Miguel De Bruycker has warned of American dominance over tech in the region

Fully storing data within the EU is impossible because American technology companies dominate the space, Miguel De Bruycker, director of the Centre for Cybersecurity Belgium (CCB), has told the Financial Times. The official also noted that EU regulation on artificial intelligence (AI) was blocking innovation within the bloc.

Following the implementation of mandatory rules for general-purpose AI last year, the EU faced a swift domestic backlash over concerns that high compliance costs were undermining innovation and investment. The internal pressure was compounded by sharp criticism from the US government and major technology companies, which labelled the regulations as protectionist measures designed to unfairly target American firms.

"We've lost the whole cloud. We have lost the internet, let's be honest," De Bruycker said earlier this week in an interview with the newspaper. "If I want my information 100% in the EU, keep on dreaming," he added. "You're setting an objective that is not realistic."

He added that it was currently impossible to store data fully in Europe because US companies dominate digital infrastructure and essential online services.

"In cyberspace, everything is commercial. Everything is privately owned," De Bruycker said, stressing that EU's cyber defenses depend on cooperation from private companies, most of which are American.

Under the EU's AI Act, binding rules for general-purpose AI models took effect on August 2, 2025. The rules require developers placing such models on the EU market to meet transparency and documentation obligations and comply with copyright requirements, with stricter duties applying to the most powerful systems classified as posing systemic risks. Oversight of the rules is carried out by the EU AI Office.

Brussels was, however, forced to backpedal in late 2025 by introducing a Digital Simplification Package. The initiative, introduced in response to sharp domestic criticism led by national champions such as France's Mistral AI and Germany's Aleph Alpha, is aimed at easing the regulatory burden on European startups. Regulators offered extended grace periods for compliance and launched the Apply AI Alliance to provide technical support.

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De Bruycker, however, suggested that Brussels should back private initiatives to boost cloud computing and digital identification. He called for an approach mirroring the creation of Airbus, which was jointly supported by member states, urging a similar effort at EU level in the cyber domain.

"Instead of putting that focus on how can we stop the US 'hyperscalers', maybe we put our energy in...building up something by ourselves," the CCB chief said.