European technological sovereignty has rapidly evolved from a political aspiration into a strategic necessity. Geopolitical competition, the acceleration of artificial intelligence and growing dependencies across digital value chains mean that technological capabilities increasingly determine not only economic competitiveness, but also Europe’s security, resilience and ability to act autonomously. All of this makes this upcoming event particularly timely.
From diagnosis to action
The fundamental question is no longer whether Europe needs greater technological sovereignty, but how to achieve it while remaining open, innovative and globally competitive. This challenge cannot be addressed through regulation alone. It requires investment, robust infrastructure, competitive European companies and an environment that enables innovation to scale.
Events like this play an important role in bringing political ambition closer to economic reality. Telefónica Policy Lab was created precisely as a forum that brings together the public sector, the private sector, academia and civil society to exchange perspectives and develop ideas.
This is why incorporating the business perspective is essential. Companies are responsible for putting technological ambition into practice through investment, infrastructure, products and services. Understanding the conditions they need to compete internationally is essential to designing effective European policies. This applies both to digital infrastructure and to other strategic sectors.
Our speakers
The event’s speakers bring decades of experience across diverse fields including public administration, aerospace, energy and telecommunications.
Óscar López is Spain’s Minister for Digital Transformation and the Civil Service. From July 2021, he served as Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister of Spain. Between 2018 and 2021, he was Chairman and CEO of Paradores. In 2015, he was appointed senator by the Parliament of Castile and León, a position he held until 2018. In the Congress of Deputies, he served as spokesperson for the Foreign Affairs Committee and as spokesperson for the Socialist Parliamentary Group. He is currently Secretary-General of the PSOE in Madrid.
Pablo de Carvajal has been General Secretary, Secretary of the Board and Chief Regulatory Officer of Telefónica Group since 2018, and is also a member of the Executive Committee. In July 2026, he was appointed Telefónica’s representative on the GSMA Board. From June 2001, he served as General Secretary of Telefónica España and, from April 2013, also assumed responsibility for Operators and Regulation until his appointment as General Secretary of the Group.
Anthony Gooch Gálvez has been Secretary General of the European Round Table for Industry (ERT) since September 2024, an association that brings together major European companies from across all sectors of the economy. He has more than 30 years of experience working closely with businesses and governments around the world.
Idoya Arteagabeitia has been Telefónica’s Director of Public Policy, Competition and Regulation since April 2026, after previously serving as Director of Corporate Regulation and Digital Legal Affairs. She joined Telefónica from the British law firm Pinsent Masons, where she was a partner in Madrid. She previously served as a Spanish State Attorney, holding various positions of responsibility at the National Court, the Ministries of Justice and Foreign Affairs, and the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID).
Ana Cerezo is Head of Regulation and Public Affairs at Iberdrola España and has more than twenty years of experience in the energy sector. During the first six years of her career, she worked in international relations and, for the past fourteen years, in energy regulation and public affairs. She also heads the Energy and Sustainability Observatory at the Ortega-Marañón Foundation, promoting analysis and debate on the main challenges surrounding the energy transition, sustainability and competitiveness.
Juan Ignacio Sell Sanz is Director of Institutional Relations at Airbus in Spain. He has more than three decades of professional experience in international relations, diplomacy and institutional affairs. Before joining Airbus in February 2025, he pursued a career as a diplomat, serving, among other positions, as Spain’s Ambassador to Nigeria, also accredited to Benin and ECOWAS, and Ambassador to South Africa, also accredited to Madagascar, Lesotho, Mauritius and Comoros.
Conclusions
The discussion at Fundación Telefónica goes beyond technological sovereignty as a concept. It focuses on Europe’s capacity to choose: to develop strategic capabilities where necessary, cooperate with trusted international partners where beneficial, and build competitive markets capable of sustaining both options.
Sovereignty should not mean isolation, but rather ensuring that Europe has the infrastructure, investment, scale and alternatives needed to shape its own digital future. To achieve this goal, European governments and companies must work together around shared objectives, making this upcoming event an important step towards the common good. We hope to see you there!
Stream online: https://www.youtube.com/embed/_UN-7kHzUTQ
