This year, the European Union is reviewing its digital regulations, including the AI Act, Data Act, and Data Governance Act, with GDPR as the foundation for data protection. While these rules strengthen the system, they also increase complexity. To address this, the European Commission is developing the Digital Omnibus Proposal to streamline compliance for organizations.

What Is the Digital Omnibus Proposal?

The Digital Omnibus Proposal is not just one new law. It is part of a bigger effort by the EU to make digital regulations simpler and more aligned. New laws like the AI Act and Data Act have been added alongside GDPR. Each law has its own purpose, but together they can cause confusion and extra work. With the Digital Omnibus, the EU wants to:

• Make rules more consistent.
• Reduce unnecessary complexity
• Help organizations apply regulations more easily in practice.

This is part of the European Commission’s wider Better Regulation agenda, which aims to make laws clearer and more effective.

A Growing Number of Rules

Organizations are no longer dealing with just one regulation. GDPR still plays a central role, but it now sits alongside other laws that also deal with data. These laws sometimes overlap or use slightly different definitions. According to legal analysis by Chambers & Partners (2026), this leads to “overlapping obligations” and makes compliance more difficult for organizations.

Technology Is Changing the Game

One of the main reasons for this push toward simplification is the rise of new technologies, especially AI. Data is no longer stored in one place. It moves between systems, is reused, and can even be part of AI models. This makes it harder to track and control. According to the Future of Privacy Forum (2026), this year is a “crossroads” for data protection, where existing rules are being tested by new technologies.

What This Means for Data Erasure

These changes have a direct impact on how organizations handle data erasure. To erase data properly, you need to know what data you have, where it is stored, and how to remove it. In today’s environment, this can be challenging. When data is spread across systems, reused, or built into technologies like AI, it is harder to find and erase. Overlapping rules also make it harder to prove data has been removed. Data erasure is now about keeping control, not just a technical task.

Accountability Still Matters

One thing stays the same: organizations are still responsible for their data. You need to show that data is handled correctly, including when it is deleted. The right to erasure under GDPR is still important. In practice, this means you need processes that are:

• Clear
• Consistent
• And easy to prove

What Organizations Need to Prepare For

The Digital Omnibus Proposal shows that the EU wants to make digital regulations simpler. But for organizations, simpler rules do not always mean things are easier. Data is still complex, systems are connected, and responsibilities are shared across teams and partners. This is why having control over processes like data erasure will be even more important in the future.