Digital Infrastructure Dependency and the Urgency of Strategic Autonomy
Defining The Critical Digital Backbone
To move beyond simply identifying dependencies, the Art Resilia study focused on control of digital infrastructure dependency. These structures ensure robust national digital sovereignty and require strict control over Critical Digital Infrastructures (CDIs) which are the foundational systems that process information, ensure connectivity, and underpin the entire digital economy. These include data centres, Internet Service Providers (ISPs), and core components like DNS servers and subsea cable networks.
An analysis of 65 key CDI entities operating in Portugal, including:
- ISPs
- Data centres.
This analysis reveals significant and positive national and European dominance, establishing a strong base for digital autonomy.
A Majority Under National Jurisdiction
The geographical location of corporate headquarters is predominant, as the framework for exercising sovereignty relies heavily on the legal jurisdiction where the organization is housed.
The findings demonstrate an impressive level of national alignment:
- Headquarters in Portugal: A large majority with approximately 82% of the CDIs analyzed have their headquarters located in Portugal.
- Data Centres Lead the Way: The heart of data storage and processing, show a particularly superior profile of autonomy. An estimated 37 out of 39 data centres analyzed are controlled by companies based in Portugal.
This centralization of legal control in Portugal limits exposure to entities outside the EU, which is crucial for maintaining national sovereignty and enforcing Portuguese and European laws.
Shareholder Strength and EU Alignment
Control extends beyond geographical headquarters to corporate ownership. The shareholder analysis further reinforces this national alignment:
- National and EU Capital: Nearly two-thirds of the shareholders reviewed are Portuguese or derived from other EU countries. This shared political and regulatory space within the EU provides a source that mitigates strategic risk.
- High Autonomy Ranking: When assessed using a six-level Scale of Control created by Art Resilia, the majority of critical entities demonstrate a high degree of autonomy.
- ISPs, over two-thirds of those analyzed operate with an elevated level of autonomy.
- Data centres show similar resilience, with roughly 71% of infrastructures classified within the highest autonomy levels.
A Strong Foundation
This structural control is deemed the most robust attribute identified in the overall study on digital sovereignty, ensuring that the operation and safeguarding of these critical assets occur predominantly under national or aligned European frameworks. While strategic risks exist, this strong foundation proves Portugal is strategically positioned to exercise control over its core digital backbone.
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Based on an in-depth analysis of some of the key dimensions that outline the Portuguese digital sovereignty, Art Resilia created a strategic study, laying bare the current state of Portuguese digital sovereignty.
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