The technological dependence of the U.S. and the lack of indigenous infrastructure threaten the country’s digital resilience. Digital sovereignty is no longer an option: it is a strategic urgency.
In a scenario of increasing geopolitical tension, Europe is considering responding with tariffs to U.S. trade policies, including potential measures on digital services such as AWS, Microsoft Azure, Oracle Cloud, or Google Cloud. This scenario, far from being hypothetical, poses a serious risk to the digital continuity of countries like Spain, whose public administration, strategic sectors, and companies largely depend on non-European tech providers.
Spain: insufficient infrastructure and critical dependence
The term digital sovereignty has gained relevance in recent years, but in practice, Spain is still far from achieving it. Despite the rise of digitalization, the reality is that much of our digital infrastructure—including artificial intelligence platforms, massive data storage, and public services—runs on infrastructure owned and controlled by foreign entities.
Spain has significant hubs like Madrid, Barcelona, Málaga, or Bilbao, but it remains far behind the capabilities of Frankfurt, Amsterdam, or Paris. Investments in data centers are growing, but they are still not sufficient. According to industry estimates, to significantly reduce dependence on U.S. cloud services, Spain would need at least 600 additional megawatts of IT power—which would mean doubling current capacity—as well as storage infrastructure capable of handling tens of exabytes, with guarantees of legal, technical, and operational sovereignty.
Additionally, the lack of specialized professionals, bureaucratic processes to enable new centers, and delays in energy deployment and interconnection slow down the consolidation of a truly robust national data center network.
At-risk sectors: administration, healthcare, energy, banking
The issue is not just technical but also a matter of national security. An interruption or sudden increase in the cost of cloud services operated from the U.S. would have an immediate impact on:
- Digital administration services (public portals, electronic identity).
- Healthcare systems based on digitized medical records.
- Smart electrical grids and energy monitoring systems.
- Financial platforms and electronic payment methods.
Even in education and justice, many applications operate on foreign cloud infrastructures. Resilience against failures, cyberattacks, or unilateral political decisions is therefore compromised.
From dependence to autonomy: a roadmap for Spain
The path to digital sovereignty cannot be built overnight, but it can be initiated with strategic and pragmatic decisions:
- In the short term, promote contingency plans, cloud diversification, and audit the digital dependence of the public and private sector.
- In the medium term, encourage incentives for the establishment of sovereign data centers, expedite permits for their construction, and ensure their electricity supply.
- In the long term, foster public-private partnerships to build AI infrastructures, high-performance computing, and data storage networks with European control.
This includes strengthening connectivity with Europe (through France and Portugal), repurposing existing infrastructures, and developing specific regulations to ensure that sensitive data remains within national territory.
Digital sovereignty: an investment, not an expense
Spain has a unique opportunity to strengthen its position as a strategic node in Southern Europe. Our geographic location, our network of submarine cables, and the growing awareness of the risks of digital dependence can become competitive advantages if translated into concrete actions.
As has already occurred in sectors like energy, digital autonomy is a strategic asset. Investing today in our own sustainable and resilient data centers will not only protect us against future crises but also enable Spanish companies to compete on equal footing in the global digital economy.
In short, digital sovereignty is not a luxury. It is a matter of State.