Keeping up with and responding to technological developments in an increasingly digitalised world has become a challenge for national governments as well as bodies such as the EU, not least with the new US administration taking office in early January 2025.

While EU member states have benefited from technological advancements made by American, Chinese, and other producers, their potential risks remain a significant concern. Debates about regulating and deregulating social media platforms like X or Facebook due to issues such as disinformation increasingly seem to underscore divides between the two partners.

This was one of the observations shared by participants in a panel discussion on Infrastructure, AI, and Europe’s Road to Digital Sovereignty. The four experts – Prof. Francesca Musiani from the National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), Fabienne Tegeler from the Federal Office for Information Security, and Prof. Christian Bauckhage from the University of Bonn/Fraunhofer – were moderated by Prof. Susanne Gössl from the University of Bonn. They shed light on how European states and the EU should shape their policies to remain competitive while simultaneously protecting their interests and values.

The focus on digital sovereignty, which refers to creating rules-based pathways to maintain control over digital infrastructure within a context like the EU, highlights how digital infrastructures will continue to influence both conflict and cooperation between Europe and other global actors.

Throughout the debate, the 40 participants seized the opportunity to challenge the panel and enliven the discussion.

Keynotes and Panel Discussion

Prof. Christian Bauckhage
University of Bonn/ Fraunhofer, Germany

Prof. Francesca Musiani
The National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), France

Fabienne Tegeler
Federal Office for Information Security, Germany

Prof. Susanne Gössl (Moderation)
University of Bonn, Germany

Impressions