Digital Sovereignty Summit: A digital turning point

Lack of US technology: Friedrich Merz and Emmanuel Macron want to strengthen the technology industry in the EU through investment. And reduce regulations. Finally – you might think.

November 18, 2025, 23:20

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Europe is preparing to face digital competition: the technology industry must be strengthened, from data centers to AI development. But reliance on US technology remains a problem. Merz and Macron are banking on a European alternative and calling for greater sovereignty. But plans to change the law have faced criticism – innovation, yes, but not at the expense of fundamental digital rights.

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Friedrich Merz and Emmanuel Macron heralded a digital turning point at a sovereignty summit in Berlin on Tuesday: They want to become more independent of technology from China and the United States.
© (L) Alexander Hoepfner/DIE ZEIT; use Image: Felix Zahn/Photothek/Getty Images; and machine/Unsplash

It’s been a great start to the week for us Europewhen Digital Minister Karsten Wildberger (CDU) took a shovel to the cameras on Monday amid drizzle in an industrial area in Lübbenau, Brandenburg. The Schwarz Group, which includes large digital divisions alongside Lidl and Kaufland, wants to build huge data centers where thermal power plants once stood. 100,000 AI chips will be installed here, and the whole thing will cost eleven billion euros.

The next day, things continued in Berlin, as if Europe wanted to show the world and itself that it could indeed become a digital world power and compete with the United States and China. That EU announced that it would weaken its digital laws to reduce bureaucratic obstacles for companies. Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron called for greater independence for Europe from the United States and China at a digital sovereignty summit.