On the occasion of the Franco-German Summit on Digital Sovereignty, we warmly invite you to a joint press conference featuring key digital policy-makers from the European Parliament, all part of the newly established Democratic Tech Alliance.
Digital sovereignty is not only about technological independence and economic competitiveness—it is also a fundamental pillar for safeguarding democracy in Europe. Ensuring secure, transparent, and accountable digital infrastructure strengthens citizens’ trust in democratic institutions and protects our societies from external influence and manipulation.
For the first time, these representatives from the pro-democratic Groups of the European Parliament will join forces to present joint demands to the Franco-German, EU governments and the European Commission—sending a strong signal for an independent and future-oriented European digital policy.
Registration is required for this event. To join the event online, please find the livestream link at the bottom of the page.
Photos and videos will be taken during this event to capture the atmosphere and document our event. By participating, you also agree that we may use your images and videos for marketing and promotional purposes, including publication on our website, on our social media, in printed marketing materials and in press releases. Our partners involved in the financing of this event and speakers may also have access to this content. If you agree to these terms and conditions and wish to participate in our event, you do not need to do anything else. Your participation constitutes consent to the use of your images and videos as described above.
Please note that your participation in the event is not conditional on your consent to the use of your images and videos. However, if you do not want your images and videos to be used, please let us know and speak to us directly at the event and we will take appropriate measures to protect your privacy. You can find our privacy policy here. Thank you for your understanding and support.
Speakers
Matthias Ecke is a German politician from the Social Democratic Party (SPD) and has served as a Member of the European Parliament since 2022. He studied political science, economics, and journalism at the University of Leipzig and Charles University in Prague, and later earned a Master of Public Administration from the Hertie School in Berlin. Before joining the European Parliament, he held senior advisory positions in the Saxon State Ministries for Economic Affairs and for Science and the Arts. His political work focuses on industrial policy, research and innovation, and ensuring a just and sustainable transformation across Europe. In Parliament, he serves on the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) and as Vice-Chair of the Subcommittee on Tax Matters (FISC). Based in Dresden with his family, Ecke is committed to strengthening Europe’s cohesion, democracy, and long-term resilience.
Alexandra Geese has served as a Member of the European Parliament since 2019. She is the digital expert of the Greens/EFA group, a co-founder of the Eurostack iniative and a leading advocate for digital sovereignty. As a key negotiator of the Digital Services Act, she has shaped legislation that strengthens Europe’s ability to set its own rules for digital platforms and online spaces. In Parliament, Alexandra Geese is a member of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE, the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM) and the Special Committee on the European Democracy Shield (EUDS). She serves as a substitute member of the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) and as a full member of the US delegation.
Michał Kobosko is a Polish politician, former journalist and think tanker. During his career he was editor-in-chief of several media outlets such as Forbes Polska, Newsweek Polska, Dziennik Gazeta Prawna and Wprost. After leaving the media industry he became a head of the polish branch of Atlantic Council. In 2023, he was elected as a Member of the Polish Sejm, where he chaired the Committee on European Union Affairs. Since July 2024 he is a Member of the European Parliament representing Poland 2050 party within Renew Europe group. His parliamentary work focuses on digital, energy, industry, as well as foreign affairs and security. He is particularly involved in the development of european digital infrastructure, Europe’s competitiveness, defence, preparedness and ensuring access to critical raw materials. He is a member of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE), recently serving as a shadow rapporteur on European technological sovereignty and digital infrastructure, and of the Committee on Petitions (PETI), where he is Renew Europe’s coordinator. Kobosko is also as a substitute member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET), Vice-Chair of the Delegation for Relations with Belarus (D-BY) where he actively supports Belarussian democratic opposition, and a substitute member of the Delegation for Relations with the United States (D-US).
Dr Sergey Lagodinsky is a German lawyer and author. He serves as Vice-President of the Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance (Greens/EFA) in the European Parliament, responsible for foreign affairs and digital policy. He is Co-President of the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly and a member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) and the Committee on Legal Affairs (JURI), as well as a substitute member of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE). Dr Lagodinsky also acts as the Greens/EFA spokesperson on transatlantic relations and Russia. He holds a law degree from the University of Goettingen and a Master in Public Administration from Harvard University, and obtained his doctorate in law from Humboldt University of Berlin. From 2003 to 2008, he served as Program Director and later as consultant at the Berlin office of the American Jewish Committee. He subsequently worked as an attorney at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP. From 2012 until his election to the European Parliament in 2019, he was Director of the Department for the EU, North America and Turkey at the Heinrich Boell Foundation. During the 9th parliamentary term, Dr Lagodinsky served as Chair of the EU–Turkey Delegation and as Vice-Chair of the Committee on Legal Affairs.
Axel Voss studied law at the Universities of Trier, Freiburg and Munich. From 1994 to 2000, he was a civil advisor at the EU Commission's representation in Germany. Afterwards, he worked for nine years as lecturer for European Affairs at the RheinAhrCampus of the College of Koblenz. He became a Member of the European Parliament in 2009, where he represents the Mittelrhein area, which includes the cities of Cologne, Bonn and Leverkusen and the districts Rhein-Sieg and Rhein-Erft. Axel Voss is EPP-coordinator for the Committee on Legal Affairs as well as deputy member of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs and from 2020 to 2022 member and rapporteur in the special Committee on Artificial Intelligence. Besides questions of European Law, his main area of expertise is the digitization of our daily life. For the European People’s Party group, he was among others (shadow-)rapporteur for the new Copyright Directive, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the Passenger Name Record Directive (PNR) as well as for the updated Eurojust Regulation. He also was (shadow-)rapporteur for the AI Act and the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive.
Moderator
Daniela Stockmann is Director of the Centre for Digital Governance and Professor of Digital Governance at the Hertie School. Her current research focuses on the interaction between government, platform firms, and citizens in the area of social media governance. She studies these interactions both in China and in Europe. Her forthcoming book “Governing Digital China” (with Ting Luo, in press with Cambridge University Press) challenges top-down notions of digital governance and explores the logic of citizen-influenced corporatism, highlighting bottom-up influences of China’s largest platform firms.