Germany and France push digital sovereignty after cloud outages highlight reliance on US tech
Germany has moved closer to France’s long-running push for European digital sovereignty, signalling a more united front on reducing reliance on US technology providers. The shift comes as recent cloud disruptions have renewed concern about the resilience of critical online services.
At a joint summit in Berlin, Chancellor Friedrich Merz said shortages in semiconductors and repeated outages showed Europe’s dependence on technologies from the United States and China. He argued those dependencies can be used as leverage in geopolitical disputes.
French President Emmanuel Macron said Europe should avoid becoming merely a customer of dominant foreign platforms, framing the issue as both economic competitiveness and strategic autonomy. The two leaders portrayed their coordination as an effort to make Europe a stronger global player rather than isolate it from partners.
Cloud scrutiny and procurement rules
France and Germany backed a push to apply tougher EU competition oversight to the largest cloud providers, including Amazon Web Services and Microsoft. The approach would place more of the cloud market under the EU’s existing rules aimed at curbing abusive dominance in digital markets.
Berlin and Paris also highlighted public procurement as a lever to build demand for European alternatives, alongside stronger safeguards to keep sensitive data protected from foreign access. Officials acknowledged that member states still differ on how far preferences for European suppliers should go.
Investment and regulatory balancing act
The summit coincided with business announcements intended to strengthen Europe’s homegrown technology stack, including cooperation between France-based AI company Mistral and Germany’s SAP. The goal is to develop services that meet European requirements on security, control and compliance.
At the same time, leaders supported efforts in Brussels to simplify parts of the EU digital rulebook to help European firms scale, including discussions around the timeline for implementing parts of the AI Act. Macron warned that regulation alone will not create champions if Europe falls behind in building them.
A new working group is expected to define common EU criteria for what qualifies as sovereign technology in areas such as cloud services and government IT contracts. Supporters say the next test will be turning political momentum into budgets, projects and standards that can compete with entrenched US platforms.
