Thierry Breton

Former European Commissioner for Internal Market (2019-2024) - Departed European Commission in September 2024

For decades, software companies shipped code with security flaws and faced little legal consequence. On September 11, 2026, that changes for any product sold in Europe. The European Union's Cyber Resilience Act now requires manufacturers to report actively exploited vulnerabilities within 24 hours, maintain software bills of materials listing every component in their products, and provide security updates for the product's entire expected lifespan.

Updated Feb 11

Former EU Commissioner for Internal Market - Banned from U.S., called sanctions a 'witch hunt'

On December 23, 2024, Secretary of State Marco Rubio banned five Europeans from entering the United States—including the EU's former top tech regulator and leaders of anti-disinformation groups. The charge: pressuring American tech companies to censor lawful speech. One sanctioned figure, Imran Ahmed, holds a U.S. green card and now faces potential arrest and deportation.

Updated Dec 26, 2025

European Commissioner for the Internal Market (Digital Policy Lead during early DSA enforcement) - Early enforcer who escalated pressure on X over disinformation risks

On December 5, 2025, the European Commission issued its first-ever non‑compliance decision under the Digital Services Act (DSA), fining Elon Musk’s social platform X €120 million for misleading users with its paid blue checkmark system, failing to provide a transparent advertising repository, and obstructing researcher access to public data. Regulators concluded that X’s subscription-based ‘verified’ badge constitutes deceptive design because anyone can buy it without meaningful identity checks, while the platform’s ad library and data-access rules prevent independent scrutiny of scams, influence operations, and systemic online risks.

Updated Dec 11, 2025