The global economy is undergoing a constant and rapid transformation. At the heart of this evolution lies innovation, serving as the cornerstone for economic growth, competitiveness, and resilience. How does Europe connect in this context, and what does it need to do to stay competitive and strive to become a technological powerhouse? Mario Draghi in his recently released report – “The Future of European Competitiveness” – provides a critical analysis of Europe’s current situation and raises a firm call to action for a “radical change”.
While significant progress has been made in promoting digital innovation, it is still not sufficient to meet Europe’s ambitious goals.
Europe must accelerate in its endeavors to become a global leader in innovation, putting in place significant changes across several key areas, including investments, talents and skills development, public spending, and industrial cooperation. Central to this analysis is the role of cloud technology. In this respect, the report indicates an urgent need: Europe must achieve cloud independence while consolidating sovereignty values, so that the valuable European tech players can provide alternatives in an open and fair market. We can only commend this recognition.
In recent times we experienced an unprecedented booming of the cloud market and increase of data, since then the need for a major data protection and control became more urgent and digital sovereignty has been more and more at the source of many debates, with the protection of personal or sensitive data as a central issue. Although, in Europe, the domination of the American hyperscalers in the industry slowed down the emergence of a trusted ecosystem capable of offering an alternative cloud solution that is transparent, respects European values and able to protect European’s most sensitive data. Technological sovereignty now is more crucial than ever. The former Italian Prime Minister speaks out loud on how a sovereign European cloud is paramount to protect users not only from cyber risks but also from potential accesses to their data by non-European authorities. Sovereignty is also precisely what the EUCS would achieve with its High+ criterion, which we strongly support, as it ensures services are protected from extraterritorial laws. It goes without saying that European cloud providers need a supportive environment and regulatory framework so they can offer alternative solutions that protect data and help users take back control of their digital destiny.
Building the Europe of tomorrow with a trusted and sovereign Cloud
Our industry is constantly mobilized to reinforce our strategic autonomy, and European companies are investing massively to this end. European cloud players are developing a comprehensive approach to digital sovereignty by developing services that guarantee data protection and immunity from extraterritorial laws, laying the foundation for a new trust between users and digital service providers, and better assess the fit between forthcoming regulations and industry needs. The goal is to have control over our future and supporting European values, through three essential pillars at the forefront of building a trusted cloud: openness, reversibility and transparency while ensuring technical sovereignty.
The dominant players in the cloud market continue to seemingly evade existing values and regulations, starting with the GDPR, to take advantage of the value of data. It is possible also to imagine a third way, which involves a balance between regulation and innovation. As our ecosystem and market demand for a trusted and open cloud continue to grow, we remain committed to staying at the forefront of this area. It is crucial that the cloud remains open, transparent, and free from restrictions imposed by major vendors, so customers can maintain control over their data.
Investing for Europe’s future through innovation: AI & Quantum to preserve sovereignty
The evolution of Artificial Intelligence and Quantum technologies is another focal point of the report. AI is seen as a significant driver of competitiveness, while Quantum technology is regarded as the next breakthrough innovation. We bear the responsibility to stand out and support the acceleration of innovation in Europe and globally. By prioritizing sovereignty, we make significant investments in emerging technologies and promote internal innovation, which undoubtedly plays a crucial role in achieving Europe’s strategic independence.