It has been a busy start to 2024 for metaverse policy enthusiasts.
In the European Parliament, MEPs approved reports from two Committees. The first report, by the Internal Market & Consumer Protection Committee, focused on interoperability, connectivity infrastructure, and accessibility and introduced the notion of „avatar rights.“ The second report, by the Legal Affairs Committee, focused on international, civil, and intellectual property law and cited concerns that „regulatory issues are already apparent.“ Both reports urge the EU to take action on virtual worlds.
The European Commission, which launched its strategy for virtual worlds in July 2023, has opened a public consultation on „competition in virtual worlds and generative AI“, inviting businesses and experts to answer 10 questions on possible competition concerns in these sectors. The consultation is receiving responses until 11 March 2024.
Elsewhere, EuroXR—a business association—published two joint letters, co-signed by 42 organisations, in support of the EU’s works on Virtual Worlds. One is from a coalition of French organisations; one from a coalition of German organisations.
This policy update comes from Metaverse EU, a Brussels-based policy hub fostering knowledge and understanding of the metaverse and its evolving regulatory framework.
