The work to strengthen Europe’s technological sovereignty continues
In recent weeks, technological sovereignty and Europe’s autonomy have been very much in the spotlight, and our initiatives have gained strong traction both on social media and in the traditional media. I find it deeply concerning that public sector actors are transferring Finnish citizens’ data outside Europe. One example is Finland’s Social Insurance Institution, which is planning to move Finns’ sensitive personal data to a U.S.-based cloud service starting in early 2027. We must choose European solutions wherever possible.
In the January plenary session, I spoke about the Digital Networks Act proposed by the Commission. In my view, the proposals concerning frequency networks are a step in the right direction. A stronger EU role in frequency coordination can help improve predictability and unlock investments in the rollout of 5G and future 6G networks. At the same time, I support the proposal for an updated Cybersecurity Act. The goal is to simplify overlapping and complex regulation and to reduce dependencies on non-European actors. When it comes to critical infrastructure, we must choose European solutions. This means European companies providing cybersecurity services, cloud services, software, and various other systems.
Free trade agreements have also been a prominent topic. The most recent examples are the Mercosur agreement and the free trade agreement between the EU and India. It was shocking how Finnish MEPs from the Greens, the Left Alliance, and the Finns Party voted to refer the Mercosur free trade agreement to the European Court of Justice for a legal assessment. Europe must find new trading partners, as the United States has become an unreliable partner. The Mercosur agreement is now likely to proceed to partial ratification despite the Parliament.
Europe’s security, preparedness, and defence technology have also been topics of discussions I have attended. Defence technology and European security are closely linked to data. Data is a valuable raw material that should be included as part of trade negotiations. In addition, mechanisms must be found to impose tariffs or a digital tax on non-EU actors in relation to data. At present, we are giving our data away for free to companies outside Europe. It flows to China and the United States, which also represents a significant security risk.
With regards to the Defence Readiness Package, we are beginning trilogue negotiations with the Council. As of the beginning of the year, Cyprus holds the Presidency of the Council, and we will be entering negotiations with them. I am serving as the Parliament’s Rapporteur from the Committee on Industry. We are also eagerly awaiting developments concerning the new digital legislative packages—specifically, who will be assigned primary responsibility for leading negotiations on these. Our goal and hope, of course, is that we will secure responsibility for one of these legislative packages.
Kind regards,
Aura
Member of the European Parliament, National Coalition Party, EPP Group
