Ansip: In my time, communication with the US was pragmatic; now institutional rigidity prevails

Former Prime Minister and European Commission Vice President Andrus Ansip says EU-US relations in the digital sphere have changed drastically. During his tenure, these relations were cooperation-oriented and flexible, but now both sides treat each other more as competitors. Ansip acknowledges he finds it difficult to advise how to communicate more smoothly with the US today, as the circumstances are fundamentally different.

Andrus Ansip, former Estonian Prime Minister and European Commission Vice President responsible for the digital single market, has commented on the significantly altered transatlantic relationship in the digital sphere. According to him, cooperation with the US was far smoother and more pragmatic during his tenure than it is today.

"Well, I can't really offer much advice, because during the time I was Prime Minister and European Commission Vice President for the digital single market, relations with the Americans were very pragmatic and cooperation-oriented," Ansip replied when asked what advice from his experience he would give for smoother dealings with the US.

From competitor back to partner

Ansip stressed that today's geopolitical reality is fundamentally different from his tenure. Currently, the European Union and the United States increasingly treat each other as competitors in the digital sphere, rather than partners. This shift is reflected in both regulatory approaches and everyday political communication.

In Ansip's view, the EU side has developed significantly more institutional rigidity, which complicates flexible negotiations and swift agreements. During his tenure, when the digital single market framework was being shaped, discussions took place on the principles of free data movement and early common approaches to cybersecurity were developed, openness prevailed on both sides.

What does institutional rigidity mean?

Ansip did not elaborate on all specific reasons, but the background includes several major shifts: the collapse of Safe Harbour and Privacy Shield agreements as a result of data protection activism, rising trade friction during the Donald Trump administration, and the enforcement of major EU digital regulations — the Digital Services Act, the Digital Markets Act, and the Artificial Intelligence Act-which have imposed new requirements on major American tech corporations.

Also in the background are the Cambridge Analytica scandal, the security debate that erupted around Huawei's 5G networks, and broader questions about digital sovereignty and data protection, which have made transatlantic digital relations more complex.

Ansip's recollection offers food for thought to those seeking solutions to today's complicated situation: there are no simple answers, because the world itself has changed.