Enhancing EU law on climate engineering, neurotechnologies, and digital extended reality (policy brief)

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What is this about?

A Policy Briefs on Enhancing EU Legal Frameworks document is a set of four policy briefs produced by the EU-funded TechEthos project. It provides recommendations to EU policymakers on how to strengthen and adapt existing legal and regulatory frameworks to govern emerging high-impact technologies such as climate engineering (including Carbon Dioxide Removal and Solar Radiation Modification), neurotechnologies, and digital extended reality (XR). The briefs were developed through in-depth legal and policy analysis and consultation with EU officials, and they identify regulatory gaps or uncertainties in current EU law. Each brief offers targeted suggestions such as clarifying terminology, protecting fundamental rights, integrating ethical principles like “ethics-by-design,” and ensuring appropriate oversight and enforcement tailored to the unique societal and ethical challenges of these technologies. The aim is to ensure that future legal frameworks are more effective, rights-based, and aligned with EU values when governing cutting-edge innovation.

Why is this important?

This deliverable is important because it translates legal analysis into practical policy recommendations that help the EU prepare for and govern emerging technologies with significant societal, ethical, and environmental implications. By identifying gaps in current law and proposing enhancements, the briefs support policymakers in crafting more robust, rights-protecting regulations that can better address issues like privacy, autonomy, sustainability, safety, and democratic values. This proactive approach to legal framework development helps prevent harm, promote innovation responsibly, and ensure that new technologies are deployed in ways that uphold fundamental rights and EU ethical standards.

For whom is this important?

EU policymakers and regulatorsEU institutions (European Commission, Parliament, Council)Researchers and industry developersCivil Society and Citizens

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