In the newest edition of Atlantische Commissie, out at the end of January 2026, two separate Policy Briefs by two teams of two REMIT researchers from Maastricht University were published. We have previously covered one of them, by Assoc. Prof. Catherine Yuk-ping Lo and Hengyi Yang, but now it’s the turn of Prof. Sophie Vanhoonacker and Prof. Roberta Haar’s policy brief, which speaks on the widening transatlantic rift over strategic technologies.
Roberta says on the article: “This policy brief analyses the escalating transatlantic rift over strategic technologies, highlighting the clash between the EU’s rights-driven regulatory framework and the U.S.’ market-driven approach. While these approaches previously coexisted, the second Trump administration shifted to weaponizing European vulnerabilities in security and trade to force concessions on Europe’s digital governance. To counter this coercive environment, we propose a strategy that focuses on safeguarding European strategic agency by way of firmly resisting pressure to dilute flagship regulations like the DMA and AI Act. The EU must ensure that core values do not become bargaining chips in unrelated negotiations. At the same time, the EU must strengthen its resilience by intensifying investment in its own technological capacity to reduce reliance on American platforms. By establishing a principled firewall between digital policy and unrelated sectors like trade or NATO commitments, the EU can protect its role as a global standard-setter.”
Abstract
Strategic technologies, including digital innovations such as AI, are increasingly a source of transatlantic tension. The EU is a relatively weak player in the field of strategic technologies, while the US is clearly a frontrunner. Washington now ruthlessly weaponizes this gap in digital autonomy. What should Europe’s answer look like?
Full Citation
Vanhoonacker, S., & Haar, R. (2026). Europe’s answer to the Transatlantic Tech Rift: Developing a ‘Plan B’ in an Era of Weaponized Dependencies. Atlantische Commissie, January 2026
https://www.atlcom.nl/atlantisch-perspectief/europes-answer-to-the-transatlantic-tech-rift/