Creation of PEReN

PEReN has been created following the publication of decree n°2020-1102 on 31 August 2020. It will be placed under the joint authority of Bruno Le Maire, the Minister of Economy and Finance, Roselyne Bachelot, the Minister of Culture, and Cédric O, the Secretary of State for Digital Affairs.

To answer the challenges of an increasingly more complex digital ecosystem, the Government has decided to provide state services and administrations that have regulatory powers over digital platforms with high-level technical assistance to help them craft, implement and evaluate platform regulation.

This approach, pioneering and innovative, enhances the Government’s dialogue with digital platforms and will allow France to have a stronger approach on legislation.

PEReN is a team of specialists with strong technical skills (data scientists, developers, etc.), administratively dependent of the General Director of Companies, Thomas Courbe. Its expertise in data science and algorithmic treatment will be at the disposition of all relevant administrations involved in platform regulation, so that they are able to effectively achieve their missions.

PEReN will provide support to the various French authorities and administrations involved in the regulation of platforms, such as: the Ministry of Economy and Finance (DGCCRF, DGE, DGT), the Ministry of Culture (DGMIC), the Ministry of the Ecological and Inclusive Transition (DGITM), the ADLC, the ARCEP, the ART, the CNIL and the CSA.

PEReN will work in all fields where sound technical expertise is required for a good understanding of the ecosystems linked to major digital platforms. Among the sectors concerned are, for example, online marketplaces, online advertising, application stores, social networks and online tourism or accommodation services. Its work will provide insightful analyses on the way algorithms work, how data flows are processed and how the created value is distributed among actors. PEReN will thus provide valuable new tools to guide public action in its regulation of digital platforms, both at the French and European level.

A director will soon be appointed to head PEReN and the team is expected to rapidly grow in the short run. A recruitment plan will be launched to hire the specialised profiles needed to support its ambitious goals.