Digital sovereignty in Europe: a growing concern, though still unfamiliar to many citizens
Digital sovereignty has become a growing concern for European citizens and businesses, although it remains an unfamiliar term to a large part of the population. The report Digital Sovereignty in Europe 2026, produced by the Telefónica Foundation, reveals a significant paradox: whilst only three in ten Spaniards say they are familiar with the concept, a large majority recognise the risks associated with dependence on foreign technology and call for greater European capacity to develop strategic technologies. The findings show a close link between digital sovereignty, security, trust, data protection, artificial intelligence and competitiveness. In a context where digital transformation is increasingly shaping the economy and everyday life, Europe’s ability to innovate, make decisions and compete technologically is emerging as one of the most important issues for its future.
Imagine we keep our photos, our savings, our medical records and our chat conversations in a safe. We know it works well, but we do not know who holds the keys, under which laws it operates or what would happen if the rules of access were to change one day.
In reality, something similar happens every day when we use apps, store information in the cloud, make digital payments or work with artificial intelligence tools.
The issue is not whether these technologies are useful or not. The question is whether we have the capacity to make decisions about the technologies on which we increasingly depend.
That, in essence, is the conversation about digital sovereignty.
Interestingly, whilst the concept is still unfamiliar to a large part of the population, there is a growing awareness of its implications. The report Digital Sovereignty in Europe 2026 by Fundación Telefónica reveals a particularly interesting paradox: only 29 per cent of Spaniards say they have heard of this term, yet 82 per cent believe that Europe depends on technology companies from other countries and 86 per cent believe it should develop its own technologies to be more competitive.
In other words, many citizens are unaware of the exact meaning of the concept, but they clearly perceive what it entails. And this perception cuts across the whole of society, regardless of age, gender, population size or professional activity.
This tells us something important. Digital sovereignty is no longer a conversation reserved for experts, public officials or technology companies; it has become a matter of public interest, because technology is no longer merely a tool. It has become an essential infrastructure for the economy, education, healthcare, security and communications.
Today we rely on telecommunications networks, data centres, cloud services, digital platforms, cybersecurity systems and artificial intelligence tools to carry out our daily activities and to keep organisations, businesses and institutions running. However, unlike other critical infrastructure, these are often invisible to most of us.
We do not see the data centres where our information is stored. We do not usually ask ourselves who develops the algorithms we use every day. And even less so under which jurisdiction many of the digital services that form part of our daily routine operate.
But we are becoming increasingly aware that these issues matter.
The report’s data show that citizens do not perceive this dependence solely as a technological issue. There is a direct link to security, trust and decision-making. 62 per cent believe that dependence on foreign technology could pose a threat to European security. Furthermore, the areas causing the greatest concern are precisely those that will play a strategic role in the coming years, such as artificial intelligence and payment systems.
It is not difficult to understand why.
Technology is having an ever-greater influence on the decisions that affect our daily lives. Digital systems manage financial transactions, organise information flows, facilitate essential services and store personal and corporate data of immense value.
That is why the discussion on digital sovereignty is closely linked to another key word: trust.
The report shows that 90 per cent of Spaniards are concerned about large technology platforms’ access to banking information, 85 per cent about financial and tax data, and nearly 80 per cent about health or mobility-related information.
We are not just talking about privacy. We are talking about who controls, manages and protects information that forms part of our personal and professional lives. We are talking about the ability of citizens and institutions to understand what happens to that data and under what rules it is used.
The most interesting thing is that this concern does not imply a rejection of technology. Rather, it reflects the opposite.
We are more connected than ever before. We use digital services constantly and recognise the enormous value they bring. Technology facilitates access to knowledge, improves productivity, connects people and opens up new economic and social opportunities.
What seems to be emerging from this public consultation is a call for balance. A balance between innovation and trust, between openness and autonomy, between seizing the opportunities of digital transformation and retaining the ability to make decisions about it.
Because digital sovereignty is not about disconnecting from the world. Nor does it involve erecting technological barriers or replacing one form of dependency with another. The fundamental question is whether Europe has sufficient in-house capabilities to innovate, compete and make decisions in strategic areas.
In this regard, one of the most significant findings of the survey is that there is a clear willingness to support European alternatives. 70 per cent of citizens say they would choose a European platform if it offered the same features as a non-European one.
This finding shifts the usual focus of the debate.
We often discuss digital sovereignty from a perspective of concern: technological dependence, the gap with other regions or the loss of competitiveness. However, the results also point to an opportunity. Citizens not only identify a problem; they are also willing to back the solutions.
The same signal is coming from the business sector.
Spanish companies likewise perceive a high level of dependence on foreign technology and highlight artificial intelligence, cloud services, cybersecurity, data storage and digital platforms as areas where Europe should strengthen its capabilities. Furthermore, nine out of ten business leaders believe that European governments should actively promote the development of their own technology.
