A unified position on seven areas

Beltug, Cigref, CIO Platform, and Voice, the four European digital associations, are calling on Member States and European institutions to fully assume their political responsibilities.

Sovereignty is a fundamental attribute of states and supranational organizations, according to Beltug, Cigref, CIO Platform, and Voice. “We therefore affirm the need for states to clearly express their ambitions in terms of sovereignty, not to close themselves off from the rest of the world, but to build a competitive, sustainable, and open economy in which the European digital industry has its rightful place.”

In 2025, according to estimates by the four European digital associations, Europe’s digital dependence on B2B software and cloud services will amount to nearly €264 billion, as shown in a study published by Asterès in April 2025. Without action, and against a backdrop of average annual growth of 10%, this figure could reach €500 billion in 2032.

“Europe cannot and must not become the industrial prey of other continents. In the age of AI, we can no longer remain spectators. This is an eminently political issue that goes beyond semantic debates on the definition of sovereignty.“

1. The ”omnibus package” for regulatory simplification

European partners reaffirm the need for greater consistency and uniformity within the European Union.

The four associations are therefore calling for an ambitious effort to streamline and harmonize digital regulations. “We need to simplify the model for implementing supervision, as it is fragmented and difficult to predict.”

This approach must be fully integrated into the development of a genuine European digital single market, ensuring uniform implementation and tangible administrative simplification. In the longer term, this process should lead to greater harmonization and, where appropriate, the pooling of regulatory authorities across Europe. This should lead to a level regulatory playing field within the EU, where producers and suppliers from Europe and outside Europe comply with and respect the same legal standards.

2. European preference in public procurement

The signatories reaffirm their commitment to a clear and assertive European preference in public procurement policies.

Such a preference is not a form of protectionism, but rather a strategic orientation aimed at strengthening the European digital services industry, thereby promoting competitiveness, employment, and the resilience of the European economy. In order to encourage private companies to join this dynamic, “we call for the establishment of incentive mechanisms, including tax measures and the sharing of experiences in migrating from one supplier to another, coordinated at European level.”

A responsible and sovereign public procurement policy must become a key tool of industrial policy, stimulating demand for European technologies and supporting the growth of local suppliers and innovators. Incentives for new European suppliers include the creation, enforcement, and, above all, long-term maintenance of communication and protocol standards led by EU authorities.

3. The sovereign cloud and public policies for a reliable European cloud

Achieving this goal will require massive investment in computing power, data storage, and network capacity to ensure that European data remains secure, sovereign, and hosted within the European legal space.

Digital sovereignty requires control over critical infrastructure, first and foremost the cloud. In light of recent geopolitical changes, Europe must develop a reliable European cloud ecosystem based on high standards of security and compliance, in particular by revising the Cybersecurity Act (CSA) and evolving the EUCS certification system. The latter should offer several levels of protection, each associated with a legally binding trust label, guaranteeing genuine immunity from extraterritorial legislation.

4. Competition law and the behavior of dominant market players

The signatories stress the urgent need to strengthen the enforcement of European competition law in order to ensure a level playing field for all players in the digital market. Abusive practices by certain dominant players, particularly in the B2B sector, threaten the competitiveness of European companies and the diversity of the digital ecosystem.

“We call on the European Commission and national authorities to exercise increased vigilance and rigorously implement the Digital Markets Act (DMA). Large global technology providers must be designated as gatekeepers when their market position allows them to impose unfair commercial conditions, limit their customers’ industrial choices, and restrict free competition.”

5. Trustworthy artificial intelligence

AI is a transformative economic force, but it also requires a responsible and trustworthy governance framework. These models must be based on European IT infrastructure and embody digital trust by design.

It is equally essential to defend intellectual property rights, preserve sovereignty over training data, and ensure that these technologies remain free from extraterritorial legal regimes.

6. Digital commons

“We welcome and fully support the initiative, approved by the European Commission, to create a European Digital Infrastructure Consortium (EDIC) dedicated to the development of digital commons.”

This initiative, launched by France, Germany, and the Netherlands and supported by Italy, Luxembourg, Slovenia, and Poland, reflects a tangible and shared vision of technological sovereignty. It aims to produce open-source solutions for European public administrations and businesses, promoting interoperability, transparency, and innovation.

Digital commons are the cornerstone of European digital trust and autonomy, enabling Europe to innovate for itself and by itself.

7. Digital identity

Digital identity is the foundation of national and European sovereignty in the digital sphere. “We support the rollout of a highly reliable European digital identity for all EU citizens, ensuring both security and privacy while ensuring interoperability between Member States.”

Such an identity will simplify administrative and economic processes, particularly through KYC (Know Your Customer) procedures, while strengthening the ability of governments to protect and serve their citizens in a secure digital environment. A robust European digital identity must become a concrete instrument of strategic autonomy and cohesion in the European digital space.

In conclusion, it is a matter of agreeing on a common definition of the concept of digital sovereignty.