Brussels, 17 November 2025 – Ahead of the Franco-German Summit on Digital Sovereignty, the European Data Centre Association (EUDCA) is calling for a bold acceleration in investment in Europe’s digital infrastructure through the creation of enabling conditions, underlining the critical role of data centres in European digital sovereignty.
Data centres provide the digital infrastructure that is the foundation for the growth of AI and cloud services. These are critical multipliers for the EU’s economic prosperity, technological resilience and competitiveness and productivity growth.
The industry now stands ready to help triple Europe’s data centre capacity within the next five years, as outlined in the AI Action Plan. Investments from the data centre sector - including through trusted partnerships – will increase European resilience and competitiveness, which will help bridge the gap with its global competitors and balance external dependencies by strengthening infrastructure operations in the EU. Strengthening Europe’s digital infrastructure will not only drive technological leadership but also safeguard its economic and geopolitical stability in an increasingly data-driven world.
Our EUDCA members’ state-of-the-art facilities not only fuel innovation but also safeguard data sovereignty, providing essential support for cutting-edge technologies and artificial intelligence. Beyond the technological significance, the industry profoundly impacts Europe’s socioeconomic fabric. As our 2025 State of European Data Centres Report outlines, data centres substantially contribute to Europe’s GDP, with projections to grow to close to 100 billion euros by 2030. In parallel, the sector fosters job creation, directly and indirectly, while annual investments in construction and operations into local economies, spurring innovation, and securing the resilience and growth of a European skilled workforce.
EUDCA believes that true sovereignty is intrinsically linked to competitiveness and the freedom to choose, the ability to act independently, and to enforce our own rules, enabling strategic independence without isolation. Europe’s competitiveness depends on scaling, innovation, and investment within a clear, efficient governance framework and an integrated supply chain. But competitiveness requires integrated, resilient supply chains that cannot be bifurcated without undermining Europe’s strategic autonomy.
Data centres are inherently sovereign by design, enabling Europe’s capacity to exert control over its digital infrastructure. These facilities operate within a robust compliance posture: they are secure, highly regulated under the Critical Entities Resilience Directive and adhere to strict cybersecurity obligations. Data centres are the invisible yet indispensable foundation of internet connectivity and digital services. EUDCA advocates for a collaborative approach to competitiveness, which leverages the strengths of all Member States and trusted international partners, reaffirming the long-term commitments of data centres in the EU to provide stable, reliable partners in Europe’s digital future, and not instruments for restricting networks or platform services based on shifting geopolitical winds.
EUDCA Secretary General Michael Winterson commented: “Digital sovereignty is not about isolation or protectionism: it is about ensuring Europe’s ability to act autonomously while preserving openness. Our members are prepared to invest at unprecedented levels within a supportive investment climate to ensure that Europe remains a leader in secure, resilient, and sovereign digital infrastructure.”
However, achieving a strong and sovereign European digital economy requires key enabling conditions in the broader landscape where data centres operate. Access to energy remains a critical factor for powering energy-efficient data centres that drive technological independence necessary to compete globally. Integration and modernisation of the grid across Member States, reducing congestion and enhancing cross-border interconnections, are essential for scaling investments in the EU. Moreover, establishing a strong governance framework and reducing red tape through streamlined permitting processes would provide clear signals to industry on the roadmap to achieve competitive and resilient digital infrastructure in Europe.
EUDCA's position is clear: Europe’s aspiration for digital sovereignty is a legitimate and strategic objective, and the data centre industry stands ready to work with European policymakers to deliver this vision, ensuring that Europe’s digital infrastructure is secure, sovereign, and future-ready.