The European Commission has unveiled its plans for digital sovereignty, but critics argue the proposals betray a disappointing lack of vision. The package, aimed at boosting homegrown European technologies and shielding the EU from foreign interference, is seen as a belated recognition that dependence on US tech companies is a direct threat to Europe's independence and security.
Background: The Danger of US Tech Dependence
The Trump administration's confrontational approach towards the EU has exposed Europe's dangerous reliance on US technology. For instance, Beti Hohler, a Slovenian national living in the Netherlands, lost access to Apple, Amazon, and other US services when the US sanctioned her for her work as a judge at the International Criminal Court. This extreme case highlights the vulnerability of Europeans who depend on US tech platforms.
Elon Musk has used his ownership of X and Starlink to interfere in European public debate and influence the war in Ukraine. The US government has also ordered AI company Anthropic to limit foreign nationals' access to its products on security grounds. Given that the EU relies on non-EU countries for over 80% of its technology and 70% of its cloud computing, the threat of Washington cutting off access to advanced chips or exploiting social media and cloud computing for espionage is not far-fetched.
The Commission's Response: Cloud and AI Development Act
The centerpiece of the sovereignty package is the Cloud and AI Development Act (Cada), which creates a ranking system for cloud providers handling public-sector data. In theory, the most sensitive operations would be reserved for providers meeting the highest sovereignty standards, favoring European providers. However, the framework has major flaws.
The strictest assurance level, which would ban US big tech from bidding, applies only to a narrow segment of public-sector cloud procurement, which is a small fraction of overall European cloud spending. Enforcement is delegated to individual EU governments, many of which have incentives to implement rules weakly to attract US tech investment or avoid US pressure. This mirrors the underenforcement of EU data protection rules in Ireland, which depends on big tech investments.
AI Strategy: Deferring to US Big Tech
The commission's approach on AI highlights a fundamental problem. Rather than establishing how careful AI adoption could help achieve policy objectives while minimizing harm, Brussels largely defers to the AI vision proposed by US big tech and backed by the Trump administration. This vision treats AI as an end in itself, prioritizing rapid deployment regardless of societal and environmental consequences.
Pope Leo's recent encyclical on AI warns that when technological development advances without ethical and social progress, the result may be an increase in means without growth in humanity. The commission's proposals fail to engage critically with AI's benefits, risks, and limitations, instead assuming positive impacts without evidence.
Datacentre Acceleration Zones: Environmental and Democratic Concerns
The commission's commitment to triple Europe's datacentre capacity over five to seven years includes measures forcing every EU country to set up 'datacentre acceleration zones.' Within these zones, local authorities must approve datacentre applications within 12 months, including by watering down environmental and planning reviews. This raises concerns about transparency, democratic accountability, and sustainability, especially as public opposition to datacentres grows due to their environmental impact and effect on household electricity bills.
The acceleration zones risk undermining sovereignty goals by failing to include criteria on company size or nationality, potentially further entrenching US hyperscalers that dominate Europe's cloud market.
Conclusion: Need for an Independent Vision
Brussels fails to recognize that digital sovereignty is not just about who owns or controls technology, but also about having an independent vision for how technology is designed, developed, and deployed. If Europe wants to be sovereign, it must free itself from Silicon Valley's ideology, not just its tech. Without its own vision for how AI should serve society, Europe will remain a decision-taker rather than a decision-maker.
