EU Needs Its Own Operating System, Finnish Minister Says

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Finnish Minister of Economic Affairs Katri Kulmuni wants the European Union (EU) to develop its own operating system and web browser, as reported by AP News this week. Kulmuni argued that this would "make our continent less vulnerable" and lower its dependence "on a few companies."

This news does not come as a surprise, as there have been long, ongoing debates about the security risks of the global IT infrastructure being hugely dependent on two big giants.

“In practice, being self-sufficient in the cyber world means, for example, creating a European operating system and www-browser. The EU could also act as the issuer of digital certificates,” Kulmuni said.

Kulmuni's hopes of an EU-specific OS and browser are also tied to cyber security concerns. She noted that in this space the U.S. and China are better-equipped.

The EU isn't the only body concerned about security risks from tech companies, of course. The Trump administration has its eyes on Huawei, worried about 5G developments at the Chinese manufacturer due to concerns of espionage. Other countries in the EU, as well as Australia, New Zealand and Canada, also have trepidation about Huawei.