Dangerous Dependencies: European Parliament Makes Proposals for Greater Digital Sovereignty

The European Parliament has put forth proposals aimed at enhancing the EU's digital sovereignty, signaling a growing concern over the bloc's technological dependencies. Lawmakers highlighted that a limited number of foreign companies wield significant control over crucial digital markets, including operating systems, AI, search engines, payment services, advertising, and social media. This concentrated power presents substantial risks, especially in light of geopolitical tensions. The report identifies several key areas of dependency, emphasizing the potential for threats ranging from espionage and sabotage to supply chain disruptions. To address these vulnerabilities, the Parliament has urged the European Commission to conduct a thorough assessment of digital infrastructure dependencies and associated risks. This foundational analysis is intended to pave the way for coordinated strategic measures. A significant proposed solution involves the possibility of reserving certain public procurement contracts exclusively for sovereign European companies. This would effectively exclude third-country providers from bidding, mirroring practices seen in other major global economies. Furthermore, the Parliament is pushing for stricter regulations concerning cloud services, advocating for a clear definition of "sovereign cloud" and enhanced protection for sensitive data against access by non-European legal frameworks, such as the US Cloud Act.