BRUSSELS — European Union leaders, worried about the continent relying too heavily on American companies for AI and cloud computing services and Asia for microchips, are pushing back. <\/p>\n
The 27-nation bloc unveiled a \u201ctech sovereignty\u201d package on Wednesday with measures to promote homegrown European alternatives to Big Tech services and hardware. <\/p>\n
The efforts by Brussels have gained urgency as leaders worry about dependence on technologies from foreign providers, which they say could be \u201cweaponized\u201d against Europeans. Those fears crystallized after the International Criminal Court’s top prosecutor was sanctioned by the Trump administration, which led to Microsoft canceling his email account<\/a>, sparking fears of a \u201ckill switch\u201d hidden in U.S. tech services. <\/p>\n \u201cEurope wants to be in the position to make its own choices, avoiding risky dependencies on single dominant suppliers, one company or one third country,\u201d European Commission Executive Vice-President Henna Virkkunen, who oversees tech sovereignty, told reporters in Brussels. <\/p>\n \u201cBecause we live in a world where geopolitics and technology go hand in hand. Those who champion technological innovation will shape the future, and we must ensure that Europe plays a leading role in this.\u201d <\/p>\n A cornerstone of the package is a sequel to the EU’s 2023 Chips Act to further boost local production of semiconductors by cutting red tape for chip fabs and fostering a European chipmaking ecosystem. <\/p>\n