When citizens and businesses agree so clearly on the diagnosis, it is evident that we are facing a structural issue.
And this issue has a great deal to do with Europe’s future competitiveness.
Because digital sovereignty is not just about technology. It is also about talent, education, research, industry, innovation, investment, ethics and the ability to transform knowledge into competitive solutions. It is about the possibility of developing technologies aligned with European interests and values. And, ultimately, it is about the ability to decide how we want to shape our digital future.
Europe has significant strengths with which to tackle this challenge. It boasts world-class universities, leading research centres, advanced infrastructure, innovative companies and a strong tradition of protecting rights and fostering digital trust.
The challenge seems to lie not so much in generating knowledge as in translating that knowledge into scale, innovation and technological leadership.
It is precisely from this reflection that THINK&DO TECH was born, an initiative launched by the Telefónica Foundation to connect strategic thinking with the capacity for action around one of Europe’s greatest challenges: strengthening its own technological capabilities through a model that is competitive, reliable, scalable and aligned with European democratic values.
The initiative is based on a simple idea: the debate on technological sovereignty will only be truly useful if it can be translated into collaboration, talent, partnerships and concrete projects. It therefore seeks to bring together experts, companies, institutions, researchers and civil society to develop a shared understanding of this challenge and identify opportunities for action that will help strengthen European technological autonomy.
In line with Telefónica’s vision of driving people-centred digitalisation, this initiative reinforces an idea that is increasingly prominent in the European technological debate: innovation generates greater value when combined with trust, decision-making capacity and the development of sustainable and competitive digital ecosystems.
The report’s findings show that there is growing concern about technological dependence, but also significant confidence in Europe’s ability to strengthen its position over the coming years. In fact, 54 per cent of Spaniards believe that European technological sovereignty will increase over the next decade.
This is a reasonable level of optimism. Citizens recognise that the challenge exists, but they also perceive that Europe has significant assets to tackle it.
The question no longer seems to be whether digital sovereignty should be part of the European agenda. The data indicate that it is already a concern for citizens and businesses.
The question is how to respond to it.
The key lesson from this listening exercise is that the conversation no longer revolves solely around technology. It revolves around the ability to make decisions. Deciding where our data is stored. Deciding which infrastructure we consider strategic. Deciding how we want to develop technologies that are critical to our economy and our society. Deciding which ethical and democratic values should be embedded in the digital tools that will have an ever-greater influence on our daily lives.
Perhaps most people do not yet use the term ‘digital sovereignty’ in conversation. But that does not mean they do not care.
The data shows precisely the opposite.
And, although many may not yet be familiar with the term, an increasing number of citizens and businesses understand the question behind it: who holds the keys to the vast digital vault on which we all depend. And that may well be one of the most important discussions for the future of Europe.
Our commitment is to help reduce this dependence in strategic areas by driving European competitiveness, innovation and leadership. In this context, at Telefónica we want to be the best gateway for citizens, businesses and institutions to access digital technologies, whilst strengthening Europe’s technological capabilities. Because digital sovereignty is not just a technological issue: it is also a matter of competitiveness, autonomy and the ability to decide the digital future we want to build.
Seven out of ten Spaniards are concerned about something they cannot quite define: digital sovereignty
Imagine we keep our photos, our savings, our medical records and our chat conversations in a safe. We know it works well, but we don’t know who holds the keys, under which laws it operates or what would happen if the rules of access were to change one day.
In reality, something similar happens every day when we use apps, store information in the cloud, make digital payments or work with AI tools.
The issue is not whether these technologies are useful or not. The question is whether we have the power to make decisions about the technologies on which we increasingly depend.
That, in essence, is the debate surrounding digital sovereignty.
Interestingly, whilst the concept is still unfamiliar to a large part of the population, there is a growing awareness of its implications. The report Digital Sovereignty in Europe 2026 by the Telefónica Foundation reveals a particularly interesting paradox: only 29 per cent of Spaniards say they have heard of this term, yet 82 per cent believe that Europe depends on technology companies from other countries and 86 per cent believe it should develop its own technologies to be more competitive.
In other words, many citizens are unaware of the exact meaning of the concept, but they clearly perceive what it entails. And this perception cuts across the whole of society, regardless of age, gender, demographic group or professional activity.
This tells us something important. Digital sovereignty is no longer a conversation reserved for experts, public officials or technology companies; it has become a matter of public interest because technology is no longer merely a tool. It has become an essential infrastructure for the economy, education, healthcare, security and communications.
Today, we rely on telecommunications networks, data centres, cloud services, digital platforms, cybersecurity systems and artificial intelligence tools to carry out our daily activities and to keep organisations, businesses and institutions running. However, unlike other critical infrastructures, these are often invisible to most of us.
We do not see the data centres where our information is stored. We do not usually ask ourselves who develops the algorithms we use every day. And even less so under which jurisdiction many of the digital services that form part of our daily routine operate.
