In the 21st century, more than always the rivalries of the states moved to the sphere of technology. Therefore, for respective years now, the world's leading political centres have been developing concepts of a fresh kind of independence, called "technology-friendlyness". This process will have a immense impact on geopolitics and security. This analysis explains the origin of these changes.
TECHNOLOGIES GOVERN THE WORLD
New technologies are the driving force of the global economy. many authors specified as Paul Kennedy, David Landes, Niall Ferguson, and Angus Maddison have described the crucial function of innovation in history. In the last 2 100 years, Western states have had leading industrial technologies, which has translated into their military expansion and political dominance in the world.
Post-war Europe managed to rebuild and integrate its economical and political potential, but in both the 1960s and 1980s there were periodic warnings against external domination, respectively American and Japanese. These concerns were due to technology improvement in the United States and Japan. The end of the Cold War and the establishment of the European Union were taken with optimism in Europe. In fresh years old fears have returned.
Europe is now an crucial hub for global policy and economy. However, this situation has been co-existing for years with an increasingly felt sense of the crisis of civilization. In fresh years, Europe has been affected by processes specified as failed military interventions in the mediate East and North Africa, financial crisis, monetary crisis, migration crisis, pandemic crisis and political-military crisis, linked to the Russian-Ukrainian war. In the light of these crises, the European elite have besides seen that the dependence of EU countries on powers from another regions is increasing.
CRISIS AND independency PROBLEM
In consequence to the improvement of the threats related to the net in 2011, 1 of the first debates on the alleged "technological integrity" was held in Germany.. It afraid the protection of privacy and the improvement of intelligent networks and vehicles[1]. At the same time, a discussion has already been held in France on "digital integrity". 2 years later, Edward Snowden's affair broke out. Europe has had a heated debate on strengthening "digital independence". Among another things, it was proposed to implement any technological changes specified as the installation of fresh submarine cables, the implementation of fresh types of e-mail, encryption and regulatory actions to safeguard citizens' data. At that time, technological sovereignty inactive dealt mainly with IT issues. However, the increase in crises was yet to come.
The annexation of Ukrainian Crimea by Russia has led to the popularisation of fresh transnational confrontation concepts, specified as ‘hybrid war’ or ‘political war’ (Political warfare) aimed at destabilising the West and integration processes[2]. Russia's attempts to influence NATO elections were a good example of this phenomenon.
At the end of the second decade of the 21st century European countries have no leading technological giant or large online platform. There have besides been challenges related to external pressure, specified as competition in 5G networks, the net of Things (IoT), or artificial intelligence, which has developed in another regions of the world. Access to critical natural materials has besides become hard (Critical natural Materials, CRM). Finally, the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine made Europeans aware that they depend on the external production of medicines, electronics, energy and military equipment.
None of these challenges can be answered by a single part of government or a short-term action plan. Europe has been learning for respective years to respond to increasing threats to non-military security. Interference in elections is simply a threat to political safety and the state's system. Dependence on another currencies, natural materials or import conditions is simply a major problem of economical security. Uncontrolled migration and the labour marketplace crisis are a problem for social safety systems. Finally, hybrid operations and military deficiencies are a threat to military security. All these processes have been linked in fresh years to the technological dependence of European countries on external forces. This dependence reduced immunity (Resilience) Europe for crises.
TECHNOLOGY AS an EU REPLY
The main debate on Europe's technological sovereignty took place between 2018 and 2023, after Jean-Claude Juncker, erstwhile president of the European Commission, announced in 2018 that the "hour of European sovereignty" had arrived. Another EC President, Ursula von der Leyen mentioned the request to safe circumstantial technologies specified as quantum computers, artificial intelligence, blockchain and chip technology. The main subject was inactive the alleged digital gap and the activity of American large tech[3]. However, due to the pandemic and the war in Ukraine, the "strategic autonomy" for the EU as a full besides began to be mentioned. presently for the European Commission, "European autonomy" means that European decision-makers hold the capacity to operate European companies and advance European economical interests worldwide. However, this will become more difficult. Europe's possible is comparatively decreasing.
The reports of major consulting companies emphasize that in the decade 2040-2050 Asia will be liable for 50% of global GDPWhile the EU share falls to little than 10%[4]. Until this forecast is met, we have only a twelve years left. There is simply a large hazard that if EU countries do not get adequate technological capacity, they will lose their competitiveness (and then most likely their wealth) to Asian leaders in the planet economy. The failure of "technological sovereignty" will weaken competitiveness and then deprive us of control over resources and, in the long term, weaken material and intangible culture on the continent. In the worst scenario, Europe as a region would have returned to the position of the Eurasian periphery, which it was a 1000 years ago. Let's repeat, we have a twelve years left.
Technology has become a key focus of all key debates in the EU in areas specified as energy, infrastructure, digital networks, artificial intelligence, safety of supply of natural materials, and business improvement and innovation. Various bankruptcy laws, capital markets and local data regulation and another key elements of the economy divide 1 large EU marketplace into many smaller national markets, which means that EU countries have not created global companies in fresh sectors of the economy. But the rivals were busy[5]. Today, European companies gotta deal with American giants who have immense financial resources and Chinese giants who have been subsidised for years by the state.
