Using a series of metaphors, this opinion piece charts patterns, trends and obstacles shaping the development of EU cybersecurity law over the last three decades. It shows that this development is more than simply a function of the EU's increasing regulatory capacity. It argues that, to a large degree, the development has been a reactive, gap-filling process, which is partly due to the piecemeal character of the regulatory areas in which the EU legislates, combined with smouldering ‘turf wars’ over regulatory competence. An overarching point is that EU cybersecurity law is far from reminiscent of a well-kempt forest; rather, it resembles a sprawling jungle of regulatory instruments interacting in complex, confusing and sometimes disjointed ways. Thus, this field of regulation underlines the fact that increased regulatory capacity does not necessarily beget optimal regulatory coherence. Nonetheless, the paper also identifies multiple positive traits in the legislative development—traits that signal Brussels’ ability to learn from weaknesses with previous regulatory instruments.

Studies foresee a dramatic increase in the elderly population of Western Europe over the next decades, putting pressure on healthcare systems. Healthcare robots are developed to facilitate independent living for elderly people. This article aims to provide a qualitative analysis of recent projects in healthcare robotics (2008–2024) and proposes new research directions for healthcare robots for older adults. We provide an overview of current research and a roadmap for upcoming research. Our study began with a literature search using four databases. Searches were performed for articles from research projects containing the words “elderly care,” “assisted aging,” “health monitoring,” or “elderly health.” Additional exclusion criteria were used to focus on elderly healthcare and utilization of commercial robotic systems. Resulting from this endeavor, 20 recent research projects are described and categorized in this article. Then, these projects were analyzed using thematic analysis. Our findings are summarized in common themes: Most projects have a strong bias towards care robots’ functionalities; robots are often seen as outsiders in care settings; there is an emphasis on robots as commercial products; and there is some limited attention to the design and ethical aspects of care robots, but very little attention to their legal aspects. The article concludes with key points representing a roadmap for future research addressing robotics for the elderly.

This article considers various factors that will shape the potential effect of the Council of Europe's modernised Convention on data protection (Convention 108+) on non-European states’ regulatory policy. It does so by elucidating the logic and mechanics of this effect in light of the ‘Brussels Effect’ that is commonly attributed, in part, to EU data protection law. The central arguments advanced in the article are that the impact of Convention 108+ beyond Europe will rest primarily on the Council of Europe's ideational power tempered by processes of acculturation, and secondarily on the degree to which the EU is willing to use the ‘Brussels Effect’ as a vehicle for promoting non-European states’ accession to the Convention.