Centre for Future Generations
CFG
Centre for Future Generations, established in 2021, is a think tank dedicated to shaping a future where technology not only benefits but also safeguards current and future generations.
ID: 286697151251-49
Lobbying Activity
Response to Evaluation and Revision of the Chips Act ("Chips Act 2.0")
28 Nov 2025
Europe's semiconductor strategy should shift from pursuing manufacturing autonomy to becoming an irreplaceable partner in the global value chain. The 2023 Act's ambition to reach 20% of global chip production was a reasonable response to the supply chain disruptions of 2020-2022, but the threat landscape has fundamentally changed. With targets increasingly out of reach and the required investment prohibitively large, Europe cannot win a subsidy race against the US and China. More importantly, chip access is now threatened predominantly by deliberate geopolitical restrictions rather than accidental disruptions. A strategy built around manufacturing capacity cannot address a world where semiconductors have become instruments of economic leverage. Europe must adapt accordingly. Strategic indispensability offers a more effective path. Europe already holds critical chokepoints in the global supply chain. By ensuring the global supply chain remains dependent on European technology, the EU ensures that partners and rivals alike have a strategic interest in maintaining Europe's access to their chipssecuring access to all advanced chip types, not just those a European fab might produce. Achieving this requires three reinforcing capabilities: comprehensive dependency mapping, targeted investment in high-leverage technologies, and stronger coordination for a credible European response when chip access is threatened. These efforts will be more likely to succeed if embedded within the broader competitiveness reforms recommended in the Draghi and Letta reports, from capital-market integration to regulatory reform. I. Better Situational Awareness. The Commission should map bidirectional dependencies, identifying not only where Europe is vulnerable, but also where the global supply chain depends on European technology. This requires mandatory data provision from key market actors and greatly increased technical capacity at the Commission. II. Clearer Strategy. Replace the 20% volume target with a strategic portfolio approach: protect existing strengths in lithography equipment (ASML), precision optics (Zeiss), and research infrastructure (imec); back emerging technologies where Europe can establish future leverage; and reduce critical dependencies selectively, focusing on automotive and edge inference chips rather than comprehensive manufacturing autonomy. The revised Act should establish a Strategic Semiconductor Asset designation for entities at critical chokepoints, triggering tailored support including extended state-aid flexibility, STEP integration, fast-track permitting, and streamlined communication with the Commission. III. Stronger Coordination. Europe's fragmented export control governance leaves individual Member States vulnerable to external pressure. The revised Act should coordinate export control decisions at EU level and develop a calibrated response framework; a menu of retaliatory measures that Europe could deploy if third countries restrict Europes access to chips. This provides credible deterrence without immediate escalation. The revised Act should also establish a streamlined response mechanism with pre-approved triggers, accelerated timelines, and a solidarity fund for companies affected by export controls.
Read full responseMeeting with Patricia Reilly (Cabinet of President Ursula von der Leyen)
18 Nov 2025 · to follow
Meeting with Patricia Reilly (Cabinet of President Ursula von der Leyen)
18 Nov 2025 · biotechnology acts
Response to Strategy on Intergenerational Fairness
8 Nov 2025
Please find the Centre for Future Generations' detailed feedback and recommendations attached.
Read full responseResponse to Digital Fairness Act
23 Oct 2025
This response from the Centre for Future Generations (CFG) contributes to the European Commissions call for evidence for the Digital Fairness Act (Ref. Ares(2025)5829481, legal basis Article 114 of TFEU), launched on 17 July 2025. As a think-and-do tank supporting decision-makers in responsibly governing rapid technological change in the best interests of current and future generations, CFG welcomes the Commissions ambition to close persistent gaps in online consumer protection. The Fitness Check of EU Consumer Law confirmed that consumers behave differently online than offline and do not always feel fully in control of their digital environment - underscoring the need for stronger safeguards against manipulative or opaque design practices. Despite the entry into force of the Digital Services Act (DSA), Digital Markets Act (DMA), and the AI Act (AIA), critical blind spots remain in the EUs digital regulatory framework. Neither the DSA nor the DMA directly addresses the design of user experiences, behavioural manipulation, or the erosion of individual agency through algorithmic influencemechanisms that underpin dark patterns and hyper-personalisation. And due to the specific scope of the AI Act, the vast majority of consumer AI systems fall outside the AI Acts high-risk categories, leaving most personalised recommendation and advertising systems effectively unregulated or only subject to voluntary action. The Digital Fairness Act (DFA) would not duplicate existing rules - it operationalises fairness and individual empowerment in ways that the DSA/DMA/AIA structurally cannot, due to their differing legislative and policy scope. Experts increasingly warn that the EUs framework must evolve to keep pace with emerging manipulative architectures. Just as the EU has moved to regulate political advertising to prevent the manipulation of democratic will, commercial practices that distort consumer choice through deceptive or