Turning Trade Challenges into Strategic Opportunities
European small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), already facing a high number of regulatory obstacles in recent years, now face further uncertainties connected to evolving approaches to trade. Yes, these conflicts have also created opportunities, but EU policymakers are now seeking to ease the burden of existing regulations, reconsidering existing trade dependencies, and exploring new and more diversified partnerships. There’s a growing focus on strengthening Europe’s internal capacity to support innovation. For many SMEs, this new landscape could open doors [...]
TPPF Comes Up Short on Understanding Mobile Apps
This video by David Dunmoyer regarding Texas HB 4901 contains statements that are demonstrably false and significantly mislead the public about the legislation's impact on app developers, particularly small businesses. Betsy Furler, from Houston, Texas and head of App Association member company For All Abilities–a person with decades of experience as a speech pathologist supporting students with disabilities and tireless champion of the power of technology to change lives—had it right in her testimony: HB 4901 imposes significant mandates [...]
European Commission Action Under DMA Needs to Drive Investment and Improvement in European Innovation Ecosystem
(Brussels) 23 April 2025 – Today, the European Commission announced fines totaling €700 million related to investigations under the Digital Markets Act (DMA). Missing from the Commission’s announcement were any details on how these fines will be used to support more innovation from Europe’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). “€700 million is going directly into the coffers of the European Commission without any details on what that money will be used for,” said Mike Sax, founder of ACT | The App Association. [...]
The General-Purpose AI Code of Practice – Are SMEs Being Left Behind?
Introduction As Europe continues to shape the future of artificial intelligence, the EU is expected to publish the final draft of the General-Purpose AI (GPAI) Code of Practice (Code) in May. While the EU AI Act introduces binding legal obligations for both high-risk and general-purpose AI systems, it also advocates for the creation of a voluntary code of practice. The Code represents a key voluntary tool to align early with the AI Act’s goals. At ACT | The App [...]
Event Recap: GAEC: United Kingdom
Following the success of our member-led advocacy in Brussels, ACT | The App Association did it all over again in London for our first-ever Global App Economy Conference: United Kingdom. From 30 March to 2 April, we convened our small business members and policymakers at a critical moment for the future of UK tech policy. As digital regulation continues to evolve across the European Union and the United States, the UK has a unique opportunity to position itself as [...]
Event Recap: GAEC: European Union
This March, members of ACT | The App Association travelled to Brussels for the first-ever Global App Economy Conference: European Union, and it couldn’t have come at a more pivotal moment. Sixteen of our EU small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) members from 12 countries met face-to-face with policymakers at the European Parliament and European Commission to share their experiences, challenges, and solutions. Against a backdrop of sweeping regulatory change, from the AI Act to Digital Markets Act (DMA) enforcement, our [...]