30 September 2025

Hosted by Marina Kaljurand MEP, this EIF debate explored how federating Europe’s digital infrastructures can strengthen competitiveness, resilience and technological sovereignty. The discussion took place as the European Commission advances work on its forthcoming Cloud and AI Development Act, which will frame Europe’s approach to data centres, cloud services and artificial intelligence. Against the backdrop of growing global competition and rising security risks, participants agreed that Europe must act collectively to secure the foundations of its digital future.

Stronger together: federating Europe’s digital infrastructure

Opening Remarks 

Marina Kaljurand MEP underlined the urgency of building resilient digital infrastructure and reducing dependence on non-EU cloud providers. She warned that the European market remains dominated by a few global players, raising concerns about privacy and sovereignty. Kaljurand called for more coordinated investment through EU instruments such as the Connecting Europe Facility and the Recovery and Resilience Facility. She also stressed the need for solidarity in protecting submarine cables and other critical assets, linking digital resilience to competitiveness. She welcomed the Commission’s proposal for a Cloud and AI Development Act as a step toward an integrated and secure digital single market.

The Commission’s Perspective

Laura Balke, Head of Sector for Cloud Policy at DG CONNECT, outlined the Commission’s vision for the Cloud and AI Development Act, designed to strengthen sustainability, security and sovereignty in Europe’s digital infrastructure. She noted that only around 45% of European businesses use cloud services, far from the 2030 target, and that data centre capacity must triple for Europe to become an AI-ready continent. The Act will promote efficient, sustainable infrastructure and support federated solutions to maximise existing capacity. Ms Balke explained that federation can improve both resilience and resource use by connecting underutilised data centres, particularly in the public sector. She added that the Act will build on the Data Act’s cloud-switching rules to foster competition and reduce vendor lock-in.

Industry Perspectives

Oliver Klein, representing United Internet, emphasised that open standards and federated infrastructures are vital for digital sovereignty. He described ongoing initiatives such as Gaia-X projects and the Sovereign European Cloud API (ZECA), aimed at creating interoperable, energy-efficient cloud systems. Mr Klein urged policymakers to pursue a coordinated European approach, mobilise public procurement to scale European providers, and simplify regulatory frameworks to foster innovation.

Kim Nguyen of the Bundesdruckerei Group highlighted trust and security as defining features of Europe’s digital ecosystem. Drawing on experience in secure communications and digital identity, he argued that Europe must combine sovereignty with pragmatic cooperation, including hybrid models with global players. Mr Nguyen stressed the need for standardisation, clear governance, and procurement policies that value sovereignty alongside competitiveness, noting that Europe should be more confident in its technological achievements.

Leonardo Camiciotti, Executive Director of the TOP-IX Consortium, presented the Fulcrum Project as a model for a European cloud federation. He explained that Fulcrum connects independent providers through open standards, allowing them to share capacity securely across borders. The initiative, already active in several countries, demonstrates how smaller European providers can collectively match global scale while preserving independence and compliance with EU values.

Outcomes and Next Steps

The discussion highlighted broad agreement on the need for European cooperation to strengthen digital infrastructure and reduce dependencies. Participants saw federation as a practical path toward sovereignty, based on openness, interoperability and trust. Public procurement and investment alignment were identified as key enablers of scale and innovation. The Fulcrum Project video shown during the debate illustrated how federation is moving from concept to practice. The exchange reaffirmed a shared commitment to building a competitive, secure and sovereign digital Europe.

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