Strategic Autonomy Tech Alliances: Political-industrial collaboration in strategic technologies

Policy Brief

A significant number of digital technologies are essential for our economy, society and democracy. It is not feasible, nor is it desirable, for the EU to become self- sufficient in each of these. The name of the game is therefore to work in partnerships or alliances, either with likeminded countries or globally. But to do that, Europe needs to bring together political support and industrial ecosystems in key technology areas and to build strategic autonomy tech alliances. This will allow the EU to build and sustain the necessary capabilities, capacities and control in key technology areas. 

This policy brief reviews the landscape and concludes that strategic autonomy tech alliances can only be said to be in place for semiconductors and cloud. Although even in these areas, there are strategic choices to be made. In addition, several strategic autonomy tech alliances should be and could be launched, notably in the areas of cybersecurity, quantum tech, secure 5G/6G, and supercomputing. Finally, there are areas, like artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things, where these should be launched but first more careful political, industrial and technological reflections must be undertaken.