Tech Sovereignty Package: a step when we needed a leap
The long-awaited Tech Sovereignty package presented today by the Commission is a good start, but the required European response to increase Europe’s independence from non-EU providers when it comes to critical digital infrastructure must be stronger, warn Liberals and Democrats in the European Parliament. Europe needs to urgently step up the development and increase demand of European alternatives, including regaining leadership in semiconductor production and resilience in the broader electronics manufacturing ecosystem, while also ensuring a strong and secured EU cloud and digital public infrastructure.
We also regret that the Commission does not clearly define the meaning of a sovereign cloud.
Strengthening Europe’s strategic autonomy and finding the right balance between openness and autonomy in this area will allow citizens, businesses, and industries to fully benefit from the AI revolution while reducing reliance on non-EU providers. At the same time, it will ensure that vital sectors, such as telecom, energy, and public administration, remain under exclusive European jurisdiction, shielded from foreign interference.
Valérie Hayer, President of Renew Europe Group, says:
“Today, every industrial policy is also a sovereignty policy. Europe is not only investing in semiconductors, it is investing in its independence
and market power. This an important first step to give greater weight to strategic security criteria, including the development and control of critical software, hardware and cloud infrastructures within Europe as a new cornerstone of a European technology strategy that strengthens resilience, safeguards sovereignty and fosters our competitiveness."
Valérie HayerRenew Europe MEP, France, Renaissance
Bart Groothuis, Member in the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy, and who negotiated the current Chips Act, says:
"This isn't routine legislation. It's a fundamental choice about Europe's future. The Chips Act means nothing without the Cloud and AI Development Act. They jointly determine the demand creation for European advanced AI, cloud and semiconductor technologies.
The real question is: will this contribute to building our own large language model? Right now, you cannot train an LLM in the EU that complies with all existing rules. We need to fix that – or face technological colonisation."
Bart GroothuisRenew Europe MEP, Netherlands, Volkspartij voor Vrijheid en Democratie
Christophe Grudler, coordinator of the committee on Industry, Research and Energy, says:
“While I welcome today’s announcements, we must raise our ambitions significantly: Europe must be able to operate and maintain our critical digital infrastructure independently from third countries, particularly for the public sector.
I also regret the lack of ambitious Open Source proposals. Let us remember that Linux powers our data centers. But relying on Open Source technologies whose governance and contributions are dominated by American or Chinese entities is not sovereignty. I call on the Commission to propose additional measures to support European contributions to Open Source technologies."
Christophe GrudlerRenew Europe MEP, France, Mouvement Démocrate