FEDMA welcomes the European Commission’s Digital Omnibus Initiative

Brussels, 21 November - The Federation of European Data and Marketing (FEDMA) welcomes the European Commission’s initiative to simplify and streamline the EU’s digital regulatory landscape through its Digital Omnibus. While much still remains to be ironed out and clarified, this effort represents the first step toward reducing administrative burdens, enhancing legal clarity, and ensuring that Europe’s digital rulebook remains fit for purpose in a rapidly evolving environment.

FEDMA strongly supports measures aimed at regulatory simplification and harmonization, particularly addressing the persistent complexity and fragmentation caused by the coexistence of the ePrivacy Directive (EPD) and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), among other laws. Overlapping and sometimes conflicting rules have led to legal uncertainty, inconsistent enforcement, and unnecessary compliance costs for businesses, especially SMEs.

FEDMA also welcomes the efforts made to reassert the use of legitimate interest (LI) as a valid basis for direct marketing, as we strongly support its use as essential for SMEs and SMCs. Overall, the Digital Omnibus proposal should support innovation and provide more flexibility for SMEs, which will see reduced regulatory complexity, lower costs, easier access to data, and more support for innovation and competition. These changes will most likely help SMEs thrive in the EU’s digital economy and better position EU innovation on the global stage.

Looking forward, FEDMA will continue to actively engage with policymakers, civil society and industry stakeholders throughout the legislative process. We are committed to providing expertise, fostering dialogue, and ensuring that the Digital Omnibus delivers a balanced and future-proof framework that protects consumer rights while enabling innovation and growth in Europe’s data-driven economy.