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8/8/25, 10:48 AM Digital Sovereignty Goes Beyond Compliance: Why Autonomy and Resilience Are Now Strategic Imperatives

Technology

Aug 07, 2025 202 20

Digital Sovereignty Goes Beyond Compliance: Why Autonomy And

Resilience Are Now Strategic Imperatives

In recent years, digital sovereignty has become a top concern among businesses and governments across EMEA. While much of the
conversation focuses on regulatory compliance, Julio Guijarro, Chief Technology Officer for Red Hat in the EMEA region, argues that digital
sovereignty is ultimately about autonomy and resilience—far beyond meeting legal mandates.

Guijarro, who has closely observed evolving customer demands in the region, points out that geopolitical instability is one of the core
accelerators of interest in digital sovereignty. Ongoing trade wars and sanctions are disrupting operations and underscoring the vulnerability
of organizations that rely heavily on non-local digital infrastructures.
From Compliance To Operational Resilience

A stark example came in 2022 when Amsterdam Trade Bank (ATB), a stable Dutch financial institution, was pushed into bankruptcy—not
due to financial mismanagement, but as a result of sanctions on its Russian parent company, Alfa Bank. The enforcement of sanctions
led cloud service providers to cut off access to ATB's core digital services, including email and banking systems. Despite ATB being fully
compliant with Dutch and EU law, the lack of operational autonomy proved fatal.

"This case underscores a critical truth: own compliance does not guarantee sovereignty or survival," Guijarro explains. "Organizations
that rely entirely on third-party infrastructure are exposed to external decisions beyond their control."

Another example is from Australia, where a major hyperscaler accidentally deleted superannuation fund UniSuper’s online account.
Fortunately, UniSuper had a third-party backup, allowing them to recover quickly. These incidents highlight the importance of contingency
planning and infrastructure decentralization.

Sovereignty Vs. Autonomy

While digital sovereignty often refers to government-led initiatives like GDPR or data localization mandates, Guijarro stresses the
importance of digital autonomy—the ability for an organization to continue operating even amid vendor failures or political disruptions.

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