Spain's Bizum Pay entered physical shops on 18 May 2026, letting users pay by phone directly from their bank account. The service uses NFC technology to transfer money directly to merchants via instant transfer, bypassing foreign intermediaries.
Subscribe to our newsletter to get the latest updates and news
Christian Triantafillou Schade— Digital pioneer, tech reporter, corporate revolutionary. Christian Triantafillou Schade covers Europe's push for digital sovereignty, from cloud infrastructure to AI policy, and consults independently on process improvement and tooling.
UK Sovereign AI Fund invests in Cambridge AI startup CuspAI
United KingdomNews
The UK’s Sovereign AI Fund, backed by Jeff Bezos, co-led a $450m Series B round for Cambridge-based AI startup CuspAI. The investment values CuspAI at $2.6bn, five times its valuation from September 2025. CuspAI develops AI systems for materials discovery in clean energy and semiconductors, with
(#source_Tech.eu)By
EU Commission finalises US border data access deal
News
The European Commission is finalising an Enhanced Border Security Partnership (EBSP) Framework Agreement with the US, allowing border authorities to screen travellers against biometric databases. The leaked draft suggests the Commission conceded to US demands for unfettered data access, raising concerns over fundamental rights and digital sovereignty. Negotiations began in
(#source_EDRi)By
EU fines AliExpress €550M under Digital Services Act
ChinaNews
The European Commission imposed a record €550 million fine on China’s AliExpress for systemic failures in moderating illegal products under the Digital Services Act. The penalty follows a probe into risks posed by counterfeit goods, unsafe toys and dangerous cosmetics on the platform. AliExpress plans to appeal the decision.
Mario Nobile, head of Italy’s Agency for Digital Italy (AgID), attended China’s World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai from 17 to 20 July 2026, where Xi Jinping outlined Beijing’s AI vision. The visit followed Italy’s signing of the U.S.-led Pax Silica initiative two
(#source_Decode39)By
U.S. to push UN free speech declaration targeting EU tech rules
News
The Trump administration plans to introduce a UN declaration on 'freedom of expression' at the upcoming General Assembly, which European officials argue targets EU tech regulations like the Digital Services Act. The draft text criticises 'new laws' and 'regulatory frameworks' that allegedly endanger free
(#source_Politico)By
European Parliament launches internal AI platform EPGenAI Hub
Government and publicNews
The European Parliament is deploying an internal AI platform, EPGenAI Hub, using models from OpenAI, Meta, Anthropic and Mistral to regulate AI-generated content for MEPs and staff. The project aims to address concerns over AI-generated parliamentary material while raising questions about the Parliament’s digital sovereignty goals. (POLITICO)
Jesús Maturana
