About this publication
Technological sovereignty refers to a state's ability to preserve independent decision-making and operational capacity in critical technology domains. It encompasses the capability to meet strategic needs, develop key technologies domestically or secure reliable access to them through trusted sources, while avoiding excessive or asymmetric technological dependencies that could constrain national choices.
France's launch of its National Quantum Technologies Strategy in January 2021, supported by €1.8 billion in funding, provides a notable example of technological sovereignty in practice. By strengthening domestic research, technological development, and industrial capabilities across the quantum ecosystem, France sought to safeguard strategic competencies in a critical emerging technology and reduce external technological dependencies.
Technological sovereignty does not necessarily imply technological self-sufficiency. Rather, its primary objective is to preserve freedom of choice, strategic autonomy, and the capacity for independent action within an environment of global interdependence. The concept emphasizes the ability to make sovereign technological decisions without requiring the domestic production of every technology. Accordingly, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) distinguishes technological sovereignty from isolationism or the complete elimination of technological dependencies.