The European Union and the Search for Digital Sovereignty: Building “Fortress Europe” or Preparing

for a New World? By FRANCES G. BURWELL AND KENNETH PROPP, JUNE 2020

"The European Union and the Search for Digital Sovereignty: Building 'Fortress Europe' or
Preparing for a New World?" is an article by Frances G. Burwell and Kenneth Propp,
published in June 2020. In the article, the authors examine the European Union's (EU) efforts
to assert its digital sovereignty and shape the global digital economy. The authors argue that
the EU's efforts to build its digital infrastructure, regulate the digital economy, and assert its
values and interests in the digital realm reflect its broader push for digital sovereignty.

The authors highlight several key initiatives that the EU has taken to assert its digital
sovereignty. These include the creation of a digital single market, the implementation of the
General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and the development of alternative
technologies, such as blockchain. The authors also examine the EU's stance on digital
regulation, noting that the EU has pushed for international norms that reflect its values and
interests, such as privacy, human rights, and democracy.

The authors argue that the EU's push for digital sovereignty is driven by a growing concern
over the concentration of digital power in the hands of a few multinational corporations. The
EU is seeking to counteract this trend by promoting a more diverse and decentralized digital
economy, and by asserting its values and interests in the digital realm. The authors suggest
that the EU's push for digital sovereignty is likely to have far-reaching implications, not only
for its own citizens, but also for the wider global community.

The authors also consider the challenges that the EU faces in its push for digital sovereignty.
These include the difficulties in balancing privacy and security, the need to maintain a level
playing field for competition, and the risk of fragmentation within the EU itself. The authors
argue that the EU's approach to digital sovereignty is still evolving, and that it will continue to
be shaped by a range of factors, including technological change, geopolitical developments,
and the shifting balance of power in the digital economy.

Overall, the authors conclude that the EU's push for digital sovereignty reflects its broader
efforts to shape the global digital economy and assert its values and interests in the digital
realm. The authors suggest that the EU's approach to digital sovereignty is likely to have far-
reaching implications, both for its own citizens and for the wider global community. The
authors argue that it remains to be seen whether the EU will succeed in building "Fortress
Europe" or whether it will instead prepare for a new world in which digital sovereignty is
more widely shared.