MSC Technology Roundtable: A Transatlantic Agenda in Technology and Digital Policy

On December 2, 2020, the Munich Security Conference (MSC) hosted a virtual roundtable entitled "Peer-to-Peer Connection – Priorities for Transatlantic Cooperation in the Digital Sphere". High-ranking decision-makers and experts from the European Commission, NATO, national governments, business, international organizations, NGOs and think tanks discussed which priorities should guide the cooperation between the newly elected U.S. administration and the European Union in the digital space. Katrin Suder, Chair of the Digital Council,  Secretary Robert O. Work, Vice Chair of the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence and former United States Deputy Secretary of Defense, spoke at the event, which was moderated by MSC Vice-Chairman Boris Ruge.

The outcome of the US presidential elections opens the opportunity for a common transatlantic technology agenda. After four years with little progress in transatlantic cooperation on technology and digital policy, common priorities exist in numerous areas: From the establishment of a transatlantic consultation mechanism, to increased cooperation in research, development and standardization, to joint training and exchange of technology talent. There is also agreement on the fundamental need for a value-based implementation of digitization. At the same time, the prerequisites for a technology partnership "on an equal footing" must be created – for the EU this means in particular the creation of the European digital single market – and democratic partners beyond the transatlantic partnership must be involved. During the Technology Roundtable, the foundation of the Security Innovation Board chaired by the CEO of Siemens Energy, Christian Bruch, was announced, which will further deepen the Munich Security Conference's commitment in this field.

About the Cyber Security and Technology Series

Technology and digital issues have become central to the international security agenda. Discussions about cyber security, data collection and protection, and the security of critical infrastructure have been gaining in importance for years. At the same time, technological advances, such as in the field of artificial intelligence or quantum computing, have substantial implications – for conventional warfare, cyberspace and also outer space. Together with its partners such as Microsoft, Google, Facebook, Deutsche Telekom, NXP, Infineon, Siemens, and many others, the Munich Security Conference has established itself as a forum for exchange between decision-makers from the technology sector and defense and security policy since the start of the Cyber Security and Technology Series in 2012. From the Cyber Security Summits in technology centres such as Silicon Valley or Berlin, to the MSC Innovation Night, launched in 2018, and partnerships in key initiatives such as the Charter of Trust, the MSC has created diverse platforms at the interface between technology, innovation and security.