EU proposes “tech sovereignty package” to bolster domestic AI and chip industries - Sherwood News

• The European Union unveiled a "tech sovereignty" package on Wednesday aimed at reducing the bloc's reliance on American and Asian technology companies. • The initiative focuses on promoting European alternatives for hardware and services, specifically targeting chips, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence.

• Investors are comparing Salesforce and Braze to determine which technology stock offers a better investment opportunity heading into 2026. • Salesforce provides market dominance through scale and profitability, while Braze is characterized by rapid growth and high user engagement.

• A new report from June 2026 highlights evolving funding standards for early-stage startups across Eastern Europe, including Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, and the Baltic states. • Investors are shifting focus away from low costs, instead prioritizing founders who demonstrate high technical capability, proven customer evidence, and a global market strategy.

• The European Commission has unveiled a comprehensive new package of measures aimed at enhancing the European Union's technological sovereignty. • A central component is the new Cloud and AI Development Act, which seeks to streamline the deployment of data centers across the EU.

• The European Innovation Council (EIC) Accelerator has announced a €634 million budget for 2026 to support breakthrough startups and SMEs. • Funding opportunities across Europe vary significantly, ranging from early-stage grants of €30,000 to blended finance structures exceeding €12.5 million.

• June 2026 funding reports highlight significant capital flow into AI infrastructure, healthcare, and fintech, signaling a strong investor appetite for developer-facing products. • Major funding rounds include Modal's $355M Series C, Exa's $250M Series C, Mercury's $200M Series D, and OpenRouter's $113M Series B.

• The European Commission has introduced new tech sovereignty laws targeting the cloud, artificial intelligence, and semiconductor sectors. • These legislative measures aim to reduce the European Union's dependence on foreign technology providers and bolster the growth of domestic industries.

• The Renew Europe political group is critiquing the EU's Tech Sovereignty Package, arguing that the current approach is insufficient for the region's digital ambitions. • The group emphasizes that the Chips Act must be integrated with a Cloud and AI Development Act to effectively drive demand for European semiconductors and advanced AI.

• The European Commission has introduced a new digital sovereignty package aimed at reducing the EU's dependence on large global technology companies. • The initiative shifts focus from mere regulation toward an industrial policy, featuring a Cloud and AI Development Act, a Chips Act 2.0, and a new open-source strategy.

• A June 2026 supply-chain campaign compromised npm packages under the @redhat-cloud-services namespace, creating a global security risk for cloud and development teams. • Unit 42 advises investigators to analyze GitHub activity, CI/CD logs, and downstream dependencies to determine if malicious code entered pipelines or exposed deployment tokens.

• Policy makers are currently working to establish a coordinated AI-security regime focused on frontier models, critical infrastructure, and voluntary government reviews. • Simultaneously, cyber attackers are evolving their tactics by refining malware distribution and abusing familiar platforms to target ordinary users at scale.