Europe’s leading think tanks and experts have announced the formation of the European Network for Technological Resilience and Sovereignty (ETRS) on the eve of the Summit on European Digital Sovereignty in Berlin. This new initiative aims to strengthen Europe’s capacity for innovation and independence in key technologies such as AI, cloud infrastructure, and semiconductors.
The founding members of ETRS, including the Bertelsmann Stiftung (Germany), the Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS) (Belgium), the AI & Society Institute (France), and the Polish Economic Institute (PEI), along with over a dozen inaugural institutional members from across Europe, are committed to promoting a resilient and values-driven digital future for Europe.
According to Martin Hullin, Director 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 technology or economics. We want support fresh ideas that strengthen Europe’s capacity to act with confidence in the digital age.”
The goal of ETRS is to serve as a knowledge pool and connective tissue, bringing together Europe’s research, policy, and industry communities to foster collaboration and shape policy for a resilient and sovereign digital infrastructure. By promoting policy advocacy for a European values-driven, open, and resilient digital landscape, the network seeks to turn growing political momentum around technological sovereignty into coordinated, actionable strategies that help Europe remain innovative, secure, and globally competitive.
Constance de Leusse, Executive Director of the AI and Society Institute, adds, “ETRS will serve as the knowledge pool and connective tissue linking Europe’s research, policy, and industry communities turning fragmented efforts into a shared vision for technological resilience and social and responsible progress.”
ETRS will also 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 through regular dialogues and joint initiatives, 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 in joining the network by visiting www.etrs.network. Martin Hullin, Director Network for Technological Resilience and Sovereignty at Europe’s Future Program, Bertelsmann Stiftung, can be contacted at martin.hullin@bertelsmann-stiftung.de or by phone at +49 (5241) 8181-864.
The Bertelsmann Stiftung, a nonprofit foundation established in 1977 by Reinhard Mohn, is committed to promoting social participation for everyone. Their 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.
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