Seven European Tech CEOs Demand Unified AI Competitiveness Push

Seven CEOs spanning Airbus, ASML, Ericsson, Mistral AI, Nokia, SAP, and Siemens published a joint op-ed in early May declaring Europe's technology competitiveness a crisis of its own making. The statement followed a direct meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Brussels. Nokia CEO Justin Hotard initiated the public call alongside the group.

The op-ed, published across several European media outlets, frames the next few months as decisive. The signatories argue that Europe shares a common value chain and common scaling challenges. The language is unusually direct: sovereignty and social cohesion are both named as stakes, not just economic growth.

Watch whether this produces a concrete policy response from the Commission or remains a coordinated lobbying signal. Mistral AI's presence matters most here. It is the only AI-native company in the group, giving the statement credibility on the capability side. The source is Nokia's newsroom.