EU lawmakers vote for increased leadership in metaverse technology that promotes values

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Members of the European Parliament have voted overwhelmingly in favor of a European Union report calling for developing virtual world technologies that align with EU values, support regional businesses, and are not dependent on countries outside of the bloc.

On Tuesday, EU lawmakers resoundingly voted for the bloc to take a prominent role in shaping virtual worlds, emphasizing the importance of reducing technological dependency on non-EU nations and supporting European businesses.

“Europe cannot afford to lag behind in the next digital revolution nor can we repeat past mistakes,” said EU Rapporteur Pablo Arias Echeverría. “As we step into Web 4.0 with the development of virtual worlds, we have to lay a foundation, rooted in strong EU digital rules, guiding principles and values. Europe has to lead this transition, placing citizens at the heart of our digital future!”

Specifically, Members of the European Parliament (MEP) from the Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection adopted—in a vote of 31 in favor to two against, with eight abstentions—a draft own-initiative report on the opportunities, risks, and policy implications for the single market of virtual worlds, such as the metaverse.

The report advocated for the 27-nation bloc “to assume a leading role in shaping virtual worlds that respect and promote EU values and fundamental rights while ensuring the highest level of consumer protection.”

The metaverse is the most well-known example of a virtual shared space that merges physical and digital realities, allowing users to interact in real-time through augmented and virtual reality. It encompasses a vast, interconnected network of immersive environments, social experiences, and digital assets, creating a parallel digital universe where people can work, socialize, and engage in various activities. The concept continues to evolve, driven primarily by technological advancements, and is envisioned as a transformative space for communication, commerce, and entertainment.

U.S. tech giant Meta (NASDAQ: META) has been a major player in the development and promotion of the metaverse—hence the name. Meta’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, has
expressed a strong commitment to building the metaverse as the next evolution of the internet, and his company has invested billions in virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technologies with products like Oculus VR headsets.

The report proposes redressing this sort of non-EU-centric investment in the virtual world.

“Currently, virtual worlds are developed by a few companies based outside the EU, which have the necessary resources and financial capabilities,” said the EU press release. Which went on to say that MEPs of the Committee voted to “take a leading role in the development of virtual words that respect and promote EU values” and foster “a level playing field to bolster European businesses.”

The report also called for the application of the EU’s already “robust” regulatory framework to virtual world development and application. This includes the Digital Services Act (DSA) and the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which introduce a comprehensive system of accountability and obligations for online platforms and can be applied to protecting and enforcing the rights of individuals and companies operating in virtual worlds.

The newly adopted Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) Regulation would cover the use of digital assets in virtual spaces, as well as provide for a European Digital Identity that would give users full control over their digital identities.

The Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection’s adoption of the report follows the European Commission’s plans for the metaverse outlined earlier in the year.

On July 11, the Commission presented a strategy on Web 4.0 and virtual worlds to “steer the next technological transition and ensure an open and secure digital environment for EU citizens, businesses, and public administration.”

While it did not propose specific laws for governing virtual worlds, it provided a framework for the EU’s approach to the area and recognized the need for new standards and global governance to oversee the metaverse’s development.

It also defined virtual worlds as “persistent, immersive environments based on 3D and extended reality (XR) technologies.”

This latest EU report builds on this strategy and doubles down on the importance of EU leadership in the space by proposing an approach that aligns with the bloc’s values and priorities.

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