The Summit on European Digital Sovereignty, held in Berlin on November 18, 2025, marked a crucial turning point for Europe’s technology future. As artificial intelligence and cloud computing take off globally, at the summit, France and Germany reaffirmed their commitment to establishing greater digital sovereignty in Europe. However, moving past the lofty discourse, there’s a practical reality we must face: without robust infrastructure, digital sovereignty will remain out of reach for Europe.
Data centers: the backbone of digital sovereignty
Much as railroads played a key role in the 19th century’s Industrial Revolution, data centers are foundational to today’s Digital Revolution. Without them, there can be no powerful AI, no sovereign cloud computing, no feasible path to a digital transition for European companies and government agencies. And yet, Europe has been moving too slowly to expand its data center infrastructure: approval procedures are fragmented and come with too much red tape, holding projects back. Meanwhile, the United States and China are accelerating their own data center development.
Data4, a major player in the European market, proves that a model pairing sovereignty with sustainability is possible. With a presence in six countries, Data4 Group operates 38 data centers and plans to invest over €21 billion by 2030 to double its capacity and support the growth of cloud services and AI applications. The company’s new campus in Hanau, Germany, near Frankfurt, illustrates that ambition, with its 180 MW of capacity and its commitments to innovation and environmental responsibility.
Performance, sustainability, and competitiveness of local economies
European digital sovereignty depends on infrastructure capable of hosting and securing large volumes of data while reconciling performance with sustainability, and contributing to the competitiveness of local economies. Data4 has put sustainability at the heart of its strategy: 100% of the electricity the company uses is carbon-free, it optimizes its water consumption, and waste heat from its servers is recycled for biocircular applications. The opening of each new site fosters a dynamic local ecosystem, creating jobs and supporting regional development.
A European call to action
To guarantee digital sovereignty, Data4 is urgently calling for a simplification of regulations and faster administrative procedures in Europe. Crucially, data center projects must be offered special status, such as the Projet d’Intérêt National Majeur (PINM, “Project of Major National Interest”) in France, or equivalent measures across Europe, in order to streamline the implementation of projects and ensure that they fit with local communities.
“If we want to encourage innovation while protecting sensitive data and keeping it in Europe, we can’t just talk about digital sovereignty; we must actively pursue it by simplifying regulations in order to accelerate the construction of this essential information-security infrastructure. At Data4, we are not just creating data centers; we are building a network for the digital future of Europe,” explains Olivier Micheli, Chairman and CEO of Data4.
Build fast and build together
France and the rest of Europe have the resources they need to achieve their ambitions. But we have to act. The commitment made by France and Germany shows that it’s possible to get the ball rolling, but digital sovereignty isn’t going to just happen on its own. It is time for Europe to start massively building its own infrastructure and to bring together countries, operators, and industry players around a common goal. Europe must no longer sit idly as a passenger in the Digital Revolution: it must become the driver.
At Data4, we are ready to take on the challenge of creating an independent, competitive, and sustainable Europe.
