Sicily risks becoming a victim of 'digital and energy colonialism' as international tech corporations build data centres that consume vast amounts of energy, water and land in a region already struggling with infrastructure deficits and water shortages, according to a parliamentary question submitted by Giuseppe Antoci, an MEP from The Left group, on 13 April 2026.
In his written question to the European Commission, Antoci argues that the proliferation of data centres driven by Big Tech could exploit Sicily's renewable energy resources, diverting locally produced green electricity away from decarbonising public services, households and local industry. He warns that the island, historically subject to resource plunder without commensurate social benefits, may end up serving as an energy and digital hub for global operators while its own communities remain underserved.
whether concentrating large data centres on a water- and energy-insecure island is compatible with the Green Deal and territorial cohesion policies; what instruments exist to prevent peripheral areas from being exploited; and how the EU can strengthen digital sovereignty so that new strategic Mediterranean infrastructure does not entrench the power of non-European Big Tech companies.
The question touches on a cleavage between economic development driven by foreign investment versus local sustainability and sovereignty. On the positive side, data centres can bring jobs and digital infrastructure to a region with high unemployment. However, the negative impacts include strain on scarce water resources, competition for renewable energy, and the risk that profits flow out of the region while local communities bear environmental costs. Stakeholders most affected include Sicilian residents and small businesses (facing resource competition), EU and national regulators (tasked with balancing cohesion and green goals), Big Tech companies (seeking cheap energy and land), and local renewable energy producers (whose output may be absorbed by data centres).
Under EU rules, the Commission is expected to reply within approximately six weeks. Its answer will signal whether it views the issue as a matter for national or EU-level action and may indicate future policy directions on data centre siting, energy use, and digital sovereignty in the Mediterranean.
← Atlas › News › Digital & Communication