According to the Financial Times, the director of the Belgian Centre for Cybersecurity, Miguel De Bruycker, spoke about Europe’s dependence on the United States in digital infrastructure.
In an interview with a financial publication, Miguel De Bruycker, the director of Belgium’s Center for Cybersecurity (CCB), expressed his views on the state of Europe’s digital infrastructure and its dependence on the United States, with the information released via Ukrinform.
“It is currently impossible” to store data entirely in Europe, as American companies dominate the digital infrastructure.
– Miguel De Bruycker
He warned that Europe’s cyber defense largely depends on cooperation with private companies, most of which are of American origin, and this dependence should not be viewed as a “huge security problem” for the EU. According to the expert, Europe is losing rapidly developing technologies from the United States, notably cloud computing and artificial intelligence – both components critically important for countering cyberattacks.
De Bruycker noted that Europe must develop its own potential to strengthen innovation and security. He pointed out that the existing legislation, in particular the EU AI Act, regulates the development of technologies at a fast pace and may “block” innovation. The expert suggested that EU member states governments support private initiatives in the fields of cloud computing and digital identity technologies.
According to De Bruycker, this could resemble the Airbus creation story, when many countries supported a joint project. “Decades ago, everyone supported Airbus initiatives. We need the same level of initiative at the EU level in cyberspace,” the center director stressed.
EU countries are increasingly concerned about dependence on American tech giants, notably Amazon, and the pressure to strengthen Europe’s “tech sovereignty” is growing. However, De Bruycker noted that these discussions require a more targeted approach.
“I believe that at the EU level we must clearly define what sovereignty in the digital sphere means for us. Instead of focusing on how to stop American “hyperscalers,” perhaps we should direct our efforts toward creating something of our own”
– De Bruycker
IT experts point to already existing examples where European companies can provide critical digital infrastructure, such as OVHcloud in France and Schwarz Digital in Germany.
Belgium, where the EU and NATO headquarters are located, faces intensified hybrid threats linked to Russia’s actions, including cyberattacks and the use of drones in airspace after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
After Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, American hyperscalers played an important role in safeguarding data from cyber threats, noted De Bruycker. He expressed confidence in continued cooperation with American companies to counteract malefactors, despite political tensions between the countries and discussions about the role of the United States in European security.
As a result of these statements, the task of shaping a European strategy for digital sovereignty and ensuring joint efforts to strengthen its own infrastructure and innovation remains relevant.