The concept of ‘digital sovereignty’ has emerged as a prominent new theme in European digital policy, and is one which may have important implications for the future of European digital policy as well as for many EU Member States. This launch event marks the publication of the report “Europe’s Digital Future: Perspectives from Northern Europe”. This is the first joint report published by a new network of think tanks, convened by the IIEA, as part of the Europe’s Digital Future project. This network consists of think tanks from across northern Europe’s small, open economies which have acted as Europe’s digital ‘frontrunners.’ This event explores the perspectives on digital sovereignty from Denmark, Estonia, Ireland, the Netherland and Sweden, with each panelist presenting the findings of their research from their respective Member State.

This is the fifth event in an IIEA project entitled Europe’s Digital Future, which is exploring the topic of ‘digital sovereignty’ in Europe. As part of this project, which is supported by Google, a year-long programme of events and research is exploring what this concept means, and what future it might herald for the EU and for small, open economies like Ireland. The views expressed in this event, and in the associated publication, are those of the authors alone.

About the Speakers:

This event consists of an expert panel, with each speaker presenting the findings of their research from their respective Member State. This event is introduced and moderated by Prof. Joyce O’ Connor, Chair of the IIEA Digital Group.

Speakers on this panel are:

Jan Høst Schmidt, Senior Adviser, Think Tank Europa, Denmark.

Dr Adrian Venables, Senior Researcher, Tallinn University of Technology, Estonia

Seamus Allen, Digital Researcher, IIEA, Ireland

Brigitte Dekker, Researcher, the Clingendael Institute, Netherlands

Gunnar Hökmark, Chairperson, Stockholm Free World Forum, Sweden

The publication can be downloaded from https://www.iiea.com/publications/europes-digital-future-perspectives-from-northern-europe