Berlin calls for digital sovereignty for the EU and does not want to be merely a customer of the US

The European Union must build its own digital infrastructure and reduce its dependence on the United States, demands German Minister Karsten Wildberger. In an interview with Reuters, he emphasized that digital sovereignty means active participation in the global market, not isolation or protectionism.

Wildberger praised the growing importance of European companies such as Mistral AI and DeepL, but at the same time acknowledged that American companies continue to lead the way in artificial intelligence and that the EU will continue to need them as partners.

However, he warned that German companies must have the ability to decide where and how their data is stored and who manages their digital infrastructure.

Wildberger calls for a more consistent approach to building European technological independence—including control over chips, servers, and the entire supply chain.

(reuters, mja)