But we are becoming increasingly aware that these issues matter. The report’s data show that citizens do not perceive this dependence solely as a technological issue. There is a direct link to security, trust and decision-making. 62 per cent believe that dependence on foreign technology could pose a threat to European security. Furthermore, the areas causing the greatest concern are precisely those that will play a strategic role in the coming years, such as artificial intelligence and payment systems.
It is not difficult to understand why.
Technology is having an ever-greater influence on the decisions that affect our daily lives. Digital systems manage financial transactions, organise information flows, facilitate essential services and store personal and corporate data of immense value.
That is why the discussion on digital sovereignty is closely linked to another key word: trust.
The report shows that 90 per cent of Spaniards are concerned about large technology platforms’ access to banking information, 85 per cent about financial and tax data, and nearly 80 per cent about health or mobility-related information.
We are not just talking about privacy. We are talking about who controls, manages and protects information that forms part of our personal and professional lives. We are talking about the ability of citizens and institutions to understand what happens to that data and under what rules it is used.
The most interesting thing is that this concern does not imply a rejection of technology. Rather, it reflects the opposite.
We are more connected than ever before. We use digital services constantly and recognise the enormous value they bring. Technology facilitates access to knowledge, improves productivity, connects people and opens up new economic and social opportunities.
What seems to be emerging from this public consultation is a call for balance. A balance between innovation and trust, between openness and autonomy, between seizing the opportunities of digital transformation and retaining the ability to make decisions about it.
Because digital sovereignty is not about disconnecting from the world. Nor does it involve erecting technological barriers or replacing one form of dependency with another. The fundamental question is whether Europe has sufficient in-house capabilities to innovate, compete and make decisions in strategic areas.
In this regard, one of the most significant findings of the survey is that there is a clear willingness to support European alternatives. 70 per cent of citizens say they would choose a European platform if it offered the same features as a non-European one.
This finding shifts the usual focus of the debate.
We often discuss digital sovereignty from a perspective of concern: technological dependence, the gap with other regions or the loss of competitiveness. However, the results also point to an opportunity. Citizens not only identify a problem; they are also willing to back the solutions.
The same signal is coming from the business sector.
Spanish companies also perceive a high level of dependence on foreign technology and highlight artificial intelligence, cloud services, cybersecurity, data storage and digital platforms as areas where Europe should strengthen its capabilities. Furthermore, nine out of ten business leaders believe that European governments should actively promote the development of their own technology.
When citizens and businesses agree so clearly on the diagnosis, it is evident that we are facing a structural issue.
And this issue has a great deal to do with Europe’s future competitiveness.
Because digital sovereignty is not just about technology. It is also about talent, education, research, industry, innovation, investment, ethics and the ability to transform knowledge into competitive solutions. It is about the possibility of developing technologies aligned with European interests and values. And, ultimately, it is about the ability to decide how we want to shape our digital future.
Europe has significant strengths with which to tackle this challenge. It boasts world-class universities, cutting-edge research centres, advanced infrastructure, innovative companies and a strong tradition of protecting rights and fostering digital trust.
The challenge seems to lie not so much in generating knowledge as in translating that knowledge into scale, innovation and technological leadership.
It is precisely from this reflection that THINK&DO TECH was born, an initiative driven by the Telefónica Foundation to connect strategic thinking with the capacity for action around one of Europe’s greatest challenges: strengthening its own technological capabilities through a model that is competitive, reliable, scalable and aligned with European democratic values. The initiative is based on a simple idea: the debate on technological sovereignty will only be truly useful if it can be translated into collaboration, talent, partnerships and concrete projects. It therefore seeks to bring together experts, companies, institutions, researchers and civil society to develop a shared understanding of this challenge and identify opportunities for action that will help to strengthen European technological autonomy.
The report’s findings show that there is growing concern about technological dependence, but also significant confidence in Europe’s ability to strengthen its position over the coming years. In fact, 54 per cent of Spaniards believe that European technological sovereignty will increase over the next decade.
This is a reasonable level of optimism. Citizens recognise that the challenge exists, but they also perceive that Europe has significant assets with which to tackle it.
The question no longer seems to be whether digital sovereignty should be part of the European agenda. The data indicate that it is already a concern for citizens and businesses.
The question is how to respond to it.
The key lesson from this consultation exercise is that the conversation no longer revolves solely around technology. It revolves around the ability to make decisions. Deciding where our data is stored.
Deciding which infrastructure we consider strategic. Deciding how we want to develop technologies that are critical to our economy and our society. Deciding which ethical and democratic values should be embedded in the digital tools that will have an ever-greater influence on our daily lives.
Perhaps most people do not yet use the term ‘digital sovereignty’ in conversation. But that does not mean they do not care.
The data show precisely the opposite.
And, although many may not yet be familiar with the term, more and more citizens and businesses understand the question behind it: who holds the keys to the great digital safe on which we all depend. And that may well be one of the most important conversations for the future of Europe.