Reflections on technological sovereignty have gradually begun to be taken into account erstwhile designing European policy objectives. Technological sovereignty becomes a policy framework that sets priorities for the future. The EU has started actively implementing fresh regulations. The European Commission has announced a "digital decade" of Europe from 2020 to 2030, and the key challenge of this period has been "the safeguarding of European technological sovereignty". In 2019, the European Parliament adopted the EU cyber-security act and the 2021 regulation of artificial intelligence. (AI Act) was the first regulatory framework for specified technologies in the world. In 2022, the European Chip Act and the strategical Compass were adopted, and in 2024 and 2025, further strategies for the arms manufacture and supply of strategical natural materials were adopted.[6]. improvement and financing programmes for European transport infrastructure are under way.
WHAT IS THE EUROPEAN UNION PLAYING FOR?
The EU aims to avoid unilateral structural dependence and get the ability to produce autonomous technological knowledge. Similarly, "strategic autonomy" does not mean an isolation process from the remainder of the world, but alternatively describes the ability to independently prosecute and manage partnerships. The aim would so be to guarantee at the same time independency and interdependence. Under this formula, inspiration lies in the ideas of mercantylism and protectionism. The aim is (1) to make its own capacities and (2) to avoid dependence in the area of technology and, as a result, (3) to increase the EU's capacity to manage interdependencies. As Dr. Piotr Lewandowski late wrote, the Union is seeking “the position of a geopolitical player, not a playing field”[7]. Despite this assumption, European action is alternatively defensive.
HOW DO OTHERS DO THAT?
Disputes around technology affect geopolitical strategies. A review of global initiatives for technological sovereignty makes it possible to observe many activities of powers, specified as:
- Designing technological sovereignty through state strategies;
- Achieving technological independency in key industries;
- Pursuing technological leadership in a selected field;
- Financing and/or joining alternate supply chains;
- Cooperation to strengthen its own production capacity;
- Controlling abroad direct investment;
- Grants/incentives to return investors who transferred production to another regions;
- Blocking applications, companies and organisations that do not warrant data security;
- Subsidies of native companies and limiting expansion and investment of abroad companies[8].
In summing up these activities, it can be concluded that they are primarily about marketplace protection through (1) regulation, (2) promotion of specialisation, (3) improvement of technological capacity and (4) ensuring safety of supply from outside. It can besides be seen that most countries do not presently usage tools that are hostile or dangerous to their neighbours.
WHAT NEEDS US TODAY?
Reflections on the improvement of technological sovereignty in Europe let respective applicable conclusions.
Firstly, the importance of strategical analysis and intelligence is increasing. There is and will be a request for a broader expert discussion in both EU and associate States on issues specified as competitiveness, technology assessment, investment and institutions. This cognition will support decision-makers and inform the public in the area of technology recognition and value chains, especially regarding existing and possible gaps and dependence.
Secondly, reflection on a fresh knowing of sovereignty is needed in the age of fresh technologies which are diffusion-driven and frequently transnational. fresh ECFR reports and the Polish investigation Network Łukasiewicz identified a full of respective areas related to the issue of technological sovereignty[9]. These are, for example, data, knowledge, infrastructure, production, business skills and public communication skills. cognition of the interdependence of these issues becomes essential in political processes, both in Poland and within the EU.
Thirdly, action is needed in different fields of public policy (national and European), based on the cognition gained in the above processes. These actions will trust on a creative adaptation to technological change in the world. Technology geopolitics will affect both the EU and individual countries. The state must know its comparative advantages, industrial capabilities, technological competences and support recognition, education and innovation systems, for safety and resilience.
[1]EUREL survey on Technological Sovereignty: Methodology and Recommendations, EUREL – The Convention of National Associations of Electrical Engineers of Europe, Brussels 2021, pp. 3-5.
[2] Linda Robinson, Todd C. Helmus, Raphael S. Cohen, Alireza Nader, Andrew Radin, Madeline Magnuson, Katya Migacheva, Modern Political Warfare. Current Practices and Possible Responses, RAND, investigation Report, Apr 5, 2018, https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR1772.html
[3]What is ‘tech sovereignty’?, Science|Business, Brussels, September 2020, What is ‘tech sovereignty’? | Science|Business
[4] Matthias Bauer and Fredrik Erixon, Europe’s Quest for Technology Sovereignty: Opportunities and PitfallsECIPE Occasional Paper, 02/2020, https://ecipe.org/publications/europes-technology-sovereignty/
[5] T. Pork, Russia and China want to be self-sufficient in many areas, Financial Observer, 26.09.2014, https://www.financial observer.pl/without-categories/rotator/Russia-and-chiny-want-to-be self-sufficient-in-many-areas/
[6] Cf. G. Śleszyńska, Europe seeks a way to technological sovereignty, Financial Observer, 19.02.2024, https://www.financial observer.pl/thematics/macro-economics/trends-economics/europa-search-way-to-life-technology/
[7] Mr Lewandowski, Technological sovereignty – theoretical and analytical conceptualisation of the concept in the area of social research, Politej, No. 3(90), 2024, pp. 215-236.
[8] European Industrial Sovereignty, Future Watch strategy Brief, Frost & Sullivan, 07/12/2020, https://www.businessfinland.fi/julkaisut/future-watch-european-industrial-sovereignty
[9] European Sovereign Index, J. Puglierin, P. Zerka (eds.), ECFR, June 2022; P. Lewandowski, K. Sokołowski, A. Rosik, R. Falkowski, Index of technological sovereignty of Poland. Methodological outline, investigation Network Łukasiewicz – ITECH Institute of Innovation and Technology, Warsaw, March 2025. https://itech.lukasiewicz.gov.pl/index-skin-technology-Polish/
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