Civo urges UK to adopt 'Tech Sovereignty Agenda' for digital future

Civo has launched its 'Tech Sovereignty Agenda', outlining seven principles aimed at reshaping the United Kingdom's technology strategy.

The agenda urges the government to adjust its approach to the technology sector, with particular emphasis on strengthening domestic innovation and reducing overreliance on overseas providers. It calls for changes to government procurement, data protection policies, and investment rules to better safeguard the UK's digital landscape.

Sector concerns

Recent Civo research highlights growing apprehension within the sector, with 83% of UK technology leaders reporting that evolving geopolitical developments could threaten their control over critical data. The issue of sovereignty and resilience has become more pronounced in light of contemporary global tensions, making digital infrastructure a focal point for economic and national security priorities.

Civo referenced the government's Chronic Risks Analysis, which acknowledges the dangers associated with dependence on a small number of global technology suppliers. This concern is echoed by the Competition Markets Authority, which has stated that "competition is not working."

Seven principles

The 'Tech Sovereignty Agenda' proposes seven principles intended to guide policymakers and business leaders as they consider new policy frameworks. The principles include:

• Sovereign Procurement: Amend the UK's procurement system to prioritise providers that are both UK-owned and operated for highly sensitive workloads, such as those concerning national security, energy, and government departments.
• Resilience First: Place limits on how much critical infrastructure can rely on a single vendor and require arrangements that use multiple suppliers.
• Transparent Investment: Ensure that foreign investment promises are clear and detailed, specifying deliverables, locations, and responsible parties.
• Partnership of Equals: Guarantee that investments into the UK produce benefits shared domestically and reduce net outflows of capital.
• Data Protection: Set defined safeguards for UK data, protecting it, where feasible, from orders and inquiries from authorities outside the UK.
• Sovereign Cloud: Make the establishment of a UK sovereign cloud a national security priority, using technologies that grant the UK autonomy over its digital assets.
• Homegrown Backing: Make government support for UK tech competitiveness a core part of policy, reflected through ongoing investment and strong political support.

Views from leadership

Mark Boost, CEO of Civo said: "Our Tech Sovereignty Agenda is a call to action to seize the opportunities of UK tech. We have seen plenty of investment in recent months in the UK - all good news. What we need more of is a recognition that the UK's tech future cannot be entirely outsourced abroad. It is too important and we have too much to offer at home. We need to bring together the best of global tech with a thriving homegrown sovereign tech ecosystem, protecting our digital infrastructure from overreliance on a few foreign firms, and giving the UK the opportunity to thrive on its own terms in this brave new world."

The agenda outlines a structured approach for embedding resilience, transparency and national benefit into policies that shape the UK's digital ecosystem. The principles intend to inform discussions on the government's long-term strategies for economic growth and security.

With digital sovereignty becoming an increasing priority for many developed economies, Civo's agenda seeks to prompt a balanced assessment of the UK's place in the global technology environment and its capacity to assert greater control over its digital future.