As an EU citizen, I'm often disappointed how these things are applied. New rules may be fine, but often it takes a really really long time here until the necessary changes take an effect in the real world.
The GDPR is a good example imo. We have it for 5 years now, but even many public authorities still don't comply with it. So I feel that many things are just written on paper.
Don’t they? It may depend on which MS you live in, but fines for not complying with the GDPR are pretty hefty, and although I agree that at the beginning there was a bit of chaos, things have significantly improved, and things like the right to be forgotten do indeed have a direct impact on our lives!