[nvm0n2]

Probably not really. The EU itself (at the Brussels level) doesn't have much of an intelligence apparatus. One exists but it's small and weak compared to the likes of the NSA. The most capable was GCHQ but of course that's no longer a part of the EU.

The EU likes passing internet related legislation because of:

1. The politics of it. It involves the raw exercise of power over people who are easily bullied and that they don't like much, namely successful American companies. The EU loves passing extra-territorial laws and seeing people jump, it makes them feel like a big power bloc which is the whole aim of the EU project to begin with.

2. The revenue from it. Tech companies either fight or they try to obey, but the laws are vague and easily reinterpreted. This yields massive fines which go straight into the EU coffers, money which is then spent on purchasing loyalty both of the elected political elites (via post-election-loss sinecures and enormous "pensions" that start being paid out long before retirement), and the population itself (via EU branded projects and grants).

3. The unaccountability of it. EU law is created by the Commission which does whatever it wants. By treaty it is accountable to nothing except itself and it is the highest power in Europe. In that situation why not spend all your time on easily achieved upper-class luxury agenda items like internet regulation, which feels futuristic and cool, instead of messy stuff that bothers the regular citizens like illegal immigration, where you don't want to do it and failure comes easy?

That's why there's a constant flood of tech-related regulation coming from the EU. Seeing this specific act in isolation is a mistake, it's just the continuation of a long term trend.

[supriyo-biswas]

It’s intriguing to observe this phenomena on HN where any posts critical of the EU will get downvoted, even though it is natural for any country or block to try various means to show or enforce its power.

And before someone says otherwise, I’ve seen this playing out hundreds of times.

[nvm0n2]

Eurosceptics aren't welcome here and will usually give up rather than burn karma and get throttled.

If you spend time in central Europe you'll see why this occurs. Some people have incorporated the EU institutions into their personal identity. People will call themselves European Citizens although the EU doesn't grant citizenship. Businesses will be called Euro-this or Euro-that for no obvious reason. You can catch the Eurobus to go ride the rollercoasters at the Europa Park then meet their famous mascot Ed Euromouse. This stuff is everywhere.

And in some ways, it is understandable. The 20th century was wracked by wars between different European empires or countries. The assumption at the core of this movement is that if everyone has the same social identity and is ruled by the same government, then everyone will hold hands and there will be peace on Earth. Or at least that bit of it.

But you can't force unity on people. It has to develop naturally, through shared experiences and cultures. Unfortunately the vision is so enticing that the political and credentialed classes in these countries don't want to wait, and so attempt to enforce it from the top down via schemes that eliminate democracy in favor of power transfers towards the Right Sort Of People, the type who "get it" and who can then rule unchecked without needing to answer to electorates. This is deeply corrupting, but because it's an identity issue when this is pointed out people feel their personal identity and whole progress story is under attack.

[midasuni]

The post was typical anti gov tin foil hat nonsense. You see the same types of posts from people who like camping out on compounds in the mid west complaining about “the feds”

[supriyo-biswas]

There is nothing about protectionism or a government flexing its power that can be construed as "tin foil hat nonsense" though.

[Jensson]

It got downvoted since it says this regulation isn't made to spy on people. People want to believe it was made for a sinister purpose and not just due to naivete.

If you look around you see plenty of people that gets upvoted and are critical of EU, so that isn't it.

[supriyo-biswas]

We had a recent MITM on jabber.ru[1] conducted by Germany, a EU state that was only detected because they failed to renew the MITM cert. I have no reason to believe making this easier isn’t one of the goals of EIDAS.

[1] https://notes.valdikss.org.ru/jabber.ru-mitm/

[chmod775]

How can you make this any easier? The ergonomics of letsencrypt are probably better than anything the EU could come up with.

Fair chance they'll just keep using letsencrypt.

[midasuni]

The en commissioners are appointed by the eu heads of state (one each) and subject to confirmation from Parliament (congress). Somewhat analogous to the US exec branch.

The commission President is proposed by the council (the heads of states) and appointed by parliament.

I’m not aware of the EU arresting random US citizens for breaking laws like the gdpr, you’re thinking of America and the DMCA

[nvm0n2]

That's what they claim, but in reality the President of the Commission rejects any Commissioner they don't like. This isn't meant to happen but eventually Juncker admitted that he did it all the time, and that this was considered normal.

So the Commissioners are in reality selected by the President.

This problem appears in every HN thread about the EU or its activities. People argue that it's a legitimate democratic structure based on how its treaties say it works, but the treaties aren't followed.

[alphager]

Laws are not created by the commission. Laws can be proposed by the commission, but must pass an unanimous vote by the council (made up of a representative of the government of every country) and pass a qualified majority vote in the EU parliament.

[nvm0n2]

The council also uses qualified majority voting and has done for nearly a decade.

The Commission is the sole source of legislation. The Council cannot change EU law against the will of the Commission, so in practice it's a rubber stamp body that just always votes yes to everything.

This is what I'm saying in another comment: HN is flooded with incorrect claims about how the EU actually works, always in the direction of making it sound more accountable than it actually is.