Our Vision for Europe
Sovereign and prosperous: our vision for the future of the technology ecosystem in Europe
We need competitive, open markets that encourage innovation, enable the success of home-grown businesses, produce better products and give consumers real and feasible choices. Today’s digital technology ecosystem fails to serve European consumers, business and democracy on multiple counts.
A handful of companies, predominantly based in the USA, hold significant power and control over digital infrastructure and services. These monopolies and oligopolies drive market imbalance and harm consumers and European businesses. They prevent the emergence of disruptive technologies and alternative business models.
This concentration of power and control over the digital ecosystem blocks competition. With profits that outpace almost every other company in the world, the same companies are able to acquire any startups that could become potential competitors, transferring both IP and future economic value to the same companies.
Under current conditions, startups and alternative technologies face an impossible challenge – they must compete against trillion dollar companies with virtually unlimited resources. As long as this remains the reality, we will never see European innovation thrive.
In a changing world where the security of Europe is more at risk than it has been for decades, it is critical that Europe builds a sovereign, technology ecosystem that is not reliant on the decisions of foreign governments or CEOs and has the robustness to protect democracy. This sovereign digital ecosystem must also be prosperous – delivering real value to consumers, businesses and the wider economy.
Our 10 point plan for a sovereign and prosperous technology ecosystem
Championing European startups and SMEs and supporting them to scale with streamlined funding and investment
Preventing the loss of billions in economic value from the region through complex corporate structures and tax loopholes
Supporting state-of-the-art computing infrastructure that delivers a level playing field for innovation, enabling technology champions to emerge from the European SME ecosystem;
Investing in AI and machine learning to advance science and technology, making the region a leader in AI technologies in the fields of materials sciences, biotechnology, engineering and manufacturing
Mandating interoperability and open standards for essential digital services to avoid technologies working in silos, encouraging competition and protecting consumer and business choice
Introducing algorithmic plurality to social media networks, allowing businesses to provide alternative services for consumers, offering choice over their social media feeds
Effectively addressing the worst addictive design practices in technology, to mitigate their impact on mental well-being and productivity;
Reforming the digital advertising market by enabling a competitive advertising ecosystem that encourages alternative models, rewards European publishers fairly and protects privacy;
Giving consumers real control over their data, through a single-user interface that facilitates data usage and sharing across different services, in line with European regulations;
Aligning the tech sector with climate goals by introducing transparent emissions ratings for B2C and B2B products and services and setting ambitious efficiency targets