* Brexit 17 11 Brexit 17 11 Fintech 15 11 Fintech 15 11 Digital health 7 Digital health 7 Blockchain/cryptocurrencies 6 Blockchain/cryptocurrencies 6 Autonomous vehicles 3 Autonomous vehicles 3 Drones 8 Drones 8 CRISPR, Genetic editing 1 CRISPR, Genetic editing 1 Digital tax 2 Digital tax 2 Quantum computing 1 Quantum computing 1 0 50 100 150 200 0 50 100 150 200 Number of legislative documents containing issue keywords Number of legislative documents containing issue keywords Note: This data looks at the number of citations of keywords related Note: to a number of selected technology-related issues in European Source: This data looks at the number of citations of keywords related Parliament legislation, where legislation equals documentation to a number of selected technology-related issues in European Source: related to the ongoing process of law making, actual bills, etc Parliament legislation, where legislation equals documentation related to the ongoing process of law making, actual bills, etc & 97 In Partnership with www.thestateofeuropeantech.com