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Dutch Photon Bridge raises €10M for AI optical interconnect lasers

Netherlands News

Eindhoven-based Photon Bridge raises €10 million to scale laser production for optical interconnects in AI and telecom, addressing a supply chain bottleneck as AI clusters expand. The round, co-led by Amadeus APEX Technology Fund and 360 Capital, follows a €4.75 million Seed in January 2025. Photon Bridge

Investigation uncovers Palantir’s €1.4bn contracts across Europe

Belgium Netherlands News

A consortium led by Dutch outlet Follow the Money finds Palantir holds €1.4bn in European contracts, with growing resistance from governments and public bodies. Belgium’s defence and foreign affairs ministries have ruled out working with the firm, mirroring similar stances by its federal police. (THENERVE) ‘A new kind

Dutch cloud sector alarmed by US request for Amsterdam server seizure

Netherlands Italy News

Dutch cloud providers express concern after Dutch authorities seized an Italian server in Amsterdam at the request of US agencies. The case involving Autistici/Inventati highlights the need for Europe to reassess data-sharing agreements with the US to strengthen digital sovereignty. (NLTIMES) Dutch cloud services concerned over US request

French supermarkets hit by cyberattack disrupting refrigeration systems

France Netherlands Belgium Germany Greece News

A cyberattack last week targeted refrigeration systems in French supermarkets, including Intermarché and Carrefour, forcing retailers to discard spoiled food. The incident prompted EU-level coordination and highlighted vulnerabilities in operational technology across Europe's food supply chain. France's Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu personally managed the response.

Netherlands halts Microsoft 365 rollout over digital sovereignty

Netherlands News

The Dutch Tax and Customs Administration cancelled its Microsoft 365 cloud deployment due to digital sovereignty, security and encryption concerns. An on-premises email and calendar system will use Microsoft software, with open-source storage and collaboration tools planned for 2027–28. (ZDNET) Dutch tax authorities cancel Microsoft 365 cloud

ABN Amro risks US sanctions over services to ICC

Netherlands Payment and banking News

ABN Amro risks US sanctions for providing services to the International Criminal Court, which could exclude it from the global banking system. The case underscores Europe’s exposure to extraterritorial US financial controls and digital sovereignty risks. (NRC.SOCIAL) Dutch bank ABN Amro risks US sanctions over services to ICC,

ASML reports record €11.7 billion Q3 2026 sales

Netherlands News

Dutch semiconductor equipment supplier ASML reported third-quarter 2026 sales of €11.7 billion, a 25% increase from the previous quarter, driven by surging AI chip demand. Net income reached €5.0 billion, while the company raised its 2028 capacity ambitions beyond earlier plans. (EENEWS EUROPE) ASML hits record €11.

Dutch police seize Italian provider's server at US request

Netherlands Italy News

Amsterdam police raided a data centre at Amsterdam Science Park to seize a server belonging to Italian open-source hosting provider Autistici/Inventati, acting on a US legal assistance request. The provider, which hosts about 20,000 left-wing and anti-capitalist groups, faces US designation as a terrorist organisation.

Dutch tax authority scraps Microsoft 365 cloud plan

Netherlands News

The Dutch tax authority has abandoned plans to adopt Microsoft 365, opting instead for open-source alternatives as part of a broader shift toward digital sovereignty. The move follows similar initiatives across the Netherlands to reduce reliance on proprietary software and Windows systems. (ZDNET) Dutch tax authorities cancel Microsoft 365

ICC switches to European tech after US sanctions block American services

Netherlands Government and public News

The International Criminal Court in The Hague was designated a sanctioned entity under US Executive Order 14203 in October 2026, cutting off access to American software updates, licenses and cloud services. The Court urgently migrated to European providers to maintain operations, highlighting Europe's exposure to US-controlled infrastructure.

