Finland’s commissioner listening to: Henna Virkkunen on tech sovereignty, safety and democracy — reside updates

Virkkunen is, and has been, a European lawmaker for over a decade. She will likely be in entrance of fellow lawmakers she is aware of fairly nicely (from the trade and the interior market committees) and will likely be grilled about recordsdata that she used to cowl already as a lawmaker. 

But Virkkunen’s vast portfolio — as Executive Vice President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy — might nonetheless make for a heated alternate. After final week’s re-election of Trump as U.S. President, there have been ample requires Europe to turn into extra self-sufficient, additionally with regard to important applied sciences or the protection trade. 

Another thorny matter may very well be the enforcement of a flurry of tech guidelines that had been adopted final mandate. Virkkunen must present these guidelines can chew, however among the many attainable targets is X, the platform owned by Elon Musk, Donald Trump’s protégé. 

We’ll be bringing you all of the reside motion from 6.30 p.m. on November 12. You can watch the listening to reside right here. 

Want to learn one thing whereas ready? 

• A profile of Finnish horse enthousiast Henna Virkkunen. 
• A listing of questions lawmakers might ask Virkkunen. 

PS. If you need to comply with extra of the motion from the hearings, our reporters will likely be bringing you blow-by-blow updates from all 26 commissioner interviews right here.