On European technological sovereignty and digital infrastructure
A-10-2025-0107
Committee on Industry, Research and Energy · Rapporteur: Sarah Knafo
- Voted on · Adopted 471–68–71 · See the decision →
- Full procedure 2025/2007
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This resolution on European technological sovereignty and digital infrastructure calls for reducing strategic dependencies and building EU capacity across the digital value chain, including through a comprehensive risk assessment framework and a European digital public infrastructure base layer.¶¶¶ It urges the Commission to propose legislation and funding, including an EU cloud and AI development act, a Digital Networks Act, and measures for semiconductors, quantum, data centres, submarine cables, and cybersecurity, while simplifying regulation and boosting investment and skills.¶¶¶
Committee position. The Committee on Industry, Research and Energy proposes a resolution calling for a comprehensive European strategy to achieve technological sovereignty, including specific measures on digital infrastructure, semiconductors, cloud, AI, and cybersecurity.¶¶¶
Key points
- Calls for a comprehensive risk assessment framework to monitor and address dependencies across the digital value chain, serving as a basis for EU preparedness and resilience.¶
- Calls on the Commission to establish a comprehensive list of critical dependencies in digital infrastructure and technologies, including storage, identity, payment, and communication platforms, and to propose measures to promote market access for products with positive impact on sovereignty.¶
- Believes the EU should lead in creating a base layer of digital public infrastructure (DPI) built on common and open standards, ensuring privacy and security by default, and calls for a detailed plan and dedicated funding in the next multiannual financial framework.¶¶¶
- Calls for legislation to mitigate risks from high-risk vendors from non-EU countries, including foreign-controlled energy resource providers, and to ensure critical digital infrastructure falls under EU jurisdiction.¶
- Urges the Commission to simplify and harmonise telecommunications rules in the forthcoming Digital Networks Act and to introduce an EU cloud and AI development act to build a single market for cloud and AI.¶¶
- Calls for ambitious connectivity targets, including fibre, 5G, and 6G, and for the forthcoming MFF to include funds for large-scale deployment to achieve 2030 Digital Decade targets.¶¶¶
- Calls for enhanced coordination of spectrum allocations, including harmonisation of assignment policies, longer license durations, and access to new spectrum such as the upper 6 GHz band.¶
- Stresses the importance of satellite communications and the EU space programme, and calls for increased investment in EU-owned space surveillance and tracking assets.¶¶¶
- Calls for urgent action to boost EU semiconductor manufacturing, including putting advanced AI chips at the core of the Chips Act revision and supporting manufacturing of widely used chips.¶¶¶
- Calls for a strategy to reduce reliance on foreign cloud providers, a definition of sovereign cloud, and removal of barriers to switching providers, while fostering a competitive European cloud market.¶¶¶
- Calls for coordinated action to protect submarine cables, including an EU-based rapid-response repair fleet, and for including submarine cable projects in the list of IPCEIs.¶¶¶
- Calls for full implementation of the EU toolbox for 5G security and for making it binding with regard to high-risk vendors in critical infrastructure.¶
Who is affected
- EU institutions and Member States are called on to implement measures for digital sovereignty, including funding and regulatory changes.¶¶¶
- European companies, especially start-ups and SMEs, would benefit from reduced bureaucracy, better access to funding, and a more competitive digital market.¶¶¶
- Non-EU technology providers, particularly high-risk vendors, face potential restrictions in critical infrastructure and public procurement.¶¶
- EU citizens are targeted for improved digital skills and access to connectivity and digital public services.¶¶
Figures and deadlines
- over 80 % of digital products, services, infrastructure and intellectual property rely on non-EU countries¶
- fibre coverage of only about 64 % of European households¶
- around 9 % of global electricity consumption results from data centres, cloud services and connectivity¶
- data centre power consumption projected to nearly triple by the end of this decade, from approximately 62 TWh to more than 150 TWh¶
- only 54 % of European citizens possess at least basic digital skills, below the 80 % target¶
- shortage of ICT professionals projected to reach 12 million by 2030, against a target of 20 million¶
- 60 % of EU companies report difficulties in recruiting skilled workers in AI, cybersecurity and clean technologies¶
- 21 % of businesses cite compliance and legal uncertainties as a barrier to digital investment¶
Legal basis: Articles 173, 179 and 190 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union¶