EU-Kommission strebt digitale Souveränität an: Wachsende Nachfrage nach europäischen Halbleitern

Strengthening Digital Infrastructure in Europe

The EU Commission has presented a comprehensive legislative package aimed at making Europe’s digital infrastructure more independent from American and Chinese providers. A central element of this initiative is the promotion of demand for European semiconductors to strengthen the competitiveness of the European industry and enhance technological sovereignty.

Another focus is on the careful selection of cloud services in the public sector, particularly in Germany and other member states. The EU wants sensitive data to be increasingly entrusted to European solutions to address concerns regarding data sovereignty and security. The initiative aims to support the European industry for Artificial Intelligence by expanding new AI centers and fostering innovation in this area.

Doubling Data Center Capacities

The EU Commission has set the ambitious goal of tripling the capacity of data centers in Europe within the next five to seven years. This measure is crucial to reduce dependence on external providers and strengthen the digital infrastructure in Europe. Considering that over 70 percent of the European cloud market is dominated by just three American tech giants, this is a necessary step to improve market conditions.

Geopolitical Challenges

The EU Commission’s initiative is also a response to geopolitical tensions and the associated risks that could arise from potential sanctions or export controls from the USA or China. The fear that the European industry will be permanently sidelined is real, especially in a market where Europe’s share of chip production has stagnated at around 10 percent.

Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, emphasizes the urgency of these measures: „We cannot afford to be dependent on others for the technologies that ensure the operation of our hospitals, the stability of our energy networks, and the security of our services.“ Her appeal to European states to leverage existing talents and resources to achieve technological sovereignty is a call to strengthen the European location.

Outlook on Implementation

Before the EU Commission’s proposals can take effect, they must be reviewed and approved by the member states and the European Parliament. The implementation of these measures could have significant impacts on Europe’s competitiveness in the global technology market and thus also sustainably influence shareholder value in the affected sectors.