hyper-personalised persuasion should also be scrutinised. Finally, calls for simplification of EU law must not become an excuse for inaction on digital power asymmetries. They should instead be harnessed to overcome existing implementation, enforcement, and compliance hurdles experienced so far across the rest of the EUs digital and data regulatory frameworkharnessed toward a more cohesive, independent digital governance framework for Europe. The DFA therefore represents a crucial opportunity to fill these regulatory gaps and to protect both people and the planet in an era of accelerating technology compounded with environmental degradation. As digital systems increasingly shape everyday choices, fairness in the emerging tech age must mean freedom from manipulative personalisation and the right to understand and control how algorithms influence decisions including their environmental footprint. Moreover, in todays tech ecosystems, advertising and personalisation operate in contexts of asymmetric information and psychological influence, which can undermine informed and autonomous decision-making. The consequences of this imbalance extend beyond individual welfare to the collective well-being of society - and to future generations who will inherit the social and ecological impacts of todays technology design choices. We recommend the DFA address: 1) Manipulative hyper-personalisation based on mental-state inferences 2) Consumer transactions in the digital attention economy 3) Lack of clarity on wellness versus medical marketing 4) Hidden drivers of environmental harm 5) Unfair and deceptive commercial practices on the horizon 6) Governance and enforcement gaps for digital fairness in Europe
Read full responseMeeting with Stine Bosse (Member of the European Parliament)
26 Sept 2025 · EU biotechnology policy
Meeting with Mohammed Chahim (Member of the European Parliament)
27 Aug 2025 · Solar Ray Modification
Meeting with Egelyn Braun (Cabinet of Commissioner Michael McGrath)
16 Jul 2025 · Exchange of views on the forthcoming Digital Fairness Act
Meeting with Clint Tanti (Cabinet of Commissioner Glenn Micallef), Deša Srsen (Cabinet of Commissioner Glenn Micallef)
8 Jul 2025 · Introductory meeting
Response to A European Strategy for AI in science – paving the way for a European AI research council
4 Jun 2025
Europe faces a critical challenge in accelerating AI adoption in scientific activities to enhance research capabilities, maintain global competitiveness, and reduce technological dependency. As outlined in the present call for evidence on a European Strategy for AI in Science, this challenge affects "the speed and quality of scientific output, reducing the impact of EU science globally," with significant implications for Europe's economic growth and strategic autonomy. This adoption challenge reflects a deeper issue: Europe's lack of domestic trustworthy AI capabilities. The Centre for Future Generations (CFG) has extensively researched this through our "CERN for AI" proposal - an ambitious institution to develop trustworthy general-purpose AI and catalyze European AI innovation. The Resource for AI Science in Europe (RAISE), announced in the AI Continent Action Plan, represents a promising institutional approach through the creation of a European AI Research Council. If designed properly, RAISE could bring to life the research hub part of CERN for AI and in turn: Boost adoption and development of AI tools for scientific applications Add scientific rigour to the field of trustworthy AI, ensuring AI models are reliable, robust and safe Help build a thriving European AI ecosystem Become one of Europe's premier AI talent magnets Establish European AI sovereignty and ensure economic competitiveness However, RAISE's design must be as bold as its goals. In this submission, we start by outlining challenges of the European AI landscape that RAISE must address, and proceed to strategic design recommendations that would give RAISE the best chance of success to advance both Science in AI, as well as AI in Science.
Read full responseResponse to European Democracy Shield
26 May 2025
CFG welcomes the European Commissions objective established by the European Democracy Shield (EUDS) to address the most severe risks to democracy in the EU and restore public trust in democratic institutions and processes. The EUDS arrives at a pivotal moment as the global outlook for democracy grows increasingly bleak. Major democracies are facing significant erosion, particularly through disinformation and political interference - threats the EUDS rightly aims to tackle. To be effective, the EUDS must confront vulnerabilities on both fronts: foreign disinformation campaigns and election interference as well as the internal decline of democracy itself, evident through a marked authoritarian drift, unchecked corporate capture, and a widening gap between institutions and the people they serve. Although Europe still remains the most democratic region in the world, citizen confidence in its democratic institutions is waning driven by a combination of political, social, and technological factors - demonstrating that the globally notable democracy decay is leaving a mark within the EU as well. Addressing this decline is a necessary and an urgent objective of EUDS. We recommend the following to be addressed through the EUDS framework: 1. Reversing the impact of powerful, unaccountable tech companies on democratic institutions. Leveraging EUDS to integrate democratic conditionalities across EU frameworks. Broadening EUDS whole-of-society approach to include future generations. 2. Futureproofing cognitive integrity in light of emerging technologies. 3. Leveraging EUDS to integrate democratic conditionalities across EU frameworks. 4. Broadening EUDS whole-of-society approach to include future generations. 5. Futureproofing cognitive integrity in light of emerging technologies. Please find more details on CFG's contribution in the attached contribution.
