Assessment by the Association for the Promotion of IT from Europe (ITE)
Global supply bottlenecks, new European regulations and growing demands for digital sovereignty will force companies to make strategic decisions in 2026. According to the Association for the Promotion of IT from Europe (ITE), these factors are increasingly changing how IT infrastructures are planned, procured and operated. For European IT providers and users, five key developments are emerging that will have a significant impact on the coming year.
1. Memory shortages and rising prices for RAM and SSDs
The ongoing AI and cloud boom is tying up global production capacity for high-performance memory modules. As a result, classic DRAM modules and SSDs for servers, workstations and edge systems are becoming scarcer and more expensive. Companies are therefore forced to plan their storage strategies early, bundle their requirements and examine alternative procurement models. Long-term supply agreements and suppliers who can provide transparency about their supply chains are becoming increasingly important. According to ITE, this situation will continue to shape the market at least through the first half of 2026.
2. Digital sovereignty as a procurement factor
The discussion about digital sovereignty has evolved from a political debate to an operational decision-making criterion. In addition to price and performance, aspects such as data sovereignty, legally compliant data processing in accordance with EU law and the availability of components are becoming increasingly important. For companies, this means that IT procurement and operating models must also take geopolitical risks and new reporting requirements into account. This affects not only IT departments, but also purchasing, compliance and security managers, as well as operational management.
3. Sovereign cloud offerings and European data rooms
Sovereign cloud platforms and European data rooms are increasingly becoming real alternatives in the market. The focus is on controllable multi-cloud architectures, clearly defined exit strategies and consistent data storage in accordance with European law. Providers with European added value and GDPR-compliant services are increasingly able to combine these requirements with technical quality and thus differentiate themselves.
4. European semiconductor strategy: delayed impact
With the EU Chips Act and national support programmes, Europe is pursuing the goal of reducing its dependence on semiconductors. New manufacturing capacities are being built, but will only take full effect in the coming years. In the short and medium term, bottlenecks in memory chips and certain logic components will remain. It is therefore becoming strategically important for European IT manufacturers to enter into partnerships with European production sites at an early stage and to include the origin of key components in their product planning.
5. Supply chains, sustainability and new reporting requirements
Regulatory requirements such as the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the gradual introduction of the Digital Product Passport are increasing the pressure on companies to provide transparent information on emissions, material use and supply chains. Even though there is still uncertainty in Germany about the specific details, it is foreseeable that Scope 3 emissions, recyclability and the origin of IT products will be given greater consideration in tenders in the future. Suppliers who can provide structured data and demonstrate short, European supply chains will thus significantly improve their market position.
European IT suppliers as a factor of trust
The combination of global uncertainties, regulatory pressure and the desire for digital independence strengthens IT providers with high European added value. Public contractors and operators of critical infrastructures in particular are increasingly relying on partners who can provide verifiable evidence of data security, sustainability and origin. European providers are thus gaining in importance as a factor of stability and trust in the market.
‘2026 will show whether Europe is actually reducing its IT dependencies or merely shifting them,’ says Christian Herzog, Chairman of the Association for the Promotion of IT from Europe (ITE) and Managing Director of EXTRA Computer GmbH. ‘Companies that align their IT with European value chains, clear data sovereignty and traceable sustainability are less susceptible to bottlenecks and can more easily meet new regulatory requirements.’
About the Association for the Promotion of IT from Europe (ITE)
The Association for the Promotion of IT from Europe (ITE) was founded on 16 May 2025 in Giengen. The association’s goal is to strengthen digital sovereignty in the European IT sector and promote independent, sustainable and high-quality IT solutions. It does this through association and public relations work and a multi-level seal of approval that recognises IT hardware, software, services and research projects with a high proportion of European value creation, GDPR compliance and defined sustainability criteria.
