European experts and think tanks have come together to announce the launch of the European Network for Technological Resilience and Sovereignty (ETRS). This new initiative, founded on the eve of the Summit on European Digital Sovereignty in Berlin, aims to strengthen Europe’s capacity for innovation and independence in key technologies such as AI, cloud infrastructure, and semiconductors.
The ETRS is led by four founding members: the Bertelsmann Stiftung (Germany), the Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS) (Belgium), the AI & Society Institute (France), and the Polish Economic Institute (PEI). With the support of over a dozen inaugural institutional members from across Europe, the network seeks to address the continent’s heavy reliance on the United States and China for more than 80 percent of its critical digital technologies.
According to Martin Hullin, Director of the Network for Technological Resilience and Sovereignty at Europe’s Future Program, Bertelsmann Stiftung, and one of the network’s initiators, “Europe has heard the wake-up call, but greater coordination and evidence-based policymaking are needed. This is about more than just technology or economics. We want to support fresh ideas that strengthen Europe’s capacity to act with confidence in the digital age.”
The ETRS will serve as a knowledge pool and connective tissue linking Europe’s research, policy, and industry communities. It aims to turn fragmented efforts into a shared vision for technological resilience and responsible progress. Constance de Leusse, Executive Director of the AI and Society Institute, adds, “ETRS brings together leading research institutions and experts to facilitate knowledge exchange, conduct strategic analyses of technology dependencies, and identify practical, evidence-based solutions.”
The network’s mission is anchored in fostering stakeholder coordination and knowledge sharing, conducting strategic mapping of technology dependencies, and advancing policy frameworks that support a sovereign and competitive European tech landscape. Interested experts and institutions can express their interest to join at www.etrs.network.
For more information, please contact Martin Hullin at +49 (5241) 8181-864 or martin.hullin@bertelsmann-stiftung.de.
About the Bertelsmann Stiftung:
The Bertelsmann Stiftung is committed to enabling social participation for everyone – politically, economically, and culturally. Its programs include Education and the Next Generation, Democracy and Social Cohesion, Digitalization and the Common Good, Europe’s Future, Health, and Sustainable Social Market Economies. Founded in 1977 by Reinhard Mohn, the Bertelsmann Stiftung is a nonprofit foundation.