Europe's Tech Strategy: Sovereignty & the EU Cloud and AI Development Act

Join us at our next #BrusselstotheBay session 'Europe's Tech Strategy: Sovereignty & the EU Cloud and AI Development Act – A Fireside Chat with MEP Reinier van Lanschot'.

🎤 Featuring:

Gerard de Graaf, Senior EU Envoy to the US for Digital and Head of the San Francisco Office

Reinier van Lanschot, Member of European Parliament

Maria Dinzeo, Senior Reporter, Data Privacy & Security MLex

📍 Location: 1 Post Street, EU Office in SF & online

📅 Date: Tuesday, November 17th

🕕 Time: 5:00 -7:00 PM Pacific (doors open at 5:00 PM, discussion starts at 5:30 PM)

🎟 Admission and format: Free with registration (in-person and online), followed by a Q&A and a networking reception

Join us for a candid fireside chat with Reinier van Lanschot, Member of the European Parliament and co-rapporteur of the EU Cloud and AI Development Act, moderated by Maria Dinzeo, Senior Data Privacy and Security Reporter at MLex, with introductory remarks from Gerard de Graaf, Head of the EU Office.

As Europe seeks to strengthen its technological competitiveness and reduce strategic dependencies, the proposed EU Cloud and AI Development Act raises fundamental questions about the future of Europe's digital economy. What does technological sovereignty mean in practice, and how can Europe balance its ambitions for greater independence with the need to remain open, innovative, and globally competitive? This conversation will unpack the key priorities and proposals shaping the legislation, explore the trade-offs between sovereignty, security, and innovation, and examine what it will take to build a thriving European cloud and AI ecosystem. Join us for an inside look at the EU's evolving approach to technology policy, the choices facing European policymakers, and what Europe must do to become a genuinely attractive and competitive home for technology companies of all sizes.

Gerard de Graaf, Senior EU Envoy to the US for Digital and Head of the San Francisco Office

Senior EU Envoy for Digital and Head of the new EU Office in San Francisco, Gerard de Graaf has worked for more than 30 years in the European Commission across a wide range of policy areas. Until his recent appointment, he was director in DG CNECT, responsible for the Digital Services and Digital Markets Acts (DSA/DMA), two landmark pieces of legislation which have been recently adopted in the European Union to keep the Internet safe, protect fundamental rights and enhance competition in digital markets.

Reinier van Lanschot, Member of European Parliament

Reinier van Lanschot is a Dutch Member of the European Parliament for Volt, committed to a more democratic, sustainable, and united Europe. He works on strengthening European defense, EU-reform and European digital sovereignty. Before joining the European Parliament, he co-founded Volt Netherlands and co-led Volt Europa, the first pan-European political movement. He lives in the Netherlands in the city of Maastricht with his family.

Maria Dinzeo, Senior Reporter, Data Privacy & Security MLex

Maria Dinzeo is a San Francisco-based journalist with MLex, where she covers technology regulation, data privacy, artificial intelligence and the legal challenges facing the world's largest technology companies. Before joining MLex in 2024, she was a reporter at ALM Global, writing for publications including Corporate Counsel and The American Lawyer on technology policy, AI, privacy and cybersecurity, as well as the evolving role of corporate legal departments.

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If you have any questions, please email us at [email protected].