NOYB Challenges Swedish Tax Authority Over Sale of Personal Data: The privacy advocacy group NOYB has initiated legal action against the Swedish Tax Authority for selling citizens’ personal data to third-party companies, such as data brokers, who then publish this information online—a practice deemed a violation of EU law. Despite a recent Swedish Supreme Court ruling mandating that personal data be marked confidential if its processing could breach the GDPR, the Tax Authority continues to sell this data, citing adherence to Sweden’s constitutional principle of transparency. NOYB’s lawsuit seeks to compel the Tax Authority to align its data-sharing practices with the Supreme Court’s decision and EU data protection regulations.

European Commission Unveils ProtectEU: A Comprehensive Internal Security Strategy: The European Commission has introduced ProtectEU, a new strategy aimed at addressing man-made threats to the EU’s internal security, including hybrid threats and cyberattacks. This comprehensive approach seeks to enhance cooperation among member states and strengthen the mandates of agencies like Europol. ProtectEU also emphasizes the integration of security considerations into various EU policies while upholding fundamental rights, uncluding the right to privacy.

EU Investigates Elon Musk’s X for Potential Digital Services Act Violations: The European Union has initiated formal proceedings against Elon Musk’s social media platform, X, alleging breaches of the Digital Services Act (DSA). Key concerns include the platform’s paid blue checkmark system, which the EU claims may mislead users about account authenticity; insufficient transparency in advertising practices; and inadequate data access for researchers. If these violations are confirmed, X could face fines up to 6% of its global annual turnover, amounting to approximately $200 million.

Nokia, Telia, and Finnish Defence Forces Achieve Cross-Border 5G SA Slice Handover: In a groundbreaking trial conducted in Finland, Nokia, Telia, and the Finnish Defence Forces successfully demonstrated a cross-border handover of a 5G standalone (SA) network slice across three different countries. This achievement ensures continuous and secure data connections for military personnel operating in coalitions beyond national territories, addressing modern battlefield communication needs. The trial utilized Nokia’s 5G Core Software as a Service (SaaS), AirScale 5G base stations, and Telia’s commercial network, marking a significant advancement in mission-critical 5G capabilities for defense operations.

Vodafone Utilizes Mobile Network Signals to Enhance Rainfall Forecasting: Vodafone, in collaboration with the River Severn Partnership Advanced Wireless Innovation Region (RSPAWIR) and Wireless DNA, has initiated a trial using its mobile network as an environmental sensor to improve short-term rainfall forecasting, known as ’nowcasting,’ in the River Severn catchment area. By monitoring variations in electromagnetic signals between masts—affected by water in the air—the network functions as a ’virtual rain gauge,’ providing precise, real-time data on precipitation. This innovative approach aims to enhance early warning systems and bolster flood defenses in a region historically prone to severe flooding.

Axiom Space to Launch Orbital Data Centers for Enhanced Space-Based Cloud Computing: Axiom Space plans to deploy its first two Orbital Data Centre (ODC) nodes into low-Earth orbit by the end of 2025, aiming to establish space-based cloud computing capabilities. These ODCs will provide cloud-enabled data storage, processing, and AI solutions directly to satellites and spacecraft, operating independently of terrestrial infrastructure. Partnering with Kepler Communications, the nodes will feature high-speed optical links to enhance real-time operations and bolster security for both commercial and government space assets.

New report: Significant inequality in regions’ AI efforts in healthcare: AI Sweden’s ”Vårdkartan” report identifies 179 AI initiatives in Swedish healthcare, mainly in diagnostics and administration, but only 13% are fully implemented. Five regions account for over 60% of these initiatives, highlighting regional disparities. The report aims to foster collaboration to ensure equitable AI adoption in healthcare.

The foundation for a Nordic-Baltic AI Center has now been laid: The groundwork for a Nordic-Baltic AI Center has been finalized, marking a crucial step towards its establishment with recommendations on financing models, budget, and governance. Nordic Innovation, with AI Sweden as a key partner, is driving this initiative to scale national AI successes to a Nordic-Baltic level, aiming to strengthen the region’s AI capabilities

AI Commission delivers urgent roadmap to Swedish Government: The Swedish AI Commission’s ”Roadmap for Sweden” urges the government to invest SEK 12.5 billion over five years to strengthen AI education, innovation, and infrastructure. It proposes 75 measures, including creating a task force under the Prime Minister, enhancing public AI literacy, and investing in research to address Sweden’s declining global AI ranking.

”NIS360 2024 Report” by ENISA: The NIS360 report by ENISA assesses the maturity and criticality of high-criticality sectors under the NIS2 Directive, providing both comparative and in-depth analysis. Key findings highlight that electricity, telecoms, and banking are the most mature sectors, while digital infrastructures face challenges due to their heterogeneity and cross-border nature. In addition, ICT service management, space, public administrations, maritime, health, and gas sectors are identified as needing extra attention to address maturity gaps and enhance resilience.

FI Prepares for Dora Reporting Implementation: FI has announced the technical requirements for reporting under the Dora regulation, adhering to the European Banking Authority’s (EBA) framework 4.0. The Dora information register module will be available for reporting in both test and production environments starting March 25, 2025, using the XBRL-CSV format. Any changes to the timeline will be communicated continuously, and new module versions will initially be reported in XBRL-XML format.

MSB Report Highlights IT Incident Causes and Prevention: The Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB) has released its annual report on IT incidents, revealing that about half of all incidents in 2024 were due to mistakes or system errors, often occurring during updates or configurations. Government agencies and organizations under the NIS Act reported a total of 319 IT incidents, with 163 organizations submitting at least one report. The report emphasizes the importance of systematic and risk-based safety work to prevent incidents and increase societal resilience, noting that prevention is more cost-effective than dealing with consequences.

Escalating Tariffs Deepen U.S.-China Trade War Amid Global Economic Concerns: The United States and China are locked in an intensifying trade war, with both nations imposing escalating tariffs on each other’s goods. The U.S. has raised tariffs on Chinese imports to 125%, while China has retaliated with 84% tariffs on U.S. products. This tit-for-tat escalation is causing significant disruptions to global markets and raising fears of a broader economic downturn.

EU Implements Retaliatory Tariffs in Response to U.S. Trade Measures: In reaction to President Donald Trump’s imposition of 25% tariffs on imported steel and aluminum from the European Union, the EU has approved retaliatory tariffs targeting $23 billion worth of U.S. goods. These countermeasures will be implemented in stages, with the first phase commencing on April 15, 2025. Despite these actions, the EU continues to express a preference for a negotiated settlement to resolve the escalating trade tensions.

Explore the Impact of Tariffs with OEC’s Interactive Tariff Simulator: The Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC) has developed the Tariff Simulator, an innovative tool that allows users to estimate the direct and indirect effects of tariffs on international trade. By selecting an importer, exporter, and additional tariff rates, users can visualize changes in trade flows, identify potential shifts in export opportunities for competing nations, and assess the impact on specific products. This user-friendly simulator is particularly valuable for understanding the complexities of trade wars and how tariffs influence various economies.

• Infosecurity Europe

Date: June 3–5, 2025
Time: 9:00 am
Location: ExCeL London, UK
Registration Link: https://www.infosecurityeurope.com/

• The AI Summit London

Date: June 11-12, 2025
Time: 9:30 am
Location: Tobacco Dock, London
Registration Link: https://london.theaisummit.com/

• European Space Generation Workshop (E-SGW)

Date: April 28-30, 2025
Location: London, UK
Registration Link: https://spaceindustrydatabase.com/index.php/event