“No single company or country can build a secure digital stack alone” — Microsoft, Ericsson launch Trusted Tech Alliance amid ‘digital sovereignty’ push

STOCKHOLM — Microsoft and Ericsson on Friday announced the formation of the Trusted Tech Alliance, a coalition of 15 technology companies that says it wants to strengthen “digital trust” and push back against what its organizers describe as the growing fragmentation of global tech standards. The effort comes as governments around the world accelerate “digital sovereignty” policies that favor local data storage, domestic suppliers, and tighter national control over critical infrastructure — a trend that companies say risks splintering the digital ecosystem into incompatible systems.

The alliance is built around five principles that include corporate governance, ethical conduct, secure technology development, adherence to global security standards across supply chains, and support for an open digital environment, according to a Reuters report and a joint announcement posted by Microsoft and Ericsson. Companies joining the alliance will self-attest that they adhere to the principles, with provisions for independent assessments.

Ericsson CEO Börje Ekholm framed the initiative as a response to both geopolitical pressure and technical reality. “No single company or a country can build a secure and trusted digital stack alone,” Ekholm said in Microsoft’s announcement, calling for “verifiable trust practices across the digital stack.” In comments reported by Reuters, Ekholm also questioned how “sovereignty” is being used in some policy debates, warning it can become a trade barrier.

Reuters reported that the group includes major players across cloud infrastructure, connectivity, software, and AI, naming members such as Google, Amazon Web Services, Nokia, SAP, Reliance Jio Platforms, and NTT. The coalition’s organizers said discussions began in mid-2025, with the alliance positioned as a first concerted attempt by a broad set of firms to develop shared expectations for trust and security practices regardless of where technology is designed and manufactured.

The announcement arrives amid rising European debate over how far “sovereignty” should go — particularly in cloud and critical systems — and how much dependence on U.S. platforms is acceptable for sensitive public and private operations. In a separate Reuters interview published Friday, Capgemini CEO Aiman Ezzat dismissed calls for full European tech autonomy as unrealistic, arguing that no nation controls the entire value chain and suggesting “tailored sovereignty” instead.

The Trusted Tech Alliance does not create a new regulator or certification body, and it does not replace government standards. Instead, it aims to set a common baseline for member behavior and supply-chain expectations that companies can use when working across borders — a pitch designed to reassure customers who are navigating rising compliance requirements and national-security scrutiny.