Security Risks of Critical Dependencies: How to Secure Europe's Technological Sovereignty in Times of Geopolitical Crises

Maintaining technological sovereignty and securing critical value chains is increasingly a pressing matter of security for Europe. The continent’s critical infrastructure, communication networks, health care systems, and ultimately its capacity to respond effectively in the event of crisis or outright war, rely on essential technologies, particularly on semiconductors. Yet, Europe continues to depend heavily on foreign fabrication facilities and foreign expertise, leaving the continent exposed to significant supply chain vulnerabilities. International trade and division of labor are key drivers of prosperity, but their advantages need to be balanced with the vulnerabilities they create. Geopolitical tensions and trade conflicts constitute an ever-growing threat to Europe’s ability to defend itself for as long as it is not able to procure or develop critical technologies independently or with reliable partners.

At our EconPol roundtable at the Munich Security Conference 2025, we addressed this conundrum with a lineup of 20 invited high-level leaders and experts from politics, industry, academia, and international organizations. Together with our main speakers, we explored the question: which strategies are needed to address dependencies in critical infrastructure and how to maintain Europe’s defense stance.

A study by the ifo Institute and EconPol Europe examining the interdependencies and complexities of global semiconductor production was presented during the conference.