To avoid being at the mercy of the whims of foreign governments, the European Union is preparing sweeping measures to distance itself from American digital companies and Chinese chips in favor of European alternatives.
This package on technological sovereignty is part of the many measures Brussels has taken to reduce dependence on foreign firms and boost local production, but risks opening a new front in transatlantic tensions.
This highly anticipated package of rules on chips, cloud computing, and AI will be unveiled on Wednesday as part of the EU’s efforts to « reassert its place in the global geo-economic power race », according to a draft strategic document.
The EU’s heavy reliance on American cloud providers, which account for about 70% of the European market, is particularly worrying.
Since Donald Trump’s return to the White House last year, Europeans fear that critical digital infrastructure could be paralyzed by an American blocking measure in times of extreme tensions.
European senior officials do not openly name the United States as a target, but American technology dominates the market, from cloud computing to social networks to e-commerce.
« We must develop our own capacities. We cannot allow anyone to influence our decisions, our values, the proper functioning of our economy and our services », said this month Teresa Ribera, European Commissioner for Competition.
European officials often cite Washington’s sanctions against ICC judges – sanctions decreed by Trump in February 2025 – to illustrate the grip of American companies. Judge Nicolas Guillou recounted how he found himself deprived of access to his Visa card, as it is an American system.
The American ambassador to the EU, Andrew Puzder, warned against any protectionist measures, while American companies urged Europe not to exclude them.
« Europe cannot dominate the AI economy by penalizing others », Puzder told AFP last month, when asked about these proposals.
The package of measures to be unveiled on Wednesday will include the Cloud and AI Development Act, aimed at accelerating the deployment of data center infrastructure; a CHIPS Act proposal to strengthen semiconductor supply security by reducing dependence on foreign suppliers; and an incentive for public authorities to adopt more open-source software to improve control, flexibility and to avoid dependence on a single supplier.
The European Parliament member Oliver Schenk told AFP that this package of measures « is not aimed at opposing our trading partners nor at closing markets », but added: « Europe must avoid becoming structurally dependent on a single external actor for AI, the cloud and semiconductors. »
