“Let’s take back our digital power,” is the proactive title of the press release of a new European entity, whose creation was approved by the European Commission, this Wednesday, October 29, its name, “consortium for digital commons.”
Called EDIC Digital Commons (for European Digital Infrastructure Consortium), this initiative is the result of a collaboration between four European countries: France, Germany, the Netherlands and Italy.
“It represents a common ambition: to build together the foundations of a strong, open and sustainable European digital landscape. It reflects a collective drive that will give Europe the ability to act and innovate on its own,” said Stéphanie Schaer, interministerial director of Digital, in a press release.
Freedom from foreign countries
With EDIC Digital Commons, the European Commission aims to “pool the resources and experience of Member States to develop open, interoperable and sustainable alternatives.” A way, according to her and for the four founding countries, to free themselves from foreign countries for digital technologies and infrastructures. Currently, more than 80% of those used in the Old Continent come from non-European suppliers.
This initiative focuses on four objectives to achieve this. Among them is the proposal of open alternatives in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, social networks and other “key areas.” The European Commission also plans to encourage administrations, companies and citizens to adopt these digital commons. A sustainable financing mechanism should also be established to support its production, maintenance and dissemination at European level.
If Brussels announces the creation of the EDIC Digital Commons today, it will not be officially launched until December 11, in The Hague (Netherlands). Meanwhile, other countries have joined the four founding states: Luxembourg, Slovenia and Poland. They plan to participate in this initiative, but only as observers.
Source: BFM TV
