European tech industry coalition calls for ‘radical action’ on digital sovereignty — starting with buying local

Europe’s tech sector calls for local digital sovereignty via buying local tech.

: European tech firms, like Airbus, petition EU leaders for digital sovereignty by prioritizing local tech investments. They claim current reliance on U.S. infrastructure threatens economic, political stability, and innovation. 'Buy European' mandates and pooling resources for tech standards are proposed for EU government and private sectors. Critics highlight regulation needs shifting beyond tech giants to core infrastructure, advocating an industry-lead effort.

A coalition of over 80 European tech entities, including major companies like Airbus and Element, advocates for a strategic shift towards digital sovereignty by the EU. They argue that reducing reliance on foreign infrastructure, particularly from the U.S., is crucial for political and economic resilience. The coalition anticipates that without action, Europe could face increased dominance by U.S. tech firms, which could stifle local innovation and growth.

The letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and digital chief Henna Virkkunen calls for actions like public procurement policies favoring European tech and a 'Buy European' mandate, as stated by Cristina Caffarra, a competition economist. Proposals include developing common standards and pooling resources to boost European tech competitiveness against U.S. giants. The focus is on immediate actions rather than relying on distant regulatory hopes like the Digital Markets Act.

The coalition highlights potential benefits of local tech investment, such as better economic independence and greener technological horizons. Initiatives like supporting open-source development and setting up a Sovereign Infrastructure Fund to aid in building local infrastructures, including chips and quantum computing, are deemed necessary. The Euro Stack concept emphasizes prioritizing scalable, commercially viable European tech to ensure critical digital sovereignty.

Signatories express frustration at the Commission's current digital strategies, suggesting they're too academic and insufficiently commercial to foster urgent needed change. Critics like Frank Karlitschek, CEO of Nextcloud, warn of the potential for the EU to be strong-armed politically or economically by U.S. tech monopolies. There's a call for a mindset shift, positioning Europe itself competitively on the global tech stage.

Despite political and ideological challenges, supporters, including Any Yen from Proton, stress that Europe must implement protective demands for local tech to alleviate current dependencies and nurture a self-reliant tech ecosystem. With a cooperative tech-led agenda, Europe can leverage government support to secure a sustainable tech sovereignty future in an 'America First' era.

Sources: TechCrunch, European Commission, Airbus

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