Europe is moving forward with a major initiative to establish a federated cloud and artificial intelligence infrastructure aimed at reducing reliance on US and Chinese technology providers. The project, named EURO-3C and announced by telecommunications leader Telefónica at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, brings together over 70 organizations, including telecom operators, tech companies, startups, and small to medium enterprises. Officials say the initiative is designed to create a secure and sovereign digital ecosystem where cloud, AI, and edge computing can work together to accelerate the deployment of digital services across industries and borders.
Instead of attempting to build a single European cloud from the ground up, the project focuses on connecting existing national infrastructure into a federated network of nodes that operate collaboratively across multiple countries. Sebas Muriel Herrero, chief digital officer at Telefónica, explained that Europe faces significant challenges in creating a hyperscale cloud from scratch, and that investing in sovereign technology is essential to reduce dependence on external providers from the United States and China. Officials emphasized that this approach addresses both strategic and economic concerns, as well as security risks associated with reliance on foreign IT infrastructure.
The EURO-3C initiative also seeks to enhance Europe’s capabilities in agentic AI, enabling systems to perform autonomous tasks, a feature considered critical for industries ranging from automotive and e-health to public services and sovereign government applications. Renate Nikolay, deputy director general at the European Commission, highlighted the project’s goal to build a secure and convergent communications landscape that benefits industrial sectors and society as a whole. By integrating cloud and AI infrastructure in a federated model, participants aim to strengthen Europe’s digital resilience and ensure that future technology development can be driven within the continent rather than through dependency on foreign platforms.
Telefónica representatives emphasized that EURO-3C is intended as a foundational pillar for future technology growth in Europe. The federated infrastructure allows participating countries to maintain sovereignty over sensitive data and critical services while providing interoperability and scalability for emerging applications. Analysts note that the project could improve continuity and security for critical sectors, while fostering innovation in AI, edge computing, and industrial digital services. By connecting existing national nodes, the initiative enables rapid deployment of AI and cloud capabilities while avoiding the cost and complexity of building a hyperscale platform from scratch.
The launch of EURO-3C reflects a broader European strategy to strengthen digital sovereignty in response to recent IT disruptions affecting US cloud providers, which underscored the vulnerabilities inherent in relying heavily on foreign infrastructure. By uniting multiple stakeholders under a common federated network, Europe aims to develop a sustainable and secure digital ecosystem capable of supporting industrial innovation, autonomous AI development, and critical public services while maintaining regulatory oversight and operational control.
This coordinated effort also positions Europe to reduce exposure to external dependencies and enhance its strategic autonomy in the global technology landscape. More details about the EURO-3C project and its implementation roadmap were shared during Mobile World Congress 2026.
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