European Union lawmakers want the bloc to lead in developing virtual worlds that support EU businesses. 

On Tuesday, the European Parliament's Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection voted in favor of a report that advocates for developing a metaverse strategy to reduce tech dependency on countries outside of the EU.

"Europe cannot afford to lag behind in the next digital revolution nor can we repeat past mistakes," EU Rapporteur Pablo Arias Echeverría said.  "As we step into web4 with the development of virtual worlds, we have to lay a foundation, rooted in strong EU digital rules, guiding principles, and values. Europe has to lead this transition, placing citizens at the heart of our digital future," he added.

Clear regulatory framework for metaverse …