The EU's digital chief Henna Virkkunen cautioned that Europe's dependence on foreign technology companies might be "weaponized against us," advocating for increased utilization of domestic services for essential data.
Her remarks arise as Brussels readies a possible prohibition on certain Chinese telecommunications gear within EU borders and faces pressure from Washington to relax digital regulations.
"We truly inhabit a world where such significant dependencies can also be turned against us," Virkkunen stated to reporters in the French city of Lille.
"That’s why it's essential for us to closely examine our critical sectors and the dependencies we possess," she noted.
Virkkunen restated her January request to reassess the EU's cybersecurity laws, which includes implementing requirements to eliminate telecoms hardware from specific "high risk" providers.
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Although China's Huawei and ZTE are not explicitly mentioned, analysts anticipate that they will be categorized as "high risk" in the suggested legislation.
Regarding cloud computing — upon which numerous European businesses and governments depend on American providers — "it's crucial that we manage that within Europe and ensure the data is localized in Europe," Virkkunen stated.
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In May, she is anticipated to suggest "tech sovereignty" initiatives concerning cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and the semiconductor industries.
The commissioner dismissed discussions with the US regarding the EU's development of its digital rulebook, following American ambassador to Brussels Andrew Puzder's statement to Politico expressing a desire to initiate a dialogue.
"Our regulations regarding digital matters are very straightforward." Virkkunen stated, "In the European Union, it's our sovereign privilege to determine our own digital regulations."
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"It’s not something we can, for instance, trade on, as we understand that from the USA perspective, they often suggest that our digital regulations should be included in trade talks."