Technological sovereignty? Delivering a complete European digital single market

Abstract

The EU does not suffer from a lack of ambition on digital policy. From ‘strategic autonomy’ to ‘technological sovereignty’, European leaders like to portray the EU as a geopolitical heavyweight on digital. In practice, however, the European digital single market continues to be exposed to many of the fundamental challenges that have plagued it since its inception. The ongoing European effort to draft the global rulebook on tech regulation remains a laudable endeavour, but this has contributed little to boosting the competitiveness of the European digital sector. Many European tech companies still struggle to offer their services outside of national borders and expand their reach to a genuinely European customer base. The EU must tackle inconsistent regulations, close infrastructure gaps, promote investment, and facilitate secure, yet speedy data flows. These issues are integral to helping to turn the digital single market into a tech hub for global business. This article puts forward a number of policy proposals for upgrading the European digital agenda as one of the main conduits for ensuring European economic growth and improved global standing.