Digital sovereignty has ceased to be a conceptual debate and has become a strategic and operational priority for European governments and companies. This is indicated by the company Zscaler, specialized in offering cloud security solutions, which warns that the next twelve months will be key for the actual implementation of this new approach.
“We are witnessing a strategic shift by European policymakers in terms of technology and digital independence. There is a big change in psychology and perception among key technological and political players,” says Casper Klynge, vice president and head of government alliances and public policy for EMEA at Zscaler.
Europe demands private, secure and local data
“Concerns around digital sovereignty are real and well-founded. Current geopolitical uncertainty has a direct impact on debates around technological autonomy and independence, and it is important to understand that these are not abstract concerns,” adds Klynge.
In this sense, the cybersecurity company highlights that one of the central axes of this transition is the protection and location of critical information related to digital sovereignty.
In an environment where data moves between global platforms and multiple jurisdictions, European companies are looking to strengthen their ability to maintain effective control over their digital infrastructure.
As Klynge points out, “Europe’s data must be private, secure and local”, which means ensuring its protection against cyber attacks, interruptions derived from geopolitical crises or failures in international infrastructure such as submarine cables.
A key year to put digital sovereignty into practice
Zscaler predicts that next year will be decisive, as companies move from discussing digital sovereignty to implementing it in tangible ways. “Over the next twelve months, digital sovereignty will decisively move from the conceptual level to the operational level,” says Klynge, also warning that solutions that call themselves “sovereign” will proliferate, so it will be essential for clients to distinguish which proposals are truly reliable and which are not.
Current geopolitical uncertainty has a direct impact on debates on technological autonomy and independence
“It is essential to prevent all non-European technology companies from being treated in the same way, making it impossible for them to operate in Europe. Trusted technology providers that contribute to European sovereignty in practice, and not just in speech, must be enabled to continue promoting this vision,” concludes Klynge.
Casper Klynge, vice president and head of government alliances and public policy for EMEA at Zscaler
