This year's Mobile World Congress in Barcelona has become an arena for the fight over the technological autonomy of the Old Continent. Faced with the dominance of the US and China, the Spanish government announced a fund worth 100 million euros for the development of sovereign artificial intelligence. The telecommunications industry, represented by leaders such as Telefónica and Ericsson, is calling for market consolidation, warning against Europe turning into a "technological museum."

Fund for Digital Sovereignty

The Spanish government has allocated 100 million euros to support companies developing European artificial intelligence and data sovereignty.

Criticism of European Regulations

The CEOs of Ericsson and Telefónica warn that Europe is becoming a "museum" due to overly restrictive regulations hampering investments.

Innovations in Medicine and Navigation

Telefónica is implementing a quantum computer to fight cancer, and Indra is developing the Celeste system to improve GPS precision.

The Mobile World Congress 2026 in Barcelona was dominated by debate over the state of Europe's technology sector and the need to build its own solutions in the field of artificial intelligence. The overarching theme became the slogan of digital sovereignty, understood as independence from the algorithms and infrastructure of suppliers from the US and China. Spanish Minister for Digital Transformation Óscar López announced the mobilization of 100 million euros for domestic companies participating in projects of pan-European significance. These funds are intended to support companies developing, among others, the IndraMind project – an initiative to build Europe's "digital brain," which is to guarantee data security and the Community's decision-making autonomy. Simultaneously, the telecommunications industry is sounding the alarm over a lack of competitiveness. The CEO of the company <przypis title=

Mentioned People

  • Óscar López — Spanish Minister for Digital Transformation and the Civil Service.
  • Börje Ekholm — Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Swedish corporation Ericsson.
  • Marc Murtra — President of the Spanish technology company Indra.