EU Unveils Plan to Boost Technological Sovereignty
The European Commission has introduced a new strategy to strengthen local tech firms and limit access for dominant U.S. rivals in sensitive cloud and chip sectors. While the plan aims to build regional capacity in AI and data centers, industry experts warn that Europe still trails significantly behind the U.S. and China.
The European Union launched a technology sovereignty package on June 4 to reduce reliance on foreign tech giants. The plan restricts access for dominant United States rivals while boosting local firms through infrastructure and chip initiatives. It marks a critical attempt to close the widening gap with the U.S. and China in the global AI race.
EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen presented the package on Wednesday to address deep-seated digital dependencies. The measures limit firms like Amazon, Microsoft, and Google from bidding on sensitive cloud tenders. Officials also aim to accelerate data center construction using regional hardware and software.