(de-news.net) – To explore strategies for reducing the European Union’s dependence on foreign technology corporations, policymakers and business leaders convened in Berlin for the ‘Summit on European Digital Sovereignty.’ Delegations from 23 countries participated, focusing on how Europe might strengthen its own digital infrastructure, particularly through the establishment of secure cloud platforms for government and commercial data. This field remains largely dominated by major US providers such as Amazon, Microsoft, and Google. The gathering, attended by roughly 1,000 participants from politics, industry, and academia, was intended as a launchpad for accelerating Europe’s pursuit of resilience and technological independence.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz called for a collective effort to chart an autonomous digital path, stressing that Europe must react swiftly to global technological transformations. He argued that sovereignty could not be achieved through regulation alone but required close cooperation with business, scientific institutions, and civil society. Merz highlighted the importance of advancing key technologies—artificial intelligence, quantum computing, cloud solutions, and microelectronics—while pointing to vulnerabilities exposed by outages in US cloud services and supply shortages of Chinese semiconductors. These disruptions, he warned, underscored Europe’s dependence and the urgent need to build alternatives.
French President Emmanuel Macron reinforced the call for independence, stressing the concept of “cognitive sovereignty.” He cautioned that Europe risked losing control if it relied excessively on foreign platforms, particularly those shaping daily digital habits. Macron criticized what he considered overly restrictive regulation in the AI sector, insisting that innovation must precede regulation. Both heads of government emphasized that Europe’s large internal market, with 450 million consumers, combined with its scientific expertise, provided a strong foundation for catching up with global competitors.
German Digital Minister Karsten Wildberger, on his part, urged Europe to develop its own AI platforms rather than remain a passive buyer of foreign systems. At the same time, German and French industries announced new cooperation projects and investment plans aimed at strengthening Europe’s technological base. Parliamentary State Secretary Thomas Jarzombek added that innovation required reducing bureaucratic obstacles and reviving entrepreneurial spirit, noting that Europe had long neglected software and IT development compared to other regions.
Regulatory perspectives also featured prominently. Klaus Müller, president of the Federal Network Agency, argued for clearer rules to secure Europe’s leadership in artificial intelligence while dismissing fears that the EU’s AI Act would stifle creativity. He explained that most AI systems would only face transparency requirements, with high-risk classifications remaining rare. Müller expressed caution regarding proposals for a European language model to rival US platforms, suggesting that viable business strategies had not yet been defined.
