Since Trump 2.0, Europe’s tech dependence on the USA and China is no longer seen just as an economic problem, but as a security risk. Concern is growing in Brussels that cloud services, chips or AI infrastructure could become a means of geopolitical pressure in an emergency. The EU Commission therefore wants to counteract this with a new sovereignty package, from semiconductors to cloud to open source. What is crucial is whether this creates real alternatives or just new funding pots with big headlines. A commentary analysis.
EU puts together package for European technological sovereignty
- Whether artificial intelligence, chips or cloud infrastructures: The EU and Europe are technologically advanced in many areas dependent on foreign tech companies and their governments. Since Trump 2.0 at the latest, there has been concern in many places that foreign powers could harm us by exploiting this dependence as a means of exerting pressure. The fear of a possible “kill switch” is even greater. In other words: from shutdown mechanisms controlled from abroad that could disrupt or paralyze power grids, administrations and digital functions of all kinds.
- The European Commission has now presented a package for Europe’s technological sovereignty in order to be able to free itself from such risks, especially from China and the USA. The new legislative package stipulates that more semiconductors and computer chips will be produced within Europe. Companies should do this be lured with cheap electricity and less bureaucracy. The EU Commission also wants to expand its old semiconductor law to include emergency powers. Critical areas such as the weapons industry and medical technology should be given priority in the event of bottlenecks.
- The EU Commission also wants the Massively accelerate the expansion of European cloud structures. The reason: Currently, US cloud providers such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud and Microsoft Azure are currently used in Europe. Another lever for more digital sovereignty: a European open source strategy. Companies and administrations should use less US software such as Microsoft Office. European data centers should also be used to train state-of-the-art AI models in Europe – and not in Asia and America.
What the EU package brings – and where there are problems
Europe’s dependence on American cloud companies and Asian chip supply chains is not a new problem. But there is one new one certain political urgencyto reduce this dependency or at least to be prepared so that it cannot be misused as a means of pressure.
Because: Since Trump 2.0 at the latest, an industrial policy debate has become a security issue. That sounds sober, but it could have far-reaching consequences. Whoever controls digital infrastructures If in doubt, also controls the scope of action of others.
The bigger challenge, however, is less the European will than the eternal issue of money. The Draghi report on competitiveness in Europe, published in 2024, had already made a difference in this area enormous sums ready. Europe therefore needs around 800 billion euros more annually in order to be able to keep up technologically and economically with China and the USA.
The European Commission’s new package aims to achieve this mobilize private venture capital and is counting on a new EU fund for competitiveness in the next budget. Whether this will actually result in a wave of European investment or just another funding pot with an ambitious label remains to be seen.
There is also a certain structural dilemma Sovereignty is not the same as self-sufficiency is. Europe cannot create a complete replacement for AWS, Azure, Google Cloud or Nvidia overnight. The crucial point will therefore be whether the EU reduces strategic dependencies without getting lost in costly symbolic projects. And yet: the basic thrust is correct.
What industry and politics say
- EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated: “We cannot afford to be dependent on others for the technologies that ensure the operation of our hospitals, the stability of our energy networks and the security of our services. This is about protecting our citizens, defending our interests and making our own decisions. Europe has the talent, the research excellence, the industrial base and the internal market. Together we must transform these strengths into technological sovereignty.”
- Ralf Wintergerst, President of the digital association Bitkomin a statement: “Digital sovereignty decides whether Europe can shape the digital world itself – economically, politically and socially. The EU Commission’s Tech Sovereignty Package sets important accents for this. We welcome the fact that the EU Commission is not just looking at individual technologies, but rather the entire digital value chain from semiconductors and data centers to cloud and AI infrastructures to open source and better investment conditions. What is now crucial is that it doesn’t just stick with announcements. Europe needs speed.”
- Wolfgang Weber, CEO of the Association of the Electrical and Digital Industry (ZVEI)welcomes the direction of the EU plans, but points out: “We need powerful AI chips from Europe. But that can’t be done with a crowbar. We have to act strategically cleverly and cleverly use Europe’s strengths in power electronics, photonics and quantum computing.” Achim Weiß, CEO of the German cloud provider Ionostakes a similar note: “We will continue to rely on Nvidia and AMD for GPUs and must work with international partners on certain AI models. This is not weakness, but realism. It must be clear that sovereignty is not synonymous with self-sufficiency.”
Can Europe achieve digital transformation?
According to the EU Parliament, the negotiations on the planned legislative package are likely to last until 2027. Final adoption of the package is therefore not expected until the end of next year at the earliest. However, the proposed regulations are still far from being set in stone. In other words: There could be adjustments, changes or deletions here and there.
All of this is politically normal. From a technological point of view, however, the schedule is quite risky. Because: AI models, cloud infrastructures and chip generations are currently developing every month, not in legislative periods. Europe therefore runs the risk of regulating a train station while the tech train will have already reached the next station.
At the same time you have to say goodbye to the illusionto be able to displace US providers in the short term. Amazon, Microsoft and Google are too dominant in Europe for that – and will remain so for the time being. The success of the plans will therefore be measured less by whether Europe replaces the global top dogs, but rather by whether it creates reliable alternatives, better secures critical data and gains strategic negotiating power.
Because: Anyone who just slips from one dependency to the next has not solved the task. Although other partners can be at least a short-term alternative or a means of pressure. But in the long term, Europe needs one broader concept of sovereignty. Not only software and semiconductors are strategic, but also biotechnology, energy technologies, batteries, quantum technologies and digital infrastructures.
Above all, it will be crucial to invest in areas where Europe has real competitive advantages or at least opportunities. At the same time, it is important to develop reliable partnerships with democratic states. Because: sovereignty should not end up being isolationismbut the ability to resist economic and geopolitical pressures without having to pull the plug every time.
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