Maria João Rodrigues on Reinforcing Europe’s Digital Capacity and Sovereignty

“We are in a crossroads. Either we use AI to replace human creativity, human action, or we use AI to augment, to complement this human creativity. This is the crossroad we are in”. Maria João Rodrigues, Chair of Reimagined Europa, delivered a powerful opening keynote at the Digital with Purpose Global Summit 2025 in Brussels,  offering an insider’s view of the European Union’s strategy for navigating the turbulent waters of digital transformation. Drawing on her extensive experience as a policymaker, including roles across the Council of Ministers, Parliament, and European Commission, Rodrigues outlined a shift in EU thinking: regulation, while necessary, is only the beginning. Rodrigues acknowledged the EU’s significant output of digital legislation in recent years, citing the Digital Services Act, Data Governance Act, and AI Act. However, she stressed that a new consensus has emerged: “Europe is realizing this is not at all enough.” The focus must now pivot to actively building digital capacity.

Digital capacity is deemed essential for enabling “European business, European civil society, European public services to benefit from the potential of the digital and AI revolution.”  Re-Imagine Europa’s Chair reinforced this strategic shift by referencing the conclusions of the European Council, which highlight the critical need to guarantee Europe’s digital sovereingty. The message is clear: “In the face of geopolitical shifts, rapid technological change, and growing global competition for innovation, talent and investment, it is crucial to advance Europe’s digital transformation, reinforce its sovereignty and strengthen its own open digital ecosystem.”Achieving this sovereignty, Rodrigues noted, requires “reinforced international partnerships and close collaboration with trusted partners and international organizations on digital innovation and governance.”

Rodrigues, who pointed to an ODS pin on her jacket for emphasis, made it clear that the EU’s commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is non-negotiable, stating, “This is part of the official agenda of the European Union.” This commitment, she argued, is intrinsically linked to the “European model.” To effectively champion this model, the EU must elevate its status: “We have reached a point where we understand that in order to push for this model we need to have more geopolitical capacity and to turn the European Union not just in a market but to make it a real political entity with higher soverign capacities in different fronts.”

Despite the constraints imposed by the war of invasion in Ukraine, Rodrigues asserted that European stakeholders remain determined to press ahead: “many European stakeholders consider that, despite these constraints, we intend to go on in leading the agenda for sustainable goals, our commitment with the green transition and making the best of the digital transformation.”

While seeking sovereignty, the EU remains committed to global cooperation—“We really believe we need higher international collaboration to shape the digital transformation.” Ultimately, the core of the European approach, as articulated in the European Council’s conclusions, remains its commitment to values and regulatory autonomy. This means the Union will continue to foster “human-centric technological solutions that protect individuals and their data, and safeguard digital accountability, transparency and societal resilience.”

Rodrigues’ intervention clearly detailed the EU’s strategic and ambitious goal: to be a global digital leader whose transformation is not just fast, but fundamentally aligned with its values of sustainability, openness, and human protection.