Rio de Janeiro (TDI): Europe’s top technology official has warned about the risks of the European Union becoming overly dependent on US tech companies in critical sectors such as cybersecurity and defense.
Henna Virkkunen, the EU’s commissioner for tech sovereignty, made the remarks on Thursday while speaking at Web Summit Rio in Brazil, the largest tech conference in the Americas, which brings together more than 40,000 participants.
She stressed that Europe’s push for digital sovereignty should not be interpreted as protectionism or isolationism. However, she pointed out that around 80 percent of the technologies used in Europe currently come from outside the region, including key areas like artificial intelligence.
Virkkunen said the EU does not want to rely solely on companies from third countries, particularly the United States, for critical technologies. Instead, she added, Europe is focusing on strengthening its own technological capacity and investing in developing artificial intelligence systems trained in European languages, content, and values.
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Earlier this month, the European Union announced a new strategy aimed at reducing its dependence on American and Asian technology providers.
During the event, Virkkunen also revealed that Brazil will become the EU’s fifth digital partner, joining Japan, Canada, Singapore, and South Korea. She said the EU and Brazilian government, led by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, will sign an agreement on Friday to expand cooperation in areas including data governance, artificial intelligence, digital infrastructure, connectivity, and digital platforms.
She further noted Brazil’s growing importance in the global tech landscape, highlighting its large internet user base.
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“There are 160 million Internet users in Brazil and it is among the top 10 countries when it comes to the technology market,” she said, adding that this presents significant opportunities for both sides.
