A quantitative framework for assessing digital sovereignty

Abstract

Digital sovereignty is a political buzzword. However, there are diverging views on how to define and measure it. Throughout this study we propose the creation of a quantitative framework to measure digital sovereignty capabilities on a country's performance in three key areas: technology, government, and users. Through our analysis covering 123 countries, we have shown the different paths towards achieving sovereignty that are imprinted into how the countries contribute to the digital economy and reflect the asymmetries existing in the global value chains. The US and China both show a strong technological leadership, especially regarding emerging technologies, while the EU maintains a balance between innovation and regulations that the new strategies and MFF must address in order to become a relevant global player. • Digital sovereignty relies on balancing technology with the capacity of governments and users to control and utilize it. • The US and China have a higher technological sovereignty while the EU has prioritized a regulatory and user empowerment approach. • The EU exhibits has higher institutional capacity (74.93) yet lacks corresponding indigenous technological capabilities (42.22 vs. 71.18 in US)

The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Telecommunications Policy, 2026 · DOI ↗