Dutch Parliament to End Dependence on U.S. Software Companies
The Netherlands’ parliament approved motions on Tuesday to end the country’s reliance on United States software companies, further rupturing the U.S.-Europe alliance.
The motions include:
- The creation of a cloud service under Dutch control
- A call on the government to reexamine the use of Amazon Web Services for the Netherlands’ Internet domain hosting
- An initiative to start developing alternatives to U.S. software used by European firms
Trump era: Similar initiatives have failed in the past because of a lack of European alternatives; Europe has never had its own “Silicon Valley” and has always relied on U.S. technology. But amid Europe’s changing relations with the U.S. under President Donald Trump, calls for independence are becoming more urgent.
The question we as Europeans must ask ourselves is: Do we feel comfortable with people like Trump, [Meta ceo Mark] Zuckerberg and [X owner Elon] Musk ruling over our data?
—Marieke Koekkoek, member of the pro-Europe Volt party
“Buy European”: The Dutch vote came a day after a group of prominent European firms called on the European Commission to create a sovereign fund for investment in European technology.
The European Commission has in recent weeks repeatedly called on EU member states to “buy European” when it comes to defense and military equipment. The same seems to be happening with technology now.
Atlantic rift: Trump’s alienation of U.S. allies, negotiations for a peace deal over Ukraine, and repeated threats to impose tariffs on European goods have caused the Continent to look within for military and technological development. Watch for this rift between the U.S. and Europe to widen, as the Trumpet has warned for decades.
Learn more: Read “Atlantic Rift” in our free booklet He Was Right.
