The European Parliament has adopted its position on new legislation on foreign investment screening, which introduces a single framework for screening third-country investments in strategic sectors such as energy, media, electoral infrastructure, artificial intelligence and transport hubs. The aim is to strengthen the security and technological sovereignty of the European Union without compromising its open market.
The new rules respond to growing concerns about the influence of foreign investors, especially from authoritarian countries, on key sectors of the European economy. According to European Parliament press releases the legislation aims to harmonise practices across Member States, which until now have been fragmented.
Key sectors that will be subject to mandatory screening include media services, critical infrastructure (e.g. energy grids or transport hubs), artificial intelligence technologies and election-related infrastructure. The European Commission will be given greater powers, including the ability to intervene in the vetting process or resolve disputes between Member States.
"We need to protect our security and sovereignty, especially in the digital era," said the chairman of the European Parliament's International Trade Committee Bernd Lange in the press release.
Once the European Parliament approves the position, negotiations with Member States on the final form of the rules will follow. According to experts, such as an analyst from the Brussels-based think-tank Bruegel André Sapirquoted in the daily Euractiv, the process could take several months to years, depending on the political consensus.
Experts say the new legislation has the potential to strengthen EU security, but warn of risks such as possible protectionism or increased bureaucracy. "It is crucial to strike a balance between security and market openness," Sapir said in the quoted Euractiv article.
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