Bram Smits
@bramsmits.bsky.social
I work where healthcare, tech, and policy collide—turning complexity into strategy. Occasionally making sense of EU policy. Lobbyist by day, dad of two always. All views my own (trust me, no one else wants them).
Really insightful analysis from @chathamhouse.org on Trump’s "Liberation Day" tariffs. Trump's tariffs signal a broader economic strategy, not just tactical moves. This vision emphasizes reshoring and long-term decoupling from China, reshaping global trade.
www.chathamhouse.org/2025/04/trum...
www.chathamhouse.org/2025/04/trum...
Trump’s ‘liberation day’ tariffs are likely just the beginning of a longer-term vision
Amid strident rhetoric and shifting targets, many observers have written off Trump’s tariff agenda either as a thoughtless time bomb that may wreck the global economy or as a negotiating tactic. But t...
www.chathamhouse.org
April 4, 2025 at 2:35 PM
Really insightful analysis from @chathamhouse.org on Trump’s "Liberation Day" tariffs. Trump's tariffs signal a broader economic strategy, not just tactical moves. This vision emphasizes reshoring and long-term decoupling from China, reshaping global trade.
www.chathamhouse.org/2025/04/trum...
www.chathamhouse.org/2025/04/trum...
Trump slapped new tariffs on European exports—20% for the EU, 31% for Switzerland, 10% for the UK. Pharmaceuticals are exempt (for now), but details on ingredients vs. finished products remain murky. Medical devices aren’t spared.
April 3, 2025 at 8:51 AM
Trump slapped new tariffs on European exports—20% for the EU, 31% for Switzerland, 10% for the UK. Pharmaceuticals are exempt (for now), but details on ingredients vs. finished products remain murky. Medical devices aren’t spared.
Reposted by Bram Smits
This was….five months ago
April 2, 2025 at 11:49 PM
This was….five months ago
“Von der Leyen is reworking EU data-privacy rules, cutting red tape while preserving trust. Interested in your opinion, Tech Bluesky, how does the ideal privacy regulation look like? How do we ensure robust privacy standards that also spark innovation with minimal red tape?”
Europe's most famous technology law, the GDPR, is next on the hit list as the EU pushes ahead with its regulatory killing spree to slash laws it reckons are weighing down its businesses.
Europe’s GDPR privacy law is headed for red tape bonfire within ‘weeks’
Long seen as untouchable in Brussels, the GDPR is next on the list of the EU’s crusade against overregulation.
www.politico.eu
April 3, 2025 at 8:27 AM
“Von der Leyen is reworking EU data-privacy rules, cutting red tape while preserving trust. Interested in your opinion, Tech Bluesky, how does the ideal privacy regulation look like? How do we ensure robust privacy standards that also spark innovation with minimal red tape?”
Reposted by Bram Smits
Let's be very clear here. What people making this argument are saying is that Le Pen and Trump should be *above* the law.
They're saying that sitting leaders should interfere with the judiciary to make people running for president immune from laws that apply to everyone else.
They're saying that sitting leaders should interfere with the judiciary to make people running for president immune from laws that apply to everyone else.
April 1, 2025 at 6:54 PM
Let's be very clear here. What people making this argument are saying is that Le Pen and Trump should be *above* the law.
They're saying that sitting leaders should interfere with the judiciary to make people running for president immune from laws that apply to everyone else.
They're saying that sitting leaders should interfere with the judiciary to make people running for president immune from laws that apply to everyone else.
Reposted by Bram Smits
Quick and dirty chart using this and World Bank data to show there’s really no need for the EU to lose its cool.
These tariffs would hit plenty of other regions way harder than Europe. If the EU plays its cards right, it’s actually in a solid spot for a strong response.
These tariffs would hit plenty of other regions way harder than Europe. If the EU plays its cards right, it’s actually in a solid spot for a strong response.
April 3, 2025 at 8:02 AM
Quick and dirty chart using this and World Bank data to show there’s really no need for the EU to lose its cool.
These tariffs would hit plenty of other regions way harder than Europe. If the EU plays its cards right, it’s actually in a solid spot for a strong response.
These tariffs would hit plenty of other regions way harder than Europe. If the EU plays its cards right, it’s actually in a solid spot for a strong response.
Reposted by Bram Smits
Verbrijzelde schuldplafonds, Europese kernwapens,.. taboes sneuvelen sneller dan supersonische raketten.
Op één na: ons starre budgettair federalisme.
Terwijl de federale regering meer moet besparen of belasten om geld bijeen te schrapen voor defensie blijft de Vlaamse maar bons rondstrooien.
Op één na: ons starre budgettair federalisme.
Terwijl de federale regering meer moet besparen of belasten om geld bijeen te schrapen voor defensie blijft de Vlaamse maar bons rondstrooien.
