What a vote on technological sovereignty tells us about today’s Europe
Today, MEPs voted on a strategic report calling on Europe to beef up its digital sovereignty. The report’s substance is solid. But the process that led to its adoption is frankly odd.
Good policies…
Eighty percent of Europe’s digital infrastructure and technologies are imported. We are exposed to American blackmail, Chinese espionage, Russian sabotage, or simple supply-chain disruptions.
The report lists crucial policies for Europe’s digital future. It calls on the Commission to map Europe’s dependencies in key areas like storage services, payment systems, communication platforms or softwares. It also calls on the EU and Member States to build digital public infrastructures in areas like semiconductors, cloud infrastructure and data centres, to ensure both sovereignty and a competition-friendly market environment.
MEP Michał Kobosko, who negotiated the text on behalf of Renew, said: “Recent geopolitical tensions show that the issue of Europe’s digital sovereignty is of the utmost importance. With this report, we outline Parliament’s position and underline the necessity of acting now to reduce Europe’s technological dependence on foreign actors. If we do not, we run the risk of becoming a digital colony.”
Michał KoboskoRenew Europe MEP, Poland, Polska 2050
… odd politics
The substance of the report is overshadowed by the way it came about. The MEP in charge of the text is none other than Sarah Knafo, a pro-Trump politician with connections to Elon Musk’s circle. She was sidelined by the pro-European groups, her report was completely rewritten — and yet she kept her name on the report.
Renew tabled an amendment to test how far this logic could go. Our amendment clearly states that Sarah Knafo’s own political party has peddled Russian and MAGA propaganda. This amendment passed — and yet she still kept her name on the report.
MEP Christophe Grudler, our coordinator for the Industry and Research Committee, said: “Sarah Knafo hasn’t written a single line of that report but still claim its hers. Now she has a final report condemning her own party. Either she hasn’t read the report we redrafted for her or she’s making a mockery of parliamentary work.”
Christophe GrudlerRenew Europe MEP, France, Mouvement Démocrate
Renew calls on Sarah Knafo to take her name out of a report she didn’t write herself.