eco is celebrating its 25 years of existence this year under the motto of “Internet with Responsibility”. At the same time, the concept of digital sovereignty is being discussed increasingly in the media, politics, and parts of the Internet industry. But what does digital sovereignty actually mean and how does it relate to the anniversary motto? We asked Alexander Rabe, Managing Director of eco – Association of the Internet Industry, for his thoughts.

Beyond, of course, the health consequences and the impact on public life, the worldwide spread of COVID-19 means that many people are now staying put at home. This also has an impact on Internet use: With 9.1 Terabit data per second, the Frankfurt Internet exchange DE-CIX set a new world record on 10 March. This shows that functioning digital infrastructures are indispensable for a functioning economic structure and social life and are needed more urgently than ever in Europe.

Today, the German Federal Environment Minister Svenja Schulze presented Germany’s Environmental Digital Agenda. On this topic, Dr. Béla Waldhauser – Spokesperson of the Alliance for the Strengthening of Digital Infrastructures in Germany, which was founded two years ago under the umbrella of eco – had the following to say: “Digitalization and digital enterprises form part of the solution to achieving climate goals.”

We are looking forward to a keynote talk by State Secretary Klaus Vitt, Federal Ministry of the Interior, Building and Community on the topic of IT security challenges in a connected world. Registration is only possible with a personal code, which you will receive with an invitation via email or post.

Digital sovereignty in the form of high-performance and secure digital infrastructures is a key success factor and decisive for the future viability of Germany as a business location. This is the opinion of the overwhelming majority (80 percent) of decision-makers in German companies, according to the results of a current representative survey commissioned by eco.

eco participates in consultation on the 3rd Amendment of the German Telemedia Act, with the core message: Website blocking without judicial decisions causes legal uncertainty for Wi-Fi operators and impedes Germany's international competitiveness.

The German Federal Network Agency has declared the 5G spectrum auction closed. According to eco Board Member Klaus Landefeld: “The end of the 5G spectrum auction marks a fundamental milestone on Germany's path to becoming a networked industry location and society."

On the start of the 5G spectrum auction today, eco Board Member for Infrastructure & Networks Klaus Landefeld comments: “It is in principle a positive signal Germany as an industry location, and and a good day for Digital Germany, that the starting gun has been fired for future-oriented digital infrastructure and innovation.”

The main topic of the Digital Summit taking place in Nuremberg on 3 and 4 December is  that of artificial intelligence. AI is a decisive future technology and represents a crucial market for Germany as a digital location. In order to conquer this important technology field, the Alliance to Strengthen Digital Infrastructures in Germany argues that an integrated AI strategy is needed, with high-performance digital infrastructures being a crucial pillar of such a strategy.

The BMVI has just published its new funding policy for Germany’s broadband development program. From the point of view of eco, the reconfiguration of the funding program is an important, but by no means major, step on the road to implementing gigabit networks. An urgent need for action nonetheless remains.