French title: Numériser la France et l’Europe : (cyber)sécurité, géopolitique, autonomie stratégique et économie numérique
The digitalisation of modern societies has forced a fundamental question onto the political agenda: can politics shape technology, or will technology shape future political agendas? As artificial intelligence, 5G, the Internet of Things, and high-performance computing reshape industry and public life, policymakers face a growing gap between the pace of technological change and their capacity to govern it. This event, co-organised by the European Liberal Forum and the Master Affaires Européennes association, brought together experts from across the policy, academic, legal, and industry spectrum to examine the stakes of Europe’s digital transition, with France as both a case study and a point of reference for best practice.
The discussion ranged across cybersecurity architecture, the geopolitics of data, strategic digital sovereignty, and the challenge of protecting democratic processes from hostile information-manipulation campaigns. At its centre was a question that no speaker could fully resolve: are we ready to connect the unconnected?
The event was held in English and French.
Key questions:
- How should France and the EU structure their cybersecurity architecture to keep pace with increasingly sophisticated threats in the cyber and information domains?
- What does genuine digital strategic autonomy look like for Europe, and how far has the EU actually progressed toward it?
- Can democratic institutions govern artificial intelligence, 5G, and the Internet of Things effectively, or does the speed of technological change structurally outpace political decision-making?
- How should data protection frameworks evolve to address externally financed attacks and hostile information manipulation campaigns targeting European democracies?
- Where does the French experience offer a replicable model for EU member states, and where does it reflect national specificities that do not easily transfer?
Speakers:
Opening speech:
- Maria Tortorella, MAES Student
- Hans Stark, Professor at the Sorbonne and Director of the Master in European Affairs
Moderator: Julien Hoez, Political Analyst and Editor, The French Dispatch
Panelists:
- Audrey Scozzaro Ferrazzini, Senior Director of Government Affairs, Qualcomm
- Francesco Cappelletti, Policy and Research Officer, European Liberal Forum
- Renaud Vedel, Directeur de cabinet de Jean-Noël Barrot
- Olivier Kempf, Cybersecurity Expert, Fondation pour la Recherche Stratégique
- Asma Mhalla, Expert in Tech Policy and Professor, Sciences Po Paris
- Arnaud Latil, Maître de Conférences en droit privé, Université Paris-Sorbonne
- Laura Heuvinck, Spokesperson, ENISA, European Agency for Cybersecurity
Co-organised by the European Liberal Forum (ELF). Co-funded by the European Parliament. The views expressed are those of the speakers alone and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Parliament or the European Liberal Forum.