A coalition of European tech leaders is sending a decisive message to the European Commission: Europe must take control of its digital infrastructure.
In a letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen sent on March 14, 2025, the EuroStack Initiative stresses that the continent can no longer afford to rely on non-European technologies.
This warning comes amid growing concerns about the economic and security risks tied to Europe’s dependence on American and Chinese tech giants.
Rethinking Europe’s Digital Strategy
The group, which includes major tech companies, industry associations, and civil society organizations, is calling for a drastic overhaul of Europe’s digital policy.
The core of their proposal is clear: Europe must reduce its reliance on foreign tech providers and invest in local solutions. “Europe cannot continue down the path of outsourcing its digital infrastructure to non-EU players,” the coalition declared.
They argue that it’s time for the EU to build its own digital technologies that serve both economic and strategic interests.
“It has been clear for some time that Europe cannot regulate itself out of its laggard position. It needs to take proactive industrial action: it has enormous talent, capabilities, assets and business record in the digital space, but the legacy of our structural fragmentation (as described
in the Draghi report) have led our Continent to fall significantly behind the US and China.
Even with the positive announcements at the Paris AI Action Summit, Europe will lose out on digital innovation and productivity growth without sweeping and urgent change – our reliance on non-European technologies will become almost complete in less than three years at current rates.”
A key component of the coalition’s proposal is the establishment of a “Buy European” procurement policy, which would ensure that public sector spending supports European technology providers.
This policy would aim to create demand for European-made digital solutions and encourage local innovation. The push for local sourcing aligns with EuroStack’s goals, which focus on developing sovereign, scalable digital infrastructure to reduce dependency on non-EU technologies.
EuroStack emphasizes the creation of a competitive environment where European solutions are prioritized, leading to more sustainable growth in the digital sector.
Creating Conditions for Local Investment
The coalition is not just calling for a policy shift but for the creation of an investment ecosystem that can support this transition. The proposal for a Sovereign Infrastructure Fund is key in this regard.
This fund would facilitate public and private investment in critical digital infrastructure, particularly in sectors such as chip manufacturing and quantum computing, which require significant capital.
Without such investments, the coalition warns that Europe will remain at a disadvantage in the global race for digital dominance.
This fund would target high-risk, high-reward areas, with the aim of creating a robust and competitive European tech industry that can stand on its own.
“What business needs is a pragmatic industrial policy strategy to reduce our dependencies in critical technologies, while focusing on selected initiatives to overcome Europe’s structural challenges – fragmentation, suppression of local demand, focus on research rather than productization, lack of adequate capital – to promote productivity growth and security. Not just funding of R&D initiatives, but supporting European industry to gain relevance in supplying European (and global) needs,” the coalition’s letter emphasizes.
The initiative reflects ealier recommendations of the EuroStack initiative, which advocates for pooling resources across industries to develop interoperable and scalable European digital solutions.
EuroStack has highlighted the need for coordinated efforts between the public and private sectors to ensure that Europe’s digital infrastructure is both secure and competitive on the global stage.
EuroStack Initiative: The Blueprint for Sovereign Digital Infrastructure
The EuroStack initiative, launched in early 2025, serves as the primary framework for the coalition’s vision of digital sovereignty. EuroStack aims to build a sovereign, end-to-end digital infrastructure that integrates everything from hardware to software solutions.
The ambitious initiative addresses Europe’s fragmented digital ecosystem by proposing a federated approach where resources from various industries are pooled together to create scalable, secure, and interoperable solutions.
According to the initiative’s vision, Europe must focus on building a robust digital stack—ranging from data storage and cloud computing to higher-level applications such as AI and cybersecurity.
By doing so, Europe can reduce its reliance on foreign technologies, particularly in critical sectors that underpin national security and economic stability.
While EuroStack is focused on developing local infrastructure, it also remains open to collaboration with non-European companies. However, as the initiative stresses, the priority is ensuring that European companies can lead the development of digital solutions within Europe, establishing a foundation of self-reliance for the long term.
Addressing Security and Data Sovereignty Concerns
Digital sovereignty also has profound implications for Europe’s security. As the continent becomes more reliant on foreign cloud providers and AI platforms, concerns about data privacy and cybersecurity grow.
The coalition’s letter calls for stronger safeguards to protect European data and prevent foreign interference in critical sectors. One of the key proposals is the establishment of a certification scheme for sovereign cloud services that comply with European standards for data protection and cybersecurity.
The coalition argues that public and private sector organizations must have access to secure cloud services that meet Europe’s regulatory and security requirements, ensuring that Europe’s most sensitive data remains protected from external threats.
The emphasis on data sovereignty also reflects growing concerns about the influence of non-EU actors over Europe’s digital future.
As Europe faces increasing geopolitical risks, the coalition believes that developing sovereign cloud services and other essential infrastructure is necessary to ensure the continent’s security.
The Road Ahead: Challenges and Opportunities
Achieving digital sovereignty will not be without its challenges. One of the main obstacles is the fragmented nature of Europe’s tech sector, which has made it difficult to create unified, large-scale solutions.
EuroStack’s proposal to pool resources from diverse industries aims to address this fragmentation and create a cohesive digital infrastructure that can support Europe’s future needs.
Another significant challenge is the need for sufficient financial resources. The Sovereign Infrastructure Fund, which would require substantial public and private investment, must be established to support the development of critical digital technologies.
The coalition argues that redirecting existing EU funds, such as those allocated under the Digital Decade initiative, could help ensure that Europe has the resources it needs to build a competitive digital economy.
Despite these challenges, the coalition remains confident that Europe can regain control over its digital future. By fostering investment in local tech solutions, creating demand through procurement policies, and prioritizing European-led infrastructure, the coalition believes that Europe can reduce its reliance on foreign technologies and ensure its digital sovereignty.