Eén taboe blijft onverminderd overeind: de starheid van het Belgisch federalisme
Dave Sinardet is professor politieke wetenschappen (VUB/UCLouvain). Hij bekijkt het lossen van de begrotingsstrengheid in Duitsland én in België.
www.demorgen.be
March 18, 2025 at 10:28 AM
Verbrijzelde schuldplafonds, Europese kernwapens,.. taboes sneuvelen sneller dan supersonische raketten.
Op één na: ons starre budgettair federalisme.
Terwijl de federale regering meer moet besparen of belasten om geld bijeen te schrapen voor defensie blijft de Vlaamse maar bons rondstrooien.
Op één na: ons starre budgettair federalisme.
Terwijl de federale regering meer moet besparen of belasten om geld bijeen te schrapen voor defensie blijft de Vlaamse maar bons rondstrooien.
Reposted by Bram Smits
Up to 100 European companies and lobby groups including heavyweights Airbus and Dassault are pressing the European Commission to force more home-made technology into the bloc's digital infrastructure.
First in Morning Tech, now free to read:
www.politico.eu/article/airb...
First in Morning Tech, now free to read:
www.politico.eu/article/airb...
Defense giants want von der Leyen to boost made-in-Europe tech
European industrial and tech firms want the EU’s backing to reduce reliance on the U.S.
www.politico.eu
March 17, 2025 at 1:37 PM
Up to 100 European companies and lobby groups including heavyweights Airbus and Dassault are pressing the European Commission to force more home-made technology into the bloc's digital infrastructure.
First in Morning Tech, now free to read:
www.politico.eu/article/airb...
First in Morning Tech, now free to read:
www.politico.eu/article/airb...
Reposted by Bram Smits
🪖 By treating defence as a European public good, Europe can build from past experiences to develop a mature EU defence industry.
🔗 buff.ly/O3W8NXO
🖊️ First glance by Roel Beetsma, Marco Buti and @francesconicoli.bsky.social
#EconSky
🔗 buff.ly/O3W8NXO
🖊️ First glance by Roel Beetsma, Marco Buti and @francesconicoli.bsky.social
#EconSky
The problem of missing European public goods from the ReArm Europe plan
Focusing on defence financing and delivery at national level risks fiscally weaker countries not increasing spending or running up unsustainable debts
buff.ly
March 18, 2025 at 11:00 AM
🪖 By treating defence as a European public good, Europe can build from past experiences to develop a mature EU defence industry.
🔗 buff.ly/O3W8NXO
🖊️ First glance by Roel Beetsma, Marco Buti and @francesconicoli.bsky.social
#EconSky
🔗 buff.ly/O3W8NXO
🖊️ First glance by Roel Beetsma, Marco Buti and @francesconicoli.bsky.social
#EconSky
Reposted by Bram Smits
European Defense Depends on Tech | "President Trump’s threats are a wake-up call: Europe must build up its own defenses, learning from Ukraine’s use of drones and satellites." @henriklarsen.bsky.social #TechPol
European Defense Depends on Tech
President Trump’s threats are a wake-up call: Europe must build up its own defenses, learning from Ukraine’s use of drones and satellites.
cepa.org
March 17, 2025 at 6:08 PM
European Defense Depends on Tech | "President Trump’s threats are a wake-up call: Europe must build up its own defenses, learning from Ukraine’s use of drones and satellites." @henriklarsen.bsky.social #TechPol
Reposted by Bram Smits
This must be the 702nd concrete warning today to voters in the rest of the world: if you still have the rule of law, and a democracy, do NOT vote for far-right populists, as they do exactly what they promise - namely, demolish those.
"Mr. Patel also removed the people who knew how to run the seventh floor, where the director and the deputy sit. His new executive secretary previously ran a concierge business." www.nytimes.com/2025/03/17/u...
With Arrival of Bongino, Trump Loyalists Take Command of the F.B.I.
From his wildly popular podcast to the No. 2 post at the F.B.I., Dan Bongino joins Kash Patel, President Trump’s former election surrogate, to lead the agency at a turning point.
www.nytimes.com
March 17, 2025 at 5:14 PM
This must be the 702nd concrete warning today to voters in the rest of the world: if you still have the rule of law, and a democracy, do NOT vote for far-right populists, as they do exactly what they promise - namely, demolish those.
Europe can’t regulate its way to digital sovereignty-and in just 3 years, we risk total dependence on foreign tech.
Industry is demanding action: invest in European cloud, AI & open-source tech to build a competitive ecosystem, not just compliance. Let’s listen & lead. 🇪🇺 #EuroStack #TechSovereignty
Industry is demanding action: invest in European cloud, AI & open-source tech to build a competitive ecosystem, not just compliance. Let’s listen & lead. 🇪🇺 #EuroStack #TechSovereignty
We gathered nearly 100 CEOs in a letter to the Commssion calling for bold action on the #EuroStack initiative
www.digitalsme.eu/european-ind...
www.digitalsme.eu/european-ind...
European industry demands Eurostack to power EU competitiveness
www.digitalsme.eu
March 17, 2025 at 11:41 PM
Europe can’t regulate its way to digital sovereignty-and in just 3 years, we risk total dependence on foreign tech.
