Defence officials resist EU plan to curb reliance on US tech giants

{"text":[[{"start":12.12,"text":"Many European defence officials are pushing back against Brussels’ attempts to cut reliance on American tech giants, warning the move could leave Europe with inferior systems, greater cyber risks and problems in co-ordinating with Nato allies."}],[{"start":26.12,"text":"As the continent races to re-arm in the face of Russian threats and Washington’s retrenchment, security officials acknowledge their dependence on the likes of Google, Amazon and Microsoft is a geopolitical vulnerability. In response, the European Commission has proposed a new law that would bar the use of foreign technology in the most sensitive European systems."}],[{"start":47.44,"text":"But two senior EU defence officials and several European defence contractors say using inferior European technology would leave the continent at greater risk, estimating that the US had an eight- to 10-year lead in cloud and AI defence platforms."}],[{"start":62.08,"text":"“We’re still buying lots of American kit, frankly because we’d be less safe if we didn’t,” one of the officials told the FT."}],[{"start":69.96,"text":"The Commission’s proposed Cloud and AI Development Act, presented in June, would force member states to evaluate the sensitivity of each public sector service, with the highest level requiring solely domestic tech. It estimates only 1 per cent of Europe’s public services would clear that bar."}],[{"start":null,"text":"

"}],[{"start":87.04,"text":"“The framework puts member states in the driving seat. They will determine, based on how critical a public sector activity is, the level of sovereignty assurance required,” the Commission said."}],[{"start":97.8,"text":"But defence officials and executives said they fear the rules could prevent militaries from using American hyperscalers for some of their most sensitive operations before European alternatives are capable of replacing them."}],[{"start":109.44,"text":"“Europe has already bought and installed the spinal cord from” US tech companies, said one European defence executive. “It’s impossible to do a transplant without killing the patient.”"}],[{"start":120.24,"text":"“Of course, we all want homegrown alternatives right now . . . [but] so many of the weapons we need every day just won’t work without US back end,” the executive added."}],[{"start":129.8,"text":"One European diplomat said they are concerned that the strictest level is “not realistic” and that “currently no company — US or European — is able to meet this level”."}],[{"start":139.28,"text":"Google, Amazon and Microsoft declined to comment."}],[{"start":144.629,"text":"Some US tech companies have already discussed the proposed legislation with defence ministers and Nato officials, according to people briefed on the discussions."}],[{"start":153.32,"text":"Supporters of the Commission’s approach argue that European providers will struggle to scale unless governments create demand, and that sovereignty requirements can help establish a domestic market for critical cloud and AI providers."}],[{"start":166.28,"text":"European aerospace and defence group Airbus announced in July it will move some of its most critical applications from US cloud provider AWS to French provider Scaleway."}],[{"start":null,"text":""}],[{"start":176.68,"text":"Finland’s foreign minister Elina Valtonen told the FT Helsinki was preparing for the risk that foreign suppliers could use a “kill switch” to cut off critical computing capabilities."}],[{"start":186.9,"text":"Without mentioning the US, Valtonen added at a Chatham House think-tank event: “A country that cannot run essential systems under its own authority, or that of trusted partners, may discover at precisely the wrong moment whether the access that was promised was conditional or not.”"}],[{"start":202.12,"text":"“Our objective should be more practical: not to own every piece of the AI stack, but to ensure that no critical piece can simply be switched off,” she said."}],[{"start":212.28,"text":"Commission officials also say it would take time to negotiate, pass and implement the legislation, giving the continent’s defence and cloud industry an opportunity to catch up before the strictest requirements bite."}],[{"start":223.76,"text":"But defence officials and executives note that US cloud services are at the heart of cutting-edge hardware, such as US-made F-35 fighter jets."}],[{"start":231.72,"text":"“While there is a clear appetite to seek more control over the digital environment of the programme, no country is going to throw away their F-35 just because it runs on a US digital cloud that they can’t replace easily or fast enough,” said Camille Grand, secretary-general of the European Aerospace, Security and Defence Industries Association."}],[{"start":251.6,"text":"Grand said there was an understanding among European governments that moving away from non-EU cloud and technology providers was a difficult process. “Especially for defence products, there’s a timing issue,” he said. “It all depends on the scale of the shift and how fast you’re expected to do it.”"}],[{"start":268.4,"text":"Restrictions on US cloud providers could also complicate co-ordination between allied militaries, which increasingly need to share huge quantities of battlefield data."}],[{"start":276.88,"text":"“The battlefield is now digitised,” said James Appathurai, Nato deputy assistant secretary-general for innovation, hybrid and cyber. “For Nato countries to be able to fight together and win, they all need to be able to exchange data seamlessly and at speed.”"}],[{"start":292.32,"text":"Opposition to the strict sovereignty requirements is the strongest in eastern and Nordic countries, according to people familiar with the discussions."}],[{"start":300.76,"text":"Several capitals are expected to push for changes when EU countries discuss the legislation in the upcoming months, with European diplomats currently preparing their exact suggestions."}],[{"start":315.72,"text":""}]],"url":"https://audio.ftcn.net.cn/album/a_1788503220_4944.mp3"}