Free ICT Europe Warns of “Sovereignty Gap” in Enterprise ICT

Calls for EU Recognition of the IT Aftermarket as Strategic Infrastructure

(IN BRIEF) The Free ICT Europe Foundation warns that Europe faces a “sovereignty gap” in enterprise ICT, where organizations technically own their digital infrastructure but lack real control due to dependence on non-EU vendors that impose restrictive licensing, limited support lifecycles, and barriers to independent repair and maintenance. Its policy paper argues that current EU digital sovereignty efforts focus too heavily on cloud and software ecosystems while overlooking the deeper reliance embedded in hardware, operating systems, and firmware, leaving businesses exposed to unilateral vendor decisions that can force premature upgrades, restrict access to security updates, and increase costs, risks, and e-waste. To address this imbalance, the foundation positions the independent IT aftermarket—including refurbishers, third-party maintenance providers, and used software resellers—as a critical component of Europe’s digital infrastructure, enabling organizations to extend system lifecycles, maintain essential operations, and reduce dependency on original manufacturers. It calls on the EU to formally recognize this sector, ensure long-term access to updates and spare parts, protect secondary markets, and align regulatory frameworks to support sustainability, competitiveness, and true digital sovereignty.

(PRESS RELEASE) BRUSSELS, 14-Apr-2026 — /EuropaWire/ — The Free ICT Europe Foundation has published a policy paper, “Closing the Sovereignty Gap: The IT Aftermarket as a Pillar of Europe’s Digital Infrastructure,” calling for the digital sovereignty agenda to include the strategic importance of lifecycle control for enterprise ICT hardware and software.

The paper highlights that while Europe’s policy focus often centres on cloud and office software ecosystems, a deeper dependency persists in the installed base of hardware, operating systems, critical software, and firmware. Much of this infrastructure is sourced from non EU vendors whose restrictive licensing, shortened support lifecycles, technical locks, and barriers to independent repair and maintenance limit user control. As a result, European organisations may own their digital infrastructure, but key elements of assets control remain externally governed — a form of pseudo‑sovereignty.

“Digital sovereignty is not the absence of dependency — it is the ability to manage and rebalance dependencies,” said Jan Hoogstrate, Executive Director of Free ICT Europe. “Europe cannot be sovereign if organisations are forced into premature upgrades, locked out of repairs, or denied security updates unless they remain inside vendor controlled support models.”
The paper notes that legislation has not kept pace with how digital products are controlled in B2B environments. Organisations are often exposed to unilateral vendor decisions over support, access, and functionality. This imbalance allows vendors to determine when systems must be upgraded, how long they remain supported, and who may repair or maintain the hardware and software. These practices weaken competitiveness, shorten lifecycles, increase e waste, heighten security risks, and undermine the EU’s Digital Decade and circular economy objectives.

Free ICT Europe positions the independent IT aftermarket — including refurbishers, IT Asset Disposition (ITAD) providers, third party maintainers (TPM and TPSM), and used software resellers — as a strategic sovereignty asset. By decoupling ICT ownership from original manufacturer control, the aftermarket enables organisations to extend life-cycles, maintain mission critical systems, reduce e waste, and strengthen resilience.

Close the sovereignty gap, the paper calls on the EU to:

• Recognise the IT aftermarket as strategic digital infrastructure
• Guarantee long term access to security updates, firmware, diagnostics, and spare parts
• Protect open secondary markets for hardware and software, including lawful licence transfer
• Prevent practices that block independent repair, maintenance, and reuse
• Align cybersecurity, sustainability, and competition rules to avoid premature obsolescence

Paper notes that many enterprise systems remain in productive use for 10–12 years or more, far beyond current regulatory support baselines or manufacturer provided support.

Media contact:

Free ICT Europe Foundation
contact@free-ict-europe.eu

Report: Closing the Sovereignty Gap: The IT Aftermarket as a Pillar of Europe’s Digital Infrastructure

FAQs

What is the “sovereignty gap” in enterprise ICT?
It refers to the mismatch between ownership and control, where organizations own their IT systems but lack full authority over updates, repairs, and lifecycle decisions due to vendor restrictions.

Why is the IT aftermarket considered important?
The IT aftermarket enables organizations to extend the lifespan of hardware and software, maintain systems independently, reduce costs, and improve sustainability by avoiding unnecessary replacements.

What risks arise from vendor-controlled ICT ecosystems?
Vendor control can lead to forced upgrades, limited access to security updates, restricted repairs, higher costs, increased e-waste, and potential security vulnerabilities.

What changes is Free ICT Europe calling for?
The Free ICT Europe Foundation is urging the EU to recognize the IT aftermarket as strategic infrastructure, ensure access to updates and spare parts, protect secondary markets, and prevent restrictions on independent repair and maintenance.

How does this issue impact sustainability goals?
Shortened product lifecycles and forced upgrades contribute to higher e-waste, undermining the EU’s circular economy and environmental objectives.

How long do enterprise ICT systems typically remain in use?
Many enterprise systems continue operating effectively for 10–12 years, which exceeds the support periods typically offered by manufacturers.

SOURCE: Free ICT Europe Foundation