Alarm from Berlin
Recently, German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser warned of the shaky state of transatlantic data traffic. In an interview with the Handelsblatt calls for strict compliance with US espionage protection commitments. Her message is clear: If the US – under a possible Trump administration – unilaterally breaks agreements, the consequences for European businesses and citizens are incalculable.
“Without legal certainty on data protection, cross-border digital cooperation is a house of cards.”
From Optimism to Urgency
In an earlier blog post on data-pro.nu I also expressed the hope that Europe would orchestrate a ‘soft landing’. A diplomatic solution that prevents panic and at the same time gradually works towards digital sovereignty. But the political wind has now turned.
“Those who thought we had years left count beyond the capriciousness of geopolitics.”
Digital infrastructure is not a luxury, but a necessity
The warnings from Berlin do not come out of nowhere. Businesses in the EU are structurally dependent on US cloud providers, email services and analytical tools. Europe’s infrastructure – from education to healthcare – is digitally intertwined with US systems. If the legal basis under data traffic disappears tomorrow, a large part of our economy will be in jeopardy.
“You only realise how dependent you are when you are forced to let go.”
Time to Become a Mate Yourself
Now is the time to take matters into your own hands. European alternatives such as Nextcloud, Element, and Matrix have matured. Open source solutions in AI, BI and cloud are also no longer a hobby – they are professional, scalable and secure. It is not only about privacy or ethics, but also about continuity, innovation and strategic autonomy.
“Digital independence is not a cost, but an investment in resilience.”
From awareness to action
The clock is ticking. We can't afford to stay on hold. It is time for CIOs, IT managers and policy makers to take concrete steps: migrate data, inventory dependencies, select partners. Not tomorrow, but today.
“The future of our digital infrastructure is not determined by warnings, but by what we do with it now.”
English (UK)