Monkeypox in Europe — Big Tech vs. Telecoms battle

Brussels Playbook Podcast

POLITICO

News, Politics, News Commentary

4.4 • 204 Ratings

🗓️ 4 August 2022

⏱️ 40 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In this bumper edition before the summer break, we explain the monkeypox outbreak in Europe and the EU's response. We also preview the biggest lobbying battle brewing in Brussels between Big Tech platforms and telecom operators. POLITICO's Samuel Stolton, who covers competition and tech policy, hosts this week's episode, which kicks off with a discussion about the spread of monkeypox in Europe. Health care reporter Helen Collis explains which countries are seeing a rise in infections, and the race to secure vaccines. Helen reveals that the European Commission is re-thinking how it buys vaccines and drugs for the bloc — thus far failing to come through with adequate monkeypox shots to fill demand. Then we preview one of the biggest Brussels lobbying battles you can expect to witness over the coming months. Our lobbying guru Sarah Wheaton and chief technology correspondent Mark Scott set the stage for this debate between Big Tech platforms and telecoms operators over whether platforms should have to pay the telecoms industry for the infrastructure they need to build in order to compensate for the masses of data their users consume across platforms like Google, Meta, Netflix and Amazon. Sam then hosts a lively debate between the top representatives of each side. On the telecoms side, is Alessandro Gropelli from the European Telecommunications Network Operators' Association (ETNO), which represents the likes of Deutsche Telekom, Orange and BT. Joining his side of the debate is Jan-Niklas Steinhauer, head of policy and regulatory affairs at the German Broadband Association (BREKO). On the Big Tech side, is Christian Borggreen from The Computer and Communications Industry Association (CCIA) representing the likes of Apple, Google, Meta and Amazon. And he's joined by Thomas Lohninger, executive director of the digital rights NGO epicenter.works. Programming note: We are off for a summer holiday, but we'll be back in your podcast feed on Thursday, September 8 with our new host, Suzanne Lynch, currently the co-author of POLITICO's Brussels Playbook. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	It's that time of the year.
0:02.3	Your vacation is coming up.
0:04.7	You can already hear the beach waves, feel the warm breeze, relax, and think about work.
0:13.4	You really, really want it all to work out while you're away.
0:16.6	Monday.com gives you and the team that peace of mind.
0:19.4	When all work is on one platform and everyone's in sync, things just flow.
0:23.7	Wherever you are, tap the banner to go to Monday.com.
0:30.1	This season, Instacart has your back-to-school.
0:34.2	As in, they've got your back-to-school lunch favorites like snack packs and fresh fruit. And they've got your back to school lunch favorites like snack packs and fresh fruit.
0:39.4	And they've got your back to school supplies like backpacks, binders, and pencils. And they've
0:45.8	got your back when your kid casually tells you they have a huge school project due tomorrow.
0:52.2	Let's face it, we were all that kid. So first, call your parents to say I'm
0:57.9	sorry, and then download the Instacart app to get delivery in as fast as 30 minutes all school
1:04.2	year long. Get a $0 delivery fee with your first three orders while supplies last. Minimum $10 in order, additional terms apply.
1:15.4	The global monkeypox outbreak represents a public health emergency of international concern.
1:22.2	Meanwhile, Spain announced a second death from monkeypox. These monkeypox vaccines that haven't purchased are being delivered now.
1:32.2	Welcome to EU Confidential Europe's number one politics podcast.
1:37.9	I'm Samuel Stolton and I cover European competition and tech policy here in Brussels.
1:44.1	And on the tech front, later in the podcast, you're going to hear a lively debate about the
1:49.1	biggest tech lobbying battle brewing here in the EU capital, whether platform giants like Google,
1:57.4	meta, Netflix and Amazon should have to pay the telecoms industry for the infrastructure
2:02.9	they need to build.
	...

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