The European Commission announced on Tuesday (October 3) that it will start a collective risk assessment of four technology fields with its member states. This move aims to reduce the risk of technology security and technology leakage in the fields of advanced semiconductors, artificial intelligence, quantum technology and biotechnology. This could lead to restrictive measures such as export controls or development support for these technologies until spring 2024.
"We have all seen the risks of over-reliance, both during the Covid pandemic and now with the Russia-Ukraine war. Europeans are already paying the price," Commissioner Věra Jourová told a news conference in Strasbourg on Tuesday.
According to the committee, these technologies were chosen because of their "transformative" nature, the risk of civilian and military fusion, and the risk of being used to violate human rights.
The European Commission recommended the launch of these "collective risk assessments" as part of its Economic Security Strategy published in June.
What measures will be taken?
According to the European Commission, the collective risk assessment will be carried out in cooperation between the European Commission and member states and should be completed by the end of this year.
These risk assessments will then form the basis for any measures the EU may take to reduce the risk of technology leakage. The measures could be announced next spring, according to an official from the European Commission. However, it is unclear if or what measures will be taken.
The list of the four technologies "should not be interpreted as a list of technologies for which the EU will impose control measures," the official said, arguing that the measures could also be supportive or could lead to closer cooperation with partner countries.
"Only after the risks have been identified, discussions will begin on how to mitigate them using EU and national-level instruments, always following the principle of proportionality," Jourová said.
Commissioner Thierry Breton added that "protection does not mean protectionism - I insist on that again". He noted that other countries, including the United States, Japan, Australia and the United Kingdom, have a similar list of technologies that they are evaluating for the risks they pose to security.
Reduce risk
The EU's stated goal is to "de-risk" rather than "decouple" trade relations, and this move is a tentative step towards this goal.
Agathe Demarais, senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, said in written comments: "By publishing this list, the EU is also keen to show that it is developing its own European de-risking strategy and is not just following the United States in this area."
The recommendation does not mention specific countries that will be targeted, but it is clear that China will be one of the main targets for risk assessments due to its size and its central role in many supply chains.
"The assessment will not be country-specific, but of course we will take geopolitical factors into account," an EU official told reporters.
Other technologies
In addition to the above four technologies, the European Commission also listed six other technologies that it hopes to open a dialogue with member states:
Advanced connectivity, navigation and digital technologies
Advanced sensing technology
space and propulsion technology
energy technology
Robotics and autonomous systems
Advanced materials, manufacturing and recycling technologies
Breton calls these ten technology areas "strategic technologies for EU strategic autonomy and security".
However, the EU is still in its infancy in implementing a real economic security strategy, as interests and geopolitical concerns remain divided among member states.
ECFR's Demarais said: "The de-risking discussion has created divisions among EU member states. This will make it difficult for the EU to take decisive de-risking measures. Without consensus on China, any de-risking efforts will prove to be a difficult task."