Even though politicians in Brussels keep saying they need to build their own stuff and not rely on outside influence, the truth is, EU institutions mostly use tools made by US companies. So, what does this dependence really look like, and does Europe have any real shot at changing things?
Europe in Big Tech’s Grip: Still Hooked on US Digital Power?
Official Advice: Go American
The European Parliament even tells its employees which communication tools to use. Guess what? It’s Microsoft Teams and Cisco Jabber – both American. This shows just how deep the EU is in the US tech world.
Sure, picking well-known and popular platforms makes sense in some ways. They’re usually high quality, stable, and have support all over the world. But it makes you wonder: why aren’t European institutions pushing their own tech when they talk so much about being digitally independent?
“Digital sovereignty” has become a buzzword in EU discussions lately. France, for example, has been trying for a while to build its own tech and cut down on how much foreign companies control its digital market. Paris is trying to help local cloud and software companies, and some government offices are ditching US-made tools.
But across the whole EU, it’s a different story. Brussels is mostly focused on limiting the power of Chinese and Russian companies, blocking their tech because of security worries. This actually makes the European IT market even more reliant on stuff from the United States.
Safety or Just Easier?
The argument for picking US tech is often about security. EU institutions believe that using software from trusted American companies lowers the risk of cyberattacks and interference from other countries.
But here’s the tricky part: security is also where things get controversial. We’ve seen plenty of times in the past where US agencies have used their tech advantage to spy on people and get data. Remember back in 2013 when Edward Snowden revealed that the US National Security Agency (NSA) was doing mass surveillance, even on European politicians and institutions?
Despite all that and the scandals that followed, the EU still relies on US solutions for its everyday digital work. This is happening even though there are growing worries about keeping data safe and the dangers of depending too much on just one set of tech providers.
European Alternatives? Not Enough Cash or a Real Plan
It’s not that Europe doesn’t have tech companies; it’s just that they’re not big enough in the market. In areas like software or cloud services, there aren’t many European companies that can really compete with giants like Microsoft, Google, or Amazon. Take messaging apps, for example. There are European options like the French Tchap or the German Wire, but it’s unlikely they’ll be used much in EU institutions.
The main problem is a lack of investment and a clear plan for growth. The EU has tried to start its own digital projects before, but they’re still small compared to the huge budgets the US tech giants have.Think about Gaia-X. It was supposed to be Europe’s answer to Amazon Web Services or Google Cloud. But the project has run into a lot of problems and isn’t really ready to take on the American giants yet.
Why Isn’t Europe Investing in Its Own Stuff?
One reason the EU keeps using American tech is because it all works together easily. EU institutions need their IT systems to be unified, which makes it hard to bring in new, local solutions. Companies like Microsoft and Google offer a whole bunch of services that are easy to set up and manage.
Another issue is the lack of good enough infrastructure. European IT companies might have great ideas, but they don’t have the resources to compete with the global tech giants. Plus, there’s no single plan to support European-made solutions. EU countries often do their own thing instead of working together to build a real alternative to American systems.
Can Europe Ever Break Free?
The European Union is stuck in a tough spot. Should it keep relying on American tech, or should it pour billions into building its own? Right now, it looks like they’re leaning towards the first option. Even though EU policy papers often talk about how important digital independence is, the US still dominates the European IT market.
If Europe wants to change this, it needs to make long-term investments, work together on tech projects, and have a clear plan to support its own innovative companies. Without that kind of effort, the EU will stay in the shadow of American tech giants, and “digital sovereignty” will just be an empty promise.
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