The European Union today unveiled its plan to reduce its reliance on US and overseas tech providers to power its economy, saying its proposals were about “making our own choices”.
Dubbed the “European Technological Sovereignty Package”, the proposals, unveiled by the European Commission, are aimed at strengthening the bloc’s capabilities in AI, semiconductors, cloud computing and open source tech.
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said: “We cannot afford to depend on others for the technologies that keep our hospitals running, our energy grids stable and our services secure. This is about protecting our citizens, defending our interests and making our own choices. Europe has the talent, the research excellence, the industrial base and the Single Market. Together, we must turn these strengths into technological sovereignty.”
The issue of EU tech independence is a hot-button issue, as the bloc plays catch-up to the US and China. The issue has become more pronounced amid at times volatile relations between the EU and US under President Trump.
The new proposals could inflame relations with the US, which views EU tech laws as protectionist measures which unfairly penalise US tech firms.
