European researcher looks at prospects
Europe is step by step losing its grip on its digital future, warns Jean-Dominique Seval, Deputy CEO of researcher IDATE Digiworld. He was speaking to IT Europa at the launch of the 2017 edition of the DigiWorld Yearbook which reviews the state of Europe’s digital industries from comms to IT and consumer goods. Held at the London headquarters of Google, the message was one of concern at Europe’s ability to compete with the likes of well, Google. This happens, he said, “Because we are no more leading in mobile, in IT, in artificial intelligence.”
“Brexit will also weaken Europe in terms of our digital future. Because the giants like Google, Amazon, Apple will not have any difficulty at all with Brexit.”
Perhaps we have avoided Frexit in France, he added. “But the fragmentation of Europe is not a problem for the giants because they will adapt their systems. They are already established within different countries. Perhaps they will lose a bit of money because it will be more complicated, with different regulations, fiscality and so on. But they will adapt.”
But for European companies trying to establish European and global business, it will be more difficult. “So the fragmentation of Europe’s digital economy is not good news because we are weak and our competitors coming from US and China in the future will deal with the fragmentation.”