Technological sovereignty is emerging as the defining ambition of Europe’s digital and political agenda. Yet as calls for a more united and independent Europe grow, several questions remain: what does technological sovereignty truly mean, what should it look like, and crucially, how can it be achieved?

This opening session will explore how Europe can translate ambition into action and in doing so, secure a more sovereign technological future. By examining the pursuit of technological independence and the practical steps required to realise it, the discussion will centre on the initiatives driving the continent’s sovereignty agenda. Panellists will consider the role of smart, coherent regulation and its alignment with Europe’s broader competitiveness goals, assessing how European regulation can reinforce, rather than restrict, innovation and growth across the digital economy.

• Is this truly Europe’s ‘independence moment’? To what extent does Europe need technological sovereignty, and how strong is the political will to achieve it?
  
• What does ‘tech sovereignty’ really look like, and how can regulation serve as a foundation for both Europe’s competitiveness and sovereignty agendas?
  
• What are the current gaps, dependencies, and structural challenges across Europe’s digital and technological ecosystem?
  
• What role can smart regulation play in driving Europe’s sovereignty, simplification, and competitiveness agendas? What will the impact of the Digital Omnibus on Europe’s digital acquis be?
  
• Which EU initiatives, including the DMA, DSA, Chips Act, Data Act, and AI Act, are most influential in defining the sovereignty agenda?
  
• Where should the next phase of EU digital and tech policy focus to truly deliver on Europe’s sovereignty ambitions?

For Europe to pursue its goal of technological sovereignty, the public sector must play a decisive role in turning its vision into a reality. Acting both as a catalyst for change and a testing ground for innovation, governments must lead by example, embedding sovereign principles directly into their digital infrastructure and services.

With growing calls for a ‘Buy European’ mandate, the discussion will examine several key themes: the forthcoming European Public Procurement Act; the role of the Interoperable Europe Act in promoting interoperable and sovereign-by-design services; and the impact of sovereignty on the GovTech ecosystem. Panellists will also share perspectives on the many national initiatives across EU Member States to embed sovereign digital services within their public administrations.

• ​​How can digital and technological sovereignty be effectively operationalised across Europe’s public sector?
  
• How can governments reduce reliance on non-European providers while maintaining interoperability, competitiveness, and value for taxpayers?
  
• What does the growing number of government contracts going to EU companies signal for Europe’s wider sovereignty agenda?
  
• How can public procurement and investment mechanisms encourage the growth of sovereign providers while fostering a level playing field for all actors?
  
• In what ways can sovereign European technologies enhance service delivery and decision-making? For example, through sovereign AI systems, cloud services or secure digital infrastructure?

Europe’s sovereign ambitions depend on the development of robust, high-capacity infrastructure. From AI gigafactories and hyperscale data centres to secure connectivity networks and a reliable, affordable energy supply, these systems form the foundation of Europe’s sovereignty agenda.

Examining both the opportunities and challenges of Europe’s infrastructure rollout, panellists will explore the flagship initiatives driving this transformation. Discussions will feature commentary on the AI Continent Action Plan, alongside emerging proposals such as the Cloud and AI Development Act, the Advanced Materials Act, and the previously floated Digital Public Infrastructure concept. The session will conclude with reflections on how public and private investment can best complement each other to accelerate infrastructure deployment and strengthen Europe’s technological autonomy.

• How critical is the deployment of resilient digital infrastructure to achieving Europe’s technological sovereignty? What are the key next steps, opportunities, and obstacles on the path forward?
  
• How can Europe meet the rising demand for data and compute capacity? What role will the Cloud and AI Development Act have ensuring performance, security, and long-term resilience?
• A key deliverable of the AI Continent Action Plan, what role will AI gigafactories and hyperscale data centres play in supporting Europe’s technological sovereignty? What additional investments and infrastructure here are required to make this vision a reality?
• What impact will the Advanced Materials Act and the new Critical Raw Materials Centre (as outlined in the 2026 Commission Work Programme) have on Europe’s sovereignty agenda?
• How might reforms to the EU’s Energy Union shape Europe’s ability to build and sustain secure and affordable sovereign digital infrastructure?
• How can Europe strike the right balance between public and private investment to ensure long-term infrastructure resilience?
• How can Europe ensure the effective rollout of sovereign connectivity infrastructure, and what role will the forthcoming Digital Networks Act play in achieving this?

Throughout the final two sessions, panellists will explore Europe’s evolving regulatory and policy ambitions across three core enablers of its sovereignty agenda: AI, Data, and Cloud. Together, these discussions will examine in focus the trends, challenges, and opportunities shaping Europe’s pursuit of its ‘independence moment.’

Europe’s dependence on global hyperscalers has made cloud computing a pillar of Europe’s sovereignty agenda. The European Commission’s recent €180 million call for sovereign cloud tenders, together with the Cloud and AI Development Act, the EU Cloud Sovereignty Framework, and a wave of national initiatives, reflect a growing recognition of this imperative.

Given this, this session will ask: how can Europe foster a vibrant cloud ecosystem that enables data sovereignty, innovation and global competitiveness across both public and private sectors?

Panellists will explore Europe’s sovereign cloud ambitions, assess the evolving regulatory landscape shaping this agenda, and consider how to build a competitive and robust internal market for cloud services capable of underpinning Europe’s digital autonomy. 

• What are the key opportunities and obstacles in building a vibrant and competitive European cloud ecosystem that meets both public and private needs?
  
• What role will the Cloud and AI Development Act play in balancing innovation and competitiveness across Europe’s cloud ecosystem, and how does it fit within the broader strategy for technological sovereignty?
  
• How will the Cloud Sovereignty Framework’s ‘sovereignty benchmark’ shape the standards, certifications, and expectations for trusted cloud infrastructure in Europe?
• How can Europe operationalise multi-cloud and sovereign-by-design approaches to strengthen resilience and autonomy?
  

• What role will the EU Cloud Rulebook play in ensuring interoperability across the European cloud marketplace?
  
• What lessons can be drawn from previous efforts to build a federated cloud infrastructure in Europe?
  
• In the context of European sovereignty, how should vertical sectors in Europe embrace sovereign cloud systems?

Perhaps the defining technology of the decade, artificial intelligence has become a cornerstone of Europe’s broader political and digital project. Through landmark initiatives such as the AI Act, the AI Continent Action Plan, and the forthcoming Cloud and AI Development Act, Europe’s ambition is clear: to build a sovereign, competitive AI ecosystem that reflects its democratic values and strengthens its global leadership.

Our final session will explore how Europe is translating this ambition into action. Panellists will examine the policies shaping Europe’s AI landscape, the challenges characterising its development, and the role of AI in reinforcing the continent’s technological independence and autonomy. 

• What role will AI, and in particular sovereign AI, play within Europe’s broader technological agenda? What does it mean to build a truly ‘European AI’?
  
• How are landmark initiatives such as the AI Act, the AI Continent Action Plan, and the forthcoming Cloud and AI Development Act shaping Europe’s AI ecosystem?
  
• How central is semiconductor capacity to Europe’s broader AI ambitions and technological sovereignty strategy? How might the review of the Chips Act influence Europe’s capacity to meet the compute demands of next-generation AI models?
  
• In the context of European sovereignty, how can vertical sectors across Europe embrace its sovereign AI systems? How can we incentivise and encourage the use of European AI services?