Industry is demanding action: invest in European cloud, AI & open-source tech to build a competitive ecosystem, not just compliance. Let’s listen & lead. 🇪🇺 #EuroStack #TechSovereignty
Industry is demanding action: invest in European cloud, AI & open-source tech to build a competitive ecosystem, not just compliance. Let’s listen & lead. 🇪🇺 #EuroStack #TechSovereignty
Meanwhile, French AI company Mistral continues to compete for Europe in the AI space, today with the release of Mistral Small 3.1, which beats comparable small models both from open source and US companies:
Mistral Small 3.1 | Mistral AI
SOTA. Multimodal. Multilingual. Apache 2.0
mistral.ai
March 17, 2025 at 11:30 PM
Reposted by Bram Smits
💊 EU must boost pharma production to shield against trade wars
With growing global instability, boosting EU production is crucial. With the #CriticalMedicinesAct, we strengthen Europe’s pharmaceutical resilience.
epp.group/q3tivovs
With growing global instability, boosting EU production is crucial. With the #CriticalMedicinesAct, we strengthen Europe’s pharmaceutical resilience.
epp.group/q3tivovs
EU must boost pharma production to shield against trade wars
“An extremely worrying shortage of critical medicines has been on the rise across the EU for many years now. The situation is urgent: in Europe, there is a lack of vital medicines, products like ...
epp.group
March 11, 2025 at 8:30 AM
💊 EU must boost pharma production to shield against trade wars
With growing global instability, boosting EU production is crucial. With the #CriticalMedicinesAct, we strengthen Europe’s pharmaceutical resilience.
epp.group/q3tivovs
With growing global instability, boosting EU production is crucial. With the #CriticalMedicinesAct, we strengthen Europe’s pharmaceutical resilience.
epp.group/q3tivovs
Reposted by Bram Smits
Hot take: er is niets mis met de AI-divisie bij Apple. Ze stoten op inherente reliability issues met LLMs, en de lat bij Apple ligt heel hoog.
Nog langer wachten op nieuwe versie van Siri: “Insiders zeggen dat er iets grondig mis is met AI-divisie bij Apple”
Mensen binnen Apple waren al lang op de hoogte dat het bedrijf de nieuwe versie van Siri zou moeten uitstellen, aldus Mark Gurman, de goed geïnformeerde technologiejournalist van persagentschap…
www.hln.be
March 14, 2025 at 7:28 AM
Hot take: er is niets mis met de AI-divisie bij Apple. Ze stoten op inherente reliability issues met LLMs, en de lat bij Apple ligt heel hoog.
Reposted by Bram Smits
#Bluesky has set up its EU headquarters in #Belgium, putting the country’s telecom regulator in charge of the platform’s compliance with the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA) and its DPA for GDPR
www.euronews.com/next/2025/03...
www.euronews.com/next/2025/03...
Bluesky finally found in Belgium
Any Digital Services Act questions will go to the Belgian telecom regulator as Bluesky established its legal headquarters in the country.
www.euronews.com
March 13, 2025 at 5:04 PM
#Bluesky has set up its EU headquarters in #Belgium, putting the country’s telecom regulator in charge of the platform’s compliance with the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA) and its DPA for GDPR
www.euronews.com/next/2025/03...
www.euronews.com/next/2025/03...
💊 Tariffs on medicines? The ripple effects could be huge.
🔹 The U.S. imports $170B in pharma—how will tariffs impact costs & access?
🔹 Europe’s pharma industry is already under pressure—will investment shift elsewhere?
Read our analysis here: 🔗 lnkd.in/eCK2pQjX
#pharma #EU #policy #tarriffs
🔹 The U.S. imports $170B in pharma—how will tariffs impact costs & access?
🔹 Europe’s pharma industry is already under pressure—will investment shift elsewhere?
Read our analysis here: 🔗 lnkd.in/eCK2pQjX
#pharma #EU #policy #tarriffs
The Transatlantic Toll: U.S.-EU Pharma at Risk Under Trump’s Tariffs - FleishmanHillard
The proposed tariffs on EU pharmaceuticals present significant challenges for the pharmaceutical industry, with far-reaching implications on both sides of the Atlantic. Effective communication will be...
lnkd.in
March 13, 2025 at 8:29 PM
💊 Tariffs on medicines? The ripple effects could be huge.
🔹 The U.S. imports $170B in pharma—how will tariffs impact costs & access?
🔹 Europe’s pharma industry is already under pressure—will investment shift elsewhere?
Read our analysis here: 🔗 lnkd.in/eCK2pQjX
#pharma #EU #policy #tarriffs
🔹 The U.S. imports $170B in pharma—how will tariffs impact costs & access?
🔹 Europe’s pharma industry is already under pressure—will investment shift elsewhere?
Read our analysis here: 🔗 lnkd.in/eCK2pQjX
#pharma #EU #policy #tarriffs