European lawmakers have taken a big step toward gaining more control over their digital future. On Thursday, they approved a detailed report that urges the European Commission to cut back on reliance on foreign technology companies. This move aims to boost Europe’s sovereignty in areas like semiconductors, cloud services, software, and artificial intelligence. The vote was strong, with 471 in favor and only 68 against, showing broad support across major political parties. Though the report itself is not legally binding, it sets a clear direction for future policies to map and reduce dependency on outside tech providers.

Europe’s Growing Tech Dependence

The report highlights just how much Europe relies on non-EU countries for digital products and services. Currently, over 80% of digital infrastructure, software, and intellectual property in the EU come from outside the bloc. Experts say transforming this situation will take at least a decade. Dependence varies across sectors, but some areas are particularly concentrated. For example, in cloud infrastructure, Amazon, Microsoft, and Google dominate around 70% of the market in Europe. Local providers like SAP, Deutsche Telekom, and OVHcloud hold just about 15%. This shows how concentrated and vulnerable the current ecosystem is.

The challenge isn’t limited to cloud services. The report covers the whole digital stack, including chips and AI models. Recent geopolitical tensions have made it clear that Europe needs to be more self-reliant to avoid becoming too dependent on outside powers. One of the key ideas is to create a “Eurostack” — a European digital infrastructure built on open standards that covers semiconductors, cloud platforms, software, and AI systems. The goal is to develop a more secure and independent digital environment.

Policy Calls and Long-Term Goals

The report advocates for policies like “Open Source first” in government procurement. This means prioritizing open source solutions to foster innovation and independence. Dario Maisto, a senior analyst at Forrester, noted that the European Commission has recently shown strong momentum. Two weeks ago, they published a “Call for Evidence” emphasizing that reliance on non-European tech is a strategic risk. This signals a new level of activism aimed at boosting Europe’s digital sovereignty.

Earlier this month, the Commission announced an open-source initiative to promote wider adoption across public and private sectors. While the political support is clear, experts warn that reducing dependence on foreign technology will take many years of sustained effort. Already, many companies are adjusting. For instance, 61% of CIOs in Western Europe plan to increase their use of local cloud providers, driven by geopolitical concerns. The shift toward regional and local providers is expected to accelerate as Europe seeks more control over its digital future.

Overall, the vote marks a significant step toward Europe’s strategic goal of technological independence. However, transforming the digital landscape will require long-term commitment, investment, and innovation. The coming years will be crucial as Europe works to build a resilient, self-sufficient digital ecosystem that can withstand external pressures and geopolitical tensions. The move reflects a broader effort to ensure Europe’s digital future is secure, autonomous, and aligned with its values and interests.

Inspired by

• https://www.computerworld.com/article/4121422/europe-votes-to-tackle-deep-dependence-on-us-tech-in-sovereignty-drive.html

Sources

• shutterstock.com
• howtheyvote.eu
• europa.eu
• srgresearch.com
• reneweuropegroup.eu