considered the potential risks for the lives of innocents and for the global efforts against terrorism, and about possible connections to Russian intelligence agencies. However, Voss also stated that the clandestine access of third countries to European data is illegal. As rapporteur, Voss was an avid supporter of Article 13 of the European Directive on Copyright in the Digital Single Market, saying that "this directive is an important step towards correcting a situation which has allowed a few companies to earn huge sums of money without properly remunerating the thousands of creatives and journalists whose work they depend on." Since the GDPR was adopted in 2016, Voss repeatedly criticized the vast number of derogations, the inconsistent interpretation of the law among Member States and the missing exemptions for small and medium-sized enterprises, organizations, clubs and societies as well as private users. Considering 'consent' as the “death of privacy”, Voss strongly argues in favor of new technical approaches to simplify the processing of (personal) data, accelerate data sharing across Europe and to enable the full use of emerging technologies such as AI while protecting the personal data of citizens more effectively. Using similar arguments, he also rejects the proposal for a new ePrivacy regulation, especially since it would partially replace the GDPR provisions as lex specialis. Others, such as European Digital Rights, contradict his views and emphasis the massive improvements for the privacy of European citizens. In early 2020, media reported on Voss' warning that Europe would become a "digital colony of the USA or China" if the Member States could not agree on radical countermeasures and are not willing to expand the Digital Single Market massively. "Europe must pursue a third - a European - path of digitalization, which is based on our values in data protection and data sovereignty" Voss said at the DLD conference in Munich. He later published a 19-page digital manifesto with a series of concrete proposals to the European institutions in order to strengthen Europe's digital sovereignty and geopolitical competitiveness. Other activities Chairman of the Europa-Union Deutschland in the district Bonn/Rhein-Sieg e.V. Vice-President of Mérite Européen Friendship group Germany e.V. Senator of SME Europe, the official business association of the European People's Party Rotary International, Member European Logistics Platform, Member of the Advisory Board Recognition In 2019, Voss was the recipient of the Digital Single Market Award at The Parliament Magazine's annual MEP Awards. References