Europe Aims to End Its Dangerous Dependence on US Internet Technology
In recent years, Europe’s overwhelming reliance on internet infrastructure and technology supplied predominantly by US-based companies has raised concerns about security, sovereignty, and resilience. Technical failures, geopolitical tensions, and natural disasters have highlighted the risks inherent in depending so heavily on a few global tech giants. Recognizing this vulnerability, European leaders are now pushing to establish greater digital independence, ensuring the continent’s critical services remain operational even during crises.
The Hidden Risks of Digital Dependence
Imagine a scenario where the internet suddenly stops functioning: payment systems in supermarkets fail, hospitals lose access to patient records, and tools essential to everyday work become unavailable. Social media and communication platforms go dark, cutting off vital information channels. Such digital blackouts are not mere hypotheticals—they have occurred due to technical glitches and cyberattacks, demonstrating how fragile the current internet ecosystem can be.
Much of this fragility stems from the centralization of cloud computing services. Around 70% of Europe’s cloud infrastructure is controlled by three US-based companies: Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud. By contrast, European cloud service providers hold only about 15% of the market. This concentration creates a single point of failure and increases exposure to geopolitical pressures, where access to critical technology could potentially be restricted as part of international disputes.
Recent incidents underline this vulnerability. In October 2025, an AWS outage disrupted thousands of services, including major banking applications globally. Two months later, a technical failure at Cloudflare, a critical internet infrastructure provider, led to the unavailability of popular platforms such as LinkedIn and Zoom. Additionally, a massive power outage in April 2025 affected parts of Spain, Portugal, and southwest France, demonstrating how dependent cloud services are on stable physical infrastructure.
Europe’s Steps Toward Digital Sovereignty
Acknowledging these risks, the European Union has declared a “structural imperative” to cultivate a new form of digital independence. Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, emphasized at the World Economic Forum in Davos the urgent need to develop technological capacities under European control to safeguard security and resilience.
Several local and regional initiatives across Europe are pioneering this shift:
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In Helsingborg, Sweden, a year-long trial is underway to assess how municipal public services would cope in a total digital blackout. This project evaluates whether essential functions, like healthcare provision and social services, can continue without digital infrastructure, aiming to develop a scalable model for crisis preparedness.
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In Schleswig-Holstein, northern Germany, the state government has made remarkable progress by replacing approximately 70% of its Microsoft-based systems with open-source alternatives. They aim to limit reliance on major tech companies to exceptional cases by 2030. – Governments in France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Italy are investing in developing interoperable, open-source digital platforms for communication and document management. These “digital Lego bricks” can be hosted on sovereign infrastructure, reducing dependency on foreign cloud providers.
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Sweden’s National Insurance Agency operates its own chat and collaboration system hosted within domestic data centers, offering sovereign alternatives to foreign cloud services to other public authorities.
The Road Ahead: Prioritizing Digital Infrastructure
Europe’s digital infrastructure must be treated with at least the same level of strategic importance as physical infrastructure like roads, ports, and power grids. Control, maintenance, and crisis preparedness should be public priorities, not outsourced to large foreign corporations whose interests may not always align with those of European citizens.
To bolster this approach, the EU has developed a cloud sovereignty framework to ensure procurement policies prioritize keeping data under European jurisdiction. The forthcoming Cloud and AI Development Act promises to further focus resources and regulation on enhancing digital resilience.
Beyond governmental action, individuals and organizations can contribute by carefully choosing services that prioritize security, openness, and interoperability rather than just cost efficiency. Understanding where personal data such as emails, photos, and conversations are stored, as well as the conditions under which they are accessed and backed up, can increase personal digital security and resilience.
While complete digital independence is unrealistic and unnecessary, especially given the interconnected nature of today’s world, Europe’s concerted efforts aim to guarantee access to critical digital services even during crises. By reinforcing its technological sovereignty, Europe hopes to maintain the integrity and availability of digital infrastructure that modern life—and its future—depends on.