Read full responseResponse to EU Strategy on medical countermeasures
9 May 2025
CFG holds that investing in and utilising the complementary technologies outlined in our response, the EU can build a robust, layered defence that will help protect present and future generations from biological threats. In this context our proposal addresses two critical dimensions of the EU's medical countermeasure strategy: early detection of pathogens through metagenomic sequencing and rapid response capabilities via secure biofoundries. We believe these elements are essential components of a comprehensive biosecurity architecture that complement pathogen-agnostic containment measures. The early detection provides a critical time advantage needed for effective countermeasure deployment before we reach epidemic proportion. Meanwhile, the biofoundries present instrumental tools to achieve optimal response to pathogen threats. Altogether, these capabilities may establish a functional detection-to-deployment pipeline that addresses key vulnerabilities exposed during recent public health emergencies. Our response addresses complementary aspects of medical countermeasure strategy that we think remain underdeveloped in the current EU planning. The detection and manufacturing elements of biosecurity create a comprehensive arsenal alongside containment technologies. Our proposal aligns with HERAs ongoing priority to improve detection capabilities. And, our biofoundry network proposal aligns with broader concerns about strategic autonomy in the production of vaccines and other medical interventions. By addressing both of these aspects, our proposal offers a strategic approach to reduce critical vulnerabilities while building on European technological sovereignty in key domains.
Read full responseMeeting with Gabriela Tschirkova (Cabinet of Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis)
10 Apr 2025 · Simplification
Response to 2025 Strategic Foresight Report
19 Mar 2025
The Centre for Future Generations welcomes putting resilience at the core of the 2025 Foresight Report. In support of the European Commission's efforts to enhance coherence and synergies between policies relevant to strengthening long-term resilience, our response has combined our expertise with issues the Commission is looking to tackle, covering broader EU resilience questions and specific emerging technology policy topics encompassing advanced AI, biotechnology, climate interventions, neurotechnology, foresight, and technology governance. The landscape of challenges for long-term EUs resilience and strengths EU can build on sit in the nexus of geopolitical context and governance mechanisms, reflected in impact on economy and competitiveness. For 2040, we envision resilience built on a democratically strong, politically stable, and socially just EU, with the capacity to mitigate emerging risks, successfully competing globally, and with a regulatory and policy-making capacity underpinned by strategic foresight. We see emerging technologies, across AI, climate, neurotech, biotech integrated into public systems across healthcare, education and economy at large, to address societal needs and challenges, with equal access for all citizens. In 2040, the EU remains at the forefront of climate adaptation and mitigation, having successfully decarbonized its economy, established climate-resilient infrastructure, and pioneered nature-based solutions to protect ecosystems and communities. Its agriculture, urban planning, and economic systems are fully adapted to a changing climate, ensuring long-term stability and prosperity across the continent. We recommend that intergenerational fairness be placed at the heart of a resilient society, especially in terms of fostering intergenerational dialogue and building a profound understanding of the impact todays policy decisions will have on future generations. Adequate investment in innovation, paired with regulation, alongside development of trustworthy AI systems, are essential for the vision of the EU in 2040. Following the recommendations of the Draghi report, the increase of public and private R&D investment is a critical pathway to resilience in 2040. CFGs institutional blueprint report, Building CERN for AI (https://cfg.eu/building-cern-for-ai/), address the creation of a pan-European AI research institution that could transform EUs technological landscape, serving as both a driver for innovation and a safeguard for responsible AI development. In biotechnology, a wide area of advanced technologies with various applications, there are three policy pillars where policy action taken today can drive long-term resilience: 1) securing biomanufacturing supply chains and capacity through biofoundries, 2) strengthening bio-based autonomy via defence and strategic industries, and 3) biosecurity and safe innovation. Across mental health and neurotech, critical actions foreseen include: 1) embedding mental health in all policies, 2) revisiting the digitalisation agenda with respect to digital literacy, data protection and a balanced approach to digital engagement, and 3) balanced approach to the risks and opportunities of neurotechnologies. Additionally, a strategic, integrated approach to address climate change (including as a security risk) is needed, by leveraging existing foresight capabilities and closing governance and research gaps. Advancing strategic foresight is the core lever to achieve long-term resilience. Rigorous empirical approaches can help policymakers better compare uncertainties and identify scenarios where early interventions can make the biggest difference. We are currently working on foresight methods innovation that would in this sense complement widely used futures literacy to help additionally rigorously assess long-term risks and uncertainties, and prioritise concrete actions.
Read full responseMeeting with Marco Marsella (Director Health and Food Safety)
4 Mar 2025 · Exchange of information, CFG new think-tank
Meeting with Alejandro Cainzos (Cabinet of Vice-President Věra Jourová), Werner Stengg (Cabinet of Vice-President Věra Jourová)
18 Oct 2023 · Emerging technologies and economic security