Accelerating together towards European technological sovereignty

Accelerating together towards European technological sovereignty Executive summary Achieving technological sovereignty is a core responsibility of national governments and the European Commission, which must act on behalf of the entire EU. While companies play a crucial role in this process, their primary objective remains global competitiveness and long-term market success, which depend on innovation and resilience in the face of adverse conditions. Political sovereignty and industrial competitiveness must, however, go hand in hand in today’s increasingly complex geopolitical environment. It is therefore essential to focus on measures that deliver sustainable benefits for both policymakers and industry. The French Business Confederation (MEDEF), the Federation of German Industries (BDI) and The Confederation of German Employers' Associations (BDA) believe that technological sovereignty has become a central pillar of Europe’s future. Sovereignty is not about withdrawing from global co-operation and should not lead to isolation, but rather strengthen our ability to take self-determined decisions, choose our partners freely, and protect strategic interests of European companies. Our Policy Makers have the responsibility to create the right framework conditions, such as competitive energy prices, access to skilled labor, reduced bureaucracy, accelerated permitting, and a vibrant capital market, that enable companies to thrive and contribute to Europe’s sovereignty. Our ambition is to ensure that France, Germany and the European Union can also rely on credible, competitive, and trusted technological alternatives developed within our own digital ecosystems. While reducing dependencies, Europe also needs a proactive approach that builds on its industrial strengths and innovation potential. Europe should lead the development of next-generation digital technologies by focusing on strategic fields such as industrial AI, microelectronics, robotics, advanced materials, secure infrastructures, cybersecurity, and sovereign data spaces, while fostering an integrated innovation ecosystem that accelerates research, commercialization, and scale-up. To achieve this, we must reinforce our capacity to act independently across entire value chains, spanning from infrastructure, semiconductors, AI and cybersecurity to law, innovation, and talent. While sovereignty ultimately remains the prerogative of states, it 1