European intelligence agencies raise alarms on China and Russia hybrid threats

Denmark Netherlands Belgium Italy Germany France Spain Poland News

European intelligence agencies warn of escalating hybrid threats from China and Russia, citing vulnerabilities in connected cars, university research and semiconductors. Dutch intelligence highlights risks in modern vehicles, while Danish assessments describe Russia’s hybrid campaign as escalating. The warnings complicate Europe’s balancing act between security, diplomacy and economic

Netherlands deploys NixOS-based desktop to bypass Microsoft ICC cut-off

Netherlands News

Eight Dutch municipalities are testing DAWO, a NixOS-powered Linux desktop environment developed by the government to maintain digital sovereignty after Microsoft discontinued the ICC protocol. The initiative aims to reduce dependency on proprietary software in public administration. (ITSFOSS) The Netherlands Built a Nix-Based Linux Desktop Because Microsoft Cut

SPRIND and NADI launch €40M challenge to reinvent chip design

Germany Netherlands News

Germany’s SPRIND and the Netherlands’ NADI launch a €40M challenge to accelerate European chip design innovation, aiming to reduce dependence on non-EU semiconductor technologies. The initiative targets strategic autonomy in critical tech sectors. (TECH.EU) TEKEVER raises $580M Series D, DTCP closes €455M defence fund, and the challenge

Germany and Netherlands launch €40 million AI chip design challenge

Germany Netherlands News

Germany’s SPRIND and the Netherlands’ NADI have launched a €40 million joint programme to accelerate AI-native chip design. The AI-Native Chip Design Challenge aims to reduce development timelines and strengthen Europe’s sovereign AI capabilities. Seven teams will receive €2.6 million each in Stage 1, with

Netherlands advances EU cloud sovereignty agenda

Netherlands News

The Netherlands is highlighted in Gaia-X Magazine for its role in strengthening Europe’s cloud sovereignty through domestic initiatives. The article underscores Dutch contributions to reducing reliance on non-EU cloud providers as part of broader European strategic autonomy efforts. Published in the June 2026 edition of Gaia-X

Eight NATO allies launch HALO satellite constellation initiative

Canada Denmark Finland Germany Netherlands Norway Sweden Turkey News

Eight NATO allies launch the HALO satellite constellation initiative to integrate nationally owned military satellites into a networked system. The project, announced at the NATO summit in Ankara, aims to enhance military resilience, communications and missile tracking. Denmark, Canada, Finland, Germany, Norway, the Netherlands, Sweden and Turkey are involved. (DEFENSE

Nebius plans $4.5bn bond issue to fund AI infrastructure

Netherlands News

Amsterdam-based AI infrastructure provider Nebius plans to raise $4.5bn through convertible notes to finance data centre expansion and GPU purchases. Funds will also support AI cloud development and contracts with Meta and Microsoft. The issue highlights Europe’s reliance on non-EU capital and supply chains for critical

EU financial firms face DORA penalties as enforcement begins

Belgium Italy Ireland Germany Netherlands Czechia Croatia Poland Bulgaria Payment and banking News

The enforcement era of the Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) has started after the European Supervisory Authorities published the first incident overview on 3 June 2026. National authorities are now cross-checking ICT risk management data and issuing penalties, with fines ranging up to 20 million euros or 10% of

Netherlands blocks Kyndryl's Solvinity acquisition over digital sovereignty

Netherlands News

The Netherlands has blocked U.S.-based Kyndryl's attempt to acquire Dutch cloud provider Solvinity, citing national security concerns. The decision reflects growing EU scrutiny over foreign control of digital identity infrastructure, including the deployment of EUDI Wallets, as biometrics consolidation accelerates. (BIOMETRICUPDATE) Biometrics consolidation reflects shift to

AI inference chips see surge in new architectures and European entrants

United Kingdom Netherlands Government and public News

New AI inference chips from OpenAI, Intel and startups like Fractile and Graphcore are set to launch in 2026, reshaping datacentre and edge AI compute. European efforts such as Fractile’s RISC-V-based architecture and Graphcore’s Izanagi chip aim to bolster digital sovereignty amid HBM memory shortages. The

Europe turns away from Palantir

Military and security Netherlands United Kingdom Switzerland Germany Denmark News

European governments are reducing reliance on US defence tech contractor Palantir over security and ethical concerns. The Netherlands demands a European alternative within two years, the UK plans to end NHS contracts by 2027, and Switzerland has rejected Palantir bids at least nine times. Germany and Denmark are also seeking

Netherlands blocks Solvinity sale to US tech giant

Netherlands Digital-ID News

The Dutch government has blocked the sale of Solvinity, operator of the DigiD platform used by millions, to US-based Kyndryl over US Cloud Act data access risks. Junior minister Willemijn Aerts vetoed the deal on 26 May 2026 to protect the public interest. (DutchNews) Dutch government blocks sale of