Imagine if a US president could cut off Europe’s internet with a single order. Far-fetched? Perhaps. But growing concerns in policy and tech circles suggest the scenario is not unthinkable.
At the heart of the debate is Europe’s heavy reliance on American tech giants. Google, Microsoft, and Amazon alone provide 70% of the region’s cloud-computing infrastructure, that’s the backbone for everything from websites to hospital IT systems. Critics warn that if relations with Washington soured, a leader like Donald Trump could pressure these firms to suspend services.
“Critical data would become inaccessible, websites would go dark, and essential services could collapse,” warns Robin Berjon, a digital governance specialist advising EU policymakers. He argues the possibility of a US “kill switch” must be taken seriously.
US firms insist Europe has nothing to fear. Microsoft, Google, and Amazon say they offer “sovereign” cloud services designed to safeguard EU clients’ data. Still, unease has grown. In May, the top prosecutor at the International Criminal Court briefly lost access to his Microsoft email account after US sanctions, a stark reminder of Europe’s vulnerability.
Digital sovereignty which is the ability to control technology and data within one’s borders has since risen sharply on Brussels’ agenda. Europe has local providers like OVHCloud and T-Systems, but they lack the scale of their American rivals. Open-source options exist, yet remain less known and underutilized.
Some governments are taking action. Germany’s Schleswig-Holstein is phasing out Microsoft Office and Windows in favour of LibreOffice and Linux, while Denmark is piloting a similar approach. Analysts predict that in the next decade Europe will accelerate the shift to homegrown and open-source solutions.
“The idea that Europe can’t reduce reliance on US tech is a myth,” says Dario Maisto of Forrester consultancy. “This is the wake-up call.”
