Europe's Tech Policy Under US Pressure: Digital Sovereignty Eroded

Imagine years of work on digital rights and fair competition crumbling under foreign pressure. Intense US government and Big Tech lobbying is successfully forcing Europe to stall, weaken, and even reverse its landmark technology regulations. Key initiatives are now at risk: penalties for the groundbreaking EU AI Act could be delayed a full year to 2027, while the Digital Networks Act is completely stalled. In a direct challenge, the US State Department formally opposed the EU Space Act in a scathing 13-page document, calling it a barrier to American industry. This erosion of policy undermines Europe's entire quest for “digital sovereignty” and its ambition to set global tech standards. For citizens and businesses, this could mean the continued dominance of US tech giants and weaker protections in areas from AI safety to data privacy.