Recent accusations of foreign interference in electoral systems, while lacking solid proof, expose Europe's technological fragility. For decades, the continent has become accustomed to almost total dependence on digital infrastructure, critical software, and technological services developed outside Europe, particularly in the United States.
This dependence, justified by efficiency and cost, has proven to be a strategic error. Europe does not fully control the systems underpinning its communications, digital economy, and sensitive administrative processes. The issue transcends economics, becoming political and a matter of security.
In a global context of great power rivalries, entrusting critical infrastructure to external technologies creates vulnerabilities. Although the European Union is attempting to respond with cybersecurity initiatives and regulation, these measures are insufficient to ensure strategic autonomy. Internal fragmentation and a lack of industrial scale prevent Europe from keeping pace with technological powers.
The world is moving towards a new phase of digital competition, where data and algorithms are instruments of power. Relying on third parties for the integrity of critical systems is a risk Europe can no longer ignore. A paradigm shift is needed, with consistent investment in creating its own robust and competitive technological ecosystem to ensure independence and resilience.
