The Corona crisis has shown how useful digital platforms are – whether in connection with schools, the world of work or in private life. Europe's dependence on digital spaceLeading digital platforms are provided by non-European companies, as are the most powerful data infrastructures.
The project group, including TUM President Thomas F. Hofmann and Jan-Hendrik Passoth from the Munich Center for Technology in Society (MCTS) at TUM, therefore proposes the creation of a digital ecosystem that follows European values such as openness and diversity. Their recently published discussion paper,European Public Sphere – Shaping Europe’s Digital Sovereignty' describes the path to such a digital space in which a variety of offers with fair and transparent access and usage conditions can emerge.
Digital infrastructure as part of public services
Unlike health, education, or transport, digital infrastructure has not yet been considered a part of public services. However, an open digital space requires a basic infrastructure—essentially a freely accessible digital road and path system. Therefore, a coordinating role on the part of the state is necessary—the experts agree. The initial development of a European, open digital ecosystem requires state funding accompanied by European regulation.
European values in technology design
The project group also emphasizes that technology is never neutral, but always influenced by the environment in which it was developed. Europe is committed to values such as human dignity, self-determination, plurality, openness, privacy, security, democracy, justice, solidarity, and sustainability. Accordingly, the task of the European Public Sphere is also to translate these values into principles for the design of technologies.
Technology strategy for great diversity
Modularity, interoperability and openness are intended to characterise the technology of the European Public Sphere: In contrast to today's monolithic, closed platforms, the EPS creates technologies that can be easily reused, developed further in a decentralised manner and optimally combined with other technologies thanks to open standards.
“Crisis reveals failures in an unvarnished way”
“The current crisis, in which we are all working even more digitally than before, is a stark reminder of Europe’s failures over the past ten years,”
says TUM President HofmannHe continues:
"Civil society, science, and business must no longer relinquish control over their data and become dependent on closed, non-transparent systems. I firmly believe that both providers and users long for trustworthy, participatory alternatives. If Europe develops such enabling technologies through a joint effort, we can create a creative ecosystem with great added value."
Jan-Hendrik Passoth supplemented by the Munich Center for Technology in Society:
"Civil society initiatives, creative startups, and committed projects that innovatively combine open technologies and a focus on the common good are numerous, especially in Europe. They play a crucial role in building an open digital ecosystem."
Fair access and usage conditions
“If Europe acts forcefully now and launches an ambitious initiative, a public digital space can emerge that offers fair access and usage conditions, strengthens public discourse, and ensures the identity-forming plurality of Europe,”
says BR director Ulrich Wilhelm. Henning Kagermann added:
"We want to strengthen digital sovereignty—that is, the self-determination of Europe as a community of laws and values, and of every individual user. Mind you, we secure digital sovereignty through openness and freedom of choice. Everyone can participate in building a European digital space that respects European values."
