European Digital Sovereignty: The Challenge of Turning Regulation into Competitiveness

Ricardo Henriques contributed to Jornal Económico’s Quem é Quem edition, providing an analysis of the challenges facing European digital sovereignty and the European Union’s ability to turn its regulatory ambitions into technological leadership.

In the article, entitled “The Challenge of Moving from Regulation to Technological Leadership”, the lawyer highlights the progress made by the European Union in establishing a legislative framework for the digital sector, while warning of the difficulties in achieving the targets set for 2030, particularly in terms of digital skills, infrastructure and technological investment.

“Infrastructure targets, such as 5G coverage and fibre optics, are progressing at a good pace. Those that depend on people and industrial capacity are further behind. According to the Commission’s projections, at the current pace, the target of 80% of the population having basic digital skills would only be reached in 2037,” explains the co-head of the Intellectual Property and Information Technology practice.

The lawyer also emphasises the importance of greater coordination between Member States and a European strategy capable of keeping pace with technological developments and the demands of the global market.

Businesses’ adaptation to the new digital rules is another challenge identified, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which face increasing requirements in areas such as data protection, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence.

“The problem is primarily one of volume and pace. In just a few years, rules on data protection, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and data use have multiplied,” he notes, advocating an approach that enables businesses to turn regulatory obligations into opportunities for innovation and competitiveness.

Read the full article.