Digital Identity as the keystone of digital sovereignty

On April 23, Benoit Poletti, Chief Executive Officer of INCERT, Luxembourg's Public Agency dedicated to digital trust and security, and PSIA Tech & Global Affairs Innovation Hub Senior Advisor Constance de Leusse, penned together an op-ed published in French newspaper l'Opinion.

In a context of global tensions, the strategic, political, and economic costs of Europe's dependence on the digital industries of either United-States or China are becoming increasingly evident. In order for Europe to reclaim its digital agency and protect its very sovereignty, the authors identify digital identity as a pivotal technological stack.

Together, they urge policymakers and industry leaders to collaborate towards the acceleration of public and private investments in digital identity infrastructures with targeted support for SMEs, the standardization of policies among member states to ensure true interoperability, and the implementation of ambitious awareness campaigns to educate citizens and businesses about the democratic implications of these technological choices.

In the great clash that defines the 21st century between the United-States, China, and Europe, digital identity is more than a tool for enhanced efficiency. It is a foundation for our strategic autonomy.