Europe: between digital dependence and the urgency to decide

At the latest Mobile World Congress, the CEO of Telefónica issued an unusual warning for a European leader: Europe is being 'naive' in assuming it will always have access to critical technologies developed outside the continent. The message is clear and uncomfortable: technological dependence has shifted from a theoretical topic to a real strategic risk. The digital infrastructure supporting the European economy—from cloud computing and AI to operating systems—largely depends on decisions made outside Europe. This debate, central to the upcoming APDC Congress, highlights that autonomy does not mean isolation, but rather choosing where to depend on others and where not to. While Europe leads in regulation, it lags in creating global tech champions, raising the question of whether regulation alone can build autonomy. True autonomy requires investment, scale, and a cultural shift toward risk-taking, as in a world where technology is power, failing to decide in time means losing ground.