Our era is defined by rapid digital transformation, geopolitical turbulence, and intensifying global competition. Nowadays, the European Union faces a significant challenge: securing its technological sovereignty. This concept—the ability to autonomously develop, govern, and control critical technologies, data, and digital infrastructure—needs to emerge as a cornerstone of the EU’s agenda. It is clear that achieving technological sovereignty is no longer optional; it is a prerequisite for safeguarding economic resilience, EU’s interests, and global influence.
Economic competitiveness in a digital age
The global economy is increasingly driven by digital innovation, with technologies like artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and 5G reshaping industries. However, Europe’s reliance on foreign technology providers—particularly US firms—has exposed vulnerabilities. For instance, majority of the data of European companies is stored by non-European cloud providers such as Microsoft, Google, Amazon and DigitalOcean, while European companies depend on foreign productivity software (such as Microsoft 365, Google Workspace). Such dependencies risk stifling Europe’s industrial leadership, diverting economic value abroad and being vulnerable to economic espionage.
Technological sovereignty enables the EU to reclaim control over its digital supply chains. Initiatives like the Gaia-X project seeks to create a federated European cloud infrastructure, ensuring data is managed under EU regulations. By investing in strategic sectors, the European Union can nurture its tech ecosystem, retain intellectual property, and join the club of leaders in innovation and technological development.
For businesses, sovereignty translates to resilience. Technologies and solutions made by European companies mitigate supply chain disruptions and helps in achieving technological resilience. Moreover, a robust EU tech sector offers enterprises access to cutting-edge, compliant solutions, reducing compliance risks and enhancing global competitiveness.
Data security, privacy, and ethical governance
Data is the lifeblood of the digital economy, yet its mismanagement poses existential risks. High-profile breaches, security flaws, foreign surveillance scandals (Vault 7, CIA and NSA espionage orders targeting EU officials and businesses, Snowden disclosures), and the misuse of personal data by tech giants have underscored the fragility of Europe’s digital ecosystem. The EU’s GDPR set a global benchmark for privacy, but without sovereignty, enforcing these standards on foreign platforms remains challenging.
Technological sovereignty ensures that data generated within Europe remains subject to its laws. By developing secure, EU-operated infrastructure, such as sovereign cloud platforms, the bloc can shield citizens and businesses from extraterritorial data access demands. This is particularly critical for sensitive sectors like healthcare, energy, defense, and finance, where data breaches could cripple national security.
Ethical governance is another pillar. European values—transparency, accountability, and human-centric innovation—are increasingly at odds with the profit-driven models of foreign tech monopolies. Sovereign technologies allow the EU to embed these principles into AI ethics frameworks, algorithmic accountability mechanisms, and green tech standards. For instance, the EU’s AI Act prioritizes human oversight and prohibits harmful practices like social scoring, positioning Europe as a regulatory trailblazer.
Strategic autonomy in a fractured world
Geopolitical tensions have highlighted the perils of over-reliance. Recent US’ weaponization of Starlink clearly showed that dependencies can be exploited as political leverage and against the EU’s interests. For example, Europe’s reliance on US technology companies has already sparked debates over cybersecurity risks and espionage.
Technological sovereignty fortifies the EU’s strategic autonomy. By reducing dependencies in critical areas—such as cybersecurity, space technology, operating systems and cloud computing—the EU can insulate itself from coercion. The EU needs to push for enhancing security and protecting its interests by fostering innovation, supporting European companies while maintaining competition.
A sovereign tech base provides stability, enabling firms to innovate and scale without geopolitical constraints.
Regulatory influence and global leadership
The EU has long been a regulatory superpower, shaping global norms through initiatives like GDPR and the Digital Services Act (DSA). However, regulatory clout requires technological leverage. Without sovereign capabilities, the EU risks becoming a “rule-taker” rather than a “rule-maker,” forced to adapt to standards set by others.
By aligning regulatory frameworks with indigenous technologies, Europe can position itself as a major superpower capable of setting international standards. This has been achieved partially. For instance, GDPR compliance is now a de facto requirement for multinationals operating in Europe, influencing data practices worldwide. Similarly, the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) leverages market power to drive global climate action. Technological sovereignty amplifies this influence, ensuring foreign players adhere to EU norms to access its huge consumer market.
Collaborative sovereignty—partnering with key and friendly partners—further extends Europe’s reach. The EU has strong partnerships with several major countries and blocs on the planet such as MERCOSUR countries, China, Canada, Mexico, South Korea, Japan and African Union countries. Such collaboration enables the European Union to successfully develop digital ecosystems and frontier technologies.
Fostering innovation and a unified digital market
Fragmentation remains a barrier to Europe’s tech potential. Divergent national regulations, underinvestment in R&D, and a lag in scaling startups have hindered innovation. Technological sovereignty requires addressing these gaps through cohesive policies. A fully unified digital market—with seamless cross-border data flows and interoperable standards—will unlock economies of scale, helping EU firms compete with Silicon Valley giants.
With the right approach to push for technological sovereignty, SMEs will benefit significantly. Sovereign technologies lower barriers to entry, providing affordable access to cloud services, AI tools, and cybersecurity solutions. Public-private partnerships democratize innovation, ensuring smaller players thrive alongside corporations.
A call to action
Technological sovereignty is not about isolationism; it is about empowerment. For the EU, it represents the convergence of economic ambition, security imperatives, and technological leadership. To achieve this vision, policymakers and business leaders must collaborate on three fronts:
- Invest strategically: Prioritize funding for critical technologies (e.g. semiconductors, quantum, AI) and infrastructure (e.g. cloud, operating systems).
- Strengthen collaboration: Harmonize regulations across member states and deepen alliances with partners as mentioned before.
- Empower talent: Address skill gaps through education reforms and attract global tech talent.
The cost of inaction is profound—ceding control of the digital future of Europe to others, undermining Europe’s interests and jeopardizing its prosperity. By embracing technological sovereignty, the EU can secure its place as a global leader, ensuring its citizens and enterprises thrive in the 21st century. The time to act is now.
You can read more writings of Dawid Wiktor on his Exec Profile.