I think it's more complex than that. Europe don't want to be a victim of lobbies and predatory companies, and doesn't want to try to regulate something that's complex enough already.

I think it's just politics as usual, it's a way to not be dependent on US techs, just another way to do things differently.

Europe doesn't have the same kind of free speech and democracy too that relies on government image. Europe has more strict and more authoritative rulings, EU doesn't take risks like the US does. In US it's much more loose.

> The politicians just don't listen to the scientists

There's the same problem anywhere you go.