- The Democratic Tech Alliance (DTA) held its first assembly at the European Parliament, uniting diverse political groups, civil society, and industry to resist big-tech influence.
- The alliance aims to create an EU tech ecosystem supporting democratic values and public interest, emphasizing that democracy depends on controlling one's own technology.
- A key presentation from the Joint Research Centre (JRC) highlighted 'People' as the central factor in digital sovereignty, noting that reluctance from government staff and IT decision-makers is a main barrier.
- Efforts to move away from US cloud services face challenges due to risk aversion and lack of incentives within governments, requiring engagement with actual decision-makers.
- The second panel featured debates on EU cloud capabilities: while Europe has the raw tech infrastructure, it lacks user-friendly, pre-assembled solutions compared to US offerings.
- Speakers called for including practical companies like Simplito, which develops private AI and post-quantum encryption, to ensure real-world progress.
- The event concluded with 'Democracy Drinks', fostering continued dialogue among relevant stakeholders.