The European Parliament debated the Commission's technological sovereignty package on June 16, 2026, revealing sharp disagreements on regulation, energy mix, and the response to US tech restrictions. Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty Henna Virkkunen presented the package, which includes a consultation on a European equity capacity and a call for gigafactories.
A key dispute centered on Europe's dependence on US tech after the US restricted access to Anthropic's AI models, described as a 'watershed moment' by S&D's Alex Agius Saliba and a 'wake-up call' by Renew's Sandro Gozi. Greens/EFA's Alexandra Geese said the US views Europe as 'enemies,' while ECR's Diego Solier warned against technological isolation. On energy, ECR's Piotr Müller blamed the Greens for high prices and called for nuclear, but Geese countered that nuclear is the most expensive and pushed renewables. On regulation, Renew's Bart Groothuis argued GDPR and copyright make AI development 'effectively impossible' in the EU, calling for deregulation, while S&D's Dan Nica insisted on strict rules. EPP's Jörgen Warborn questioned open source mandates, but Renew's Michał Kobosko defended choice. The Left's João Oliveira called for greater cooperation against multinationals. S&D's Juan Fernando López Aguilar demanded €5 billion for chips in the next MFF, and Renew's Stéphanie Yon-Courtin proposed a 'Buy European Tech Act.' The Left's Pernando Barrena Arza warned of market fragmentation. Consensus existed on the strategic risk of dependence and need for investment, with many backing a capital markets union.
deregulation could boost AI startups but weaken consumer privacy; nuclear investment may lower energy costs but conflict with renewable targets; a 'Buy European Tech Act' could protect EU firms but raise costs for businesses reliant on US cloud services. Affected stakeholders include EU tech startups, energy providers, and businesses reliant on US cloud and AI services. The Commission's next steps include the consultation on equity capacity and gigafactories, with further legislative proposals expected.