On 24 June 2026, Business & Science Poland, in cooperation with the Czech Business Representation to the EU (CEBRE), Digital Polska Association, the CEE Digital Coalition, Svaz průmyslu a dopravy ČR, and AI Chamber, organised a roundtable discussion on the European Commission’s newly published EU Tech Sovereignty Package. The event brought together representatives of the European Commission, the European Parliament, Member States, and the technology sector to discuss the future direction of Europe's digital policy.
Among the speakers were Thibaut Kleiner (Director for Future Networks, DG CNECT, European Commission), Arian Zwegers (Deputy Head of Unit for Microelectronics and Photonics Industry, DG CNECT, European Commission), MEPs Michał Wawrykiewicz (EPP, Poland) and Ondřej Krutílek (ECR, Czechia), Lukáš Kačena (Czech Government Envoy for AI), and Jakub Dysarz (Cyber Attaché at the Permanent Representation of Poland to the EU).
The discussion opened with a presentation of the European Commission's EU Tech Sovereignty Package, built around four pillars: Chips Act 2.0, the Cloud and AI Development Act (CADA), the EU Open Source Strategy, and the Strategic Roadmap for Digitalisation and AI in the Energy Sector. European Commission experts stressed that decisions taken in these areas over the coming months will have a profound impact on Europe's digital competitiveness, resilience, and innovation ecosystem.
Key takeaways from the discussion:
- Technological sovereignty should be understood as the EU's ability to ensure the continuity of critical digital infrastructure and services while preserving freedom of choice among technology providers.
- Unlike the AI Act or the Digital Omnibus, the EU Tech Sovereignty Package is not intended to impose additional regulatory obligations but to strengthen Europe's industrial and technological capabilities through investment, infrastructure development, and public procurement.
- The greatest challenge will be the effective implementation of the package, particularly the Cloud and AI Development Act (CADA) and Chips Act 2.0. Success will depend on investment, access to energy, faster administrative procedures, the expansion of data centres, financing for the semiconductor sector, and modernised public procurement rules.
- The EU needs policy instruments that strengthen industrial capacity, increase demand for European technologies, and accelerate their uptake by businesses—especially SMEs—rather than relying solely on additional compliance requirements.
- Central and Eastern Europe has a strong technology ecosystem with significant potential to contribute to the development and deployment of AI. Unlocking this potential will require improved access to finance and a stable, predictable regulatory framework.
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