Cookie Monster: How Europe Should Fix the Web’s Pop-Up Economy

Europe’s current cookie regime is no longer fit for purpose. Instead of giving users meaningful privacy control, it has created consent fatigue through constant cookie banners, imposed disproportionate burdens on SMEs, publishers and advertising-supported services, and still failed to deliver effective privacy protection. Against the backdrop of the Digital Omnibus, this event will explore how Europe can move towards a more practical, risk-based framework. Intrusive tracking should remain strictly regulated, while low-risk and essential uses — such as audience measurement, fraud prevention, cybersecurity, service functionality and advertising effectiveness — should benefit from clear and workable exemptions. To ground the discussion in evidence, Dr. Anda Bologa will set the scene, drawing on her new publication that offers fresh perspective, "Cookie Monster: How Europe Should Fix the Web's Pop-Up Economy," which received financial support from Amazon. Cookie reform is not only a privacy issue. It also affects media financing, SME competitiveness, advertising and Europe’s ability to innovate. For SMEs, publishers and advertising-supported services, the current consent-based model often creates legal uncertainty, technical complexity and additional costs, while weakening their ability to reach audiences, measure advertising effectiveness and compete in the digital market. Speakers from the media and SME sectors will share first-hand perspectives on these challenges and possible solutions. The discussion will focus on how Europe can simplify the current framework, strengthen trust, support responsible data use and ensure clear, proportionate and innovation-friendly rules for businesses of all sizes. While the Digital Omnibus recognizes the problem, the key question remains whether it will deliver real simplification — or preserve the same broken consent system in a new regulatory form.