EU moves closer to joining US-led Pax Silica tech alliance

The European Union is on track to formally join Pax Silica, a United States-led initiative aimed at building a global technological alliance and reducing dependence on Chinese supply chains. EU member states have given preliminary approval, with a final decision scheduled for 8 June.

The move aligns with Brussels’ broader push for technological sovereignty and comes on the same day the European Commission presented a package intended to curb the bloc’s reliance on digital technologies imported from outside the EU.

EU ambassadors give green light to Pax Silica

According to EU sources, member state ambassadors meeting in Brussels on Wednesday granted the European Commission a preliminary mandate to sign the Pax Silica declaration on behalf of the entire Union. The formal political decision is expected to be taken by ministers on 8 June at a meeting in Luxembourg.

Pax Silica, whose name translates roughly as “silicon peace”, was launched by the US State Department at the end of 2025. Until now, only a handful of EU countries had joined the initiative individually, including Finland, the Netherlands, Greece and Sweden. For the European Union as a whole to participate, all member states must consent to giving the Commission the authority to sign.

A US-led technological alliance beyond China

The core objective of Pax Silica is to create supply chains for semiconductors and microprocessors that do not rely on China. The declaration sets out a framework for like-minded countries to cooperate on critical technologies and the infrastructures that support them.

The text of the declaration states that the parties commit to a shared vision of deepening economic partnership through joint actions in areas such as investment security practices, infrastructure and incentives. It calls on signatories to work together across key segments of global technology supply chains.

Key areas of cooperation under Pax Silica

The declaration highlights a wide scope of strategic technologies and supporting industries where partners are encouraged to cooperate, including:

• Software applications and platforms
• Advanced foundational models and other cutting-edge digital technologies
• Information connectivity and network infrastructure
• Computing power and semiconductors
• Advanced manufacturing and industrial capabilities
• Transport logistics
