To this end, the alliance seeks to engage in dialogue with European policymakers, businesses and society to highlight the key role that routers and network technology play in securing Europe's digital and technological sovereignty.

Strategic blind spot

According to Safenet, the urgency of this initiative is underlined by a recent study by the Innovate Europe Foundation (IE.F): around 93 percent of European internet traffic runs through routers and home network gateways - the devices to which families entrust their banking data, medical records and private conversations. Mobile communications account for just 7 percent. Chinese manufacturers control just under 40 percent of this market. While the EU is taking active steps in areas such as cloud services and semiconductors, the central hardware interface for every form of digital communication and connectivity - the router - remains, in the view of Safenet, a strategic blind spot, often without users knowing who actually controls it.

On this basis, Safenet is addressing three core demands to European and national decision-makers:

• Transparency for users : Manufacturers and internet service providers must disclose where hardware, firmware and updates are actually produced or developed - including for white-label and provider products.

• Procurement: Public authorities, critical infrastructure operators and publicly funded institutions should rely on trustworthy European network technology - supported by exchange incentives and programmes for high-risk hardware.

• Priority and risk assessment: Routers and network technology must be recognised as a priority sector in the current debate on strengthening the sovereignty and security of the digital ecosystem.
  

European "Routher and Network Technology Security Toolbox"

Safenet suggests that Europe needs a "Router and Network Technology Security Toolbox" - analogous to the EU Toolbox for 5G Security - with a harmonised risk assessment and high-risk classification.

European manufacturers already provide sovereign, trustworthy and innovative technology solutions to serve the market. What has been lacking so far is the political will to recognise routers and network technology as a lever for digital and technological sovereignty and to create the corresponding regulatory framework.

The alliance is open to additional European manufacturers.