Digital sovereignty is central to European strategic autonomy
EU Debates | eudebates.tv
2021-02-03
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On 3 February, President Charles Michel spoke at the 'Masters of Digital 2021' online event. He said: "We must use our new digital resources wisely to protect the 'environment' of our fundamental values – democracy and individual freedoms." https://www.eudebates.tv/debates/eu-policies/business-eu-policies/eu-astrazeneca-logic-can-only-work-at-the-neighbourhood-butchers/
Digital sovereignty is central to European strategic autonomy - Speech by President Charles Michel at "Masters of digital 2021" online event
It’s a real pleasure to speak about our Digital Agenda – a topic that is having a profound effect on our common future. And a topic, during this pandemic, that’s having such an immediate impact on how we do business, how we govern, and how we go about our daily lives.
#eudebates #Digital #sovereignty #strategicautonomy #autonomy #Michel
Digital is one of the two pillars, with climate change, of our European transformation strategy. A strategy conceived and launched well before any of us had heard of COVID-19. And this pandemic is making our digital strategy more necessary than ever.
Today I want to focus on why our Digital Agenda is crucial to our European strategic autonomy. Then I’d like to say a few words on how our Digital strategy can help us get there.
What do we mean by "strategic autonomy”?
It means more resilience, more influence. And less dependence. The EU is the number one trading powerhouse in the world. We have negotiated significant trade agreements with other major economies and regional blocks. We are an open market economy. And we believe trade is beneficial to our economy and to our population.
Strategic autonomy is about being able to make choices. We want greater autonomy and greater independence in an open and global environment. This means reducing our dependencies, to better defend our interests and our values. We want a more level playing field and more fairness in today’s globalised world.
Interdependence is natural, even desirable. Over-dependence, however, is not. So, strategic autonomy has nothing to do with protectionism. On the contrary.
COVID has shone a brutal spotlight into every corner of our societies. It has revealed our strengths, but also our weaknesses. This is particularly true where our over-dependence makes us vulnerable. In healthcare, for example – the supply of face masks or critical medical equipment. Or in the digital sector – the supply of microprocessors and telecom infrastructure.
Strategic autonomy does not mean producing everything ourselves. This is neither desirable nor realistic. We don't seek to be stronger to be more self-centred. Quite the opposite. We want to be strong, independent and confident to look outwards, beyond our borders – to contribute to a better, fairer and greener world.
No strategic autonomy without digital sovereignty
Digital sovereignty is central to European strategic autonomy - Speech by President Charles Michel at "Masters of digital 2021" online event
It’s a real pleasure to speak about our Digital Agenda – a topic that is having a profound effect on our common future. And a topic, during this pandemic, that’s having such an immediate impact on how we do business, how we govern, and how we go about our daily lives.
#eudebates #Digital #sovereignty #strategicautonomy #autonomy #Michel
Digital is one of the two pillars, with climate change, of our European transformation strategy. A strategy conceived and launched well before any of us had heard of COVID-19. And this pandemic is making our digital strategy more necessary than ever.
Today I want to focus on why our Digital Agenda is crucial to our European strategic autonomy. Then I’d like to say a few words on how our Digital strategy can help us get there.
What do we mean by "strategic autonomy”?
It means more resilience, more influence. And less dependence. The EU is the number one trading powerhouse in the world. We have negotiated significant trade agreements with other major economies and regional blocks. We are an open market economy. And we believe trade is beneficial to our economy and to our population.
Strategic autonomy is about being able to make choices. We want greater autonomy and greater independence in an open and global environment. This means reducing our dependencies, to better defend our interests and our values. We want a more level playing field and more fairness in today’s globalised world.
Interdependence is natural, even desirable. Over-dependence, however, is not. So, strategic autonomy has nothing to do with protectionism. On the contrary.
COVID has shone a brutal spotlight into every corner of our societies. It has revealed our strengths, but also our weaknesses. This is particularly true where our over-dependence makes us vulnerable. In healthcare, for example – the supply of face masks or critical medical equipment. Or in the digital sector – the supply of microprocessors and telecom infrastructure.
Strategic autonomy does not mean producing everything ourselves. This is neither desirable nor realistic. We don't seek to be stronger to be more self-centred. Quite the opposite. We want to be strong, independent and confident to look outwards, beyond our borders – to contribute to a better, fairer and greener world.
No strategic autonomy without digital sovereignty
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