Berlin (TDI): German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron pledged on Tuesday to help Europe assert its independence in the tech sector, reduce reliance on US technology giants, and accelerate the continent’s push in artificial intelligence.
Speaking at a summit in Berlin attended by leading tech firms and investors, the two leaders backed plans by the European Union to relax certain digital regulations that businesses say are stifling innovation. European companies attending the event pledged more than €12 billion ($13.9 billion) in new digital sector investments, according to Merz.
“Europe does not want to be merely a client of solutions provided by the US or China; we want to develop our own solutions,” Macron said, framing the initiative as a refusal “to be a vassal.”
Merz echoed the sentiment, emphasizing the need for a unified approach. “Europe must join forces and forge its own digital path, one that leads to digital sovereignty,” he said. “Digital sovereignty has costs, but the costs of digital dependence are even higher.”
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The push for digital independence comes amid growing concerns over US tech dominance and strained transatlantic ties under the “America First” administration of Donald Trump. French officials stressed that the summit was not aimed at confronting the US or China but at safeguarding Europe’s “core sovereignty.”
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To support European innovation, Berlin and Paris are advocating for a simpler, more business-friendly regulatory framework. Specifically, they are calling for a 12-month delay in parts of the EU AI law and simplifications to the bloc’s data protection rules.
The EU is expected to announce a rollback of some of these regulations on Wednesday, a move welcomed by businesses but criticized by privacy advocates.
