For many, Donald Trump's return to the White House served as a wake-up call regarding the need to ensure European technological sovereignty. The continent remains dependent on American tech giants in areas such as cloud computing and software. It is now seeking to avoid the same fate in the field of generative artificial intelligence.

European technological sovereignty hinges first and foremost on the emergence of European cloud platforms capable of offering a credible alternative to U.S. hyperscalers, which dominate the bulk of the market. Announced in 2020, the Gaia-X initiative—which aims to deploy an interoperable and secure infrastructure that meets European standards—has yet to materialize. But European cloud providers are now promising to step up their efforts, committing to certify up to 3,000 services that comply with Gaia-X specifications by the end of the year.

Sovereignty Considered in Bidding Processes

To promote European suppliers, the Commission has just launched the “Cloud Sovereignty Framework,” which aims to classify cloud offerings based on their level of sovereignty, according to eight criteria such as governance, the supply chain, and security. Brussels is encouraging public institutions across the continent to use this framework in their calls for proposals. The Commission will also lead by example through a six-year, 180-million-euro cloud contract.

To support the anticipated growth of local cloud services, Europe is also relying on a provision of its Data Act. This provision aims to remove the main barriers erected by U.S. cloud giants that hinder migration to another provider. This applies in particular to data transfer fees, which result in high bills and can therefore discourage companies from switching providers.

AI "mega-factories"

In the field of AI, the European Commission is also very active in fostering the emergence of European leaders. Several action plans have been announced in recent years. In particular, Brussels has committed to investing 20 billion euros (half of which will come from national budgets) to co-finance, alongside the private sector, the construction of several AI “mega-factories,” giant data centers, and supercomputers that would rival the infrastructure built in the United States.

At the same time, Europe also aims to strengthen its cybersecurity, which is considered the other pillar of its digital sovereignty. Adopted in late 2024, the Cyber Solidarity Act thus provides for the creation of a “European cyber shield”: a network of operational centers capable of detecting threats in real time and coordinating responses to major attacks. Member states will also have access to a pool of experts who can be mobilized in the event of a critical incident.

Finally, technological sovereignty is not limited to infrastructure. It also requires strategic autonomy in components, software, and talent. Europe is counting in particular on the Chips Act, which aims to double European semiconductor production by 2030, as well as on training programs funded by Digital Europe to address the digital skills gap.