Europeans Favor Greater Tech Sovereignty, Prefer EU‑Controlled Digital Infrastructure

Nevertheless, a strong majority of EU citizens support European‑controlled digital infrastructure. The latest Eurobarometer report shows that respondents in Sweden (94 %), Finland (93 %) and Denmark (92 %) believe the EU should prioritize such investments.

At the same time, Europeans overwhelmingly want to reduce reliance on non‑EU technologies from the United States and China. This sentiment is especially high in Sweden (88 %) and in Germany, Denmark, Finland and Luxembourg (each 87 %).

Senior researcher at Sweden’s RISE institute and adjunct assistant professor at Lund University, Johan Linåker, attributes the strong feeling to a heightened sense of urgency reflected across society and public discourse.

“In Denmark, for example, US threats against Greenland have sparked public engagement on digital sovereignty through campaigns such as ‘Danmark Skifter,’” Linåker told Europe in Motion.

‘Danmark Skifter’ ran during the first three months of 2026, encouraging people to turn off screens at certain times or switch to less addictive platforms. The Danish government has earmarked roughly €6.96 million (80 million kroner) for 2026‑2029 to reduce its dependence on large technology firms.

Are Europeans Willing to Shift to EU‑Based Services?

When asked whether they would switch to an EU‑based digital service provider even at a higher cost, attitudes varied across member states. The most willing were respondents from Denmark (76 %) and Sweden and Croatia (both 73 %). The least willing were Estonians (35 %) and Bulgarians and Czechs (both 45 %).

“In some countries digital tools are viewed as commodities rather than critical infrastructure, so priorities lie elsewhere—a pattern seen in parts of Eastern Europe,” Linåker explained.

Men are more likely than women to support the switch, and willingness declines sharply with age, with younger people being the most favorable.

Greater security and reliability would motivate many citizens to change providers, particularly Greeks (68 %), Finns (67 %) and Swedes (64 %). Better personal‑data protection also ranks high, especially in Austria (57 %) and in the Netherlands, Ireland and Portugal (each 54 %).

EU Initiatives on Tech Sovereignty

Recent developments have heightened concerns about digital dependence. Last week, the United States cut off foreign access to Anthropic’s most advanced AI models, reinforcing European fears of a “kill switch” and bolstering the bloc’s tech‑sovereignty agenda.

Earlier this month, the European Commission unveiled a comprehensive tech‑sovereignty package aimed at strengthening the EU’s domestic tech sector, with a particular focus on cloud infrastructure, AI services, open‑source solutions and semiconductor production.

The draft legislation proposes four initiatives covering the entire value chain—from chips to software, cloud and AI. The highest tier, targeting sectors such as defence and healthcare, would effectively bar non‑European companies from winning public contracts, seeking to prevent a scenario where a foreign government could abruptly cut off critical services.

“In general, European countries—or any country—need to ensure the sovereignty and resilience of their digital institutions just as they do for physical assets,” Linåker said.

“This does not mean abandoning all third‑country solutions. Rather, it involves identifying and assessing the risks of existing dependencies and building the capabilities to manage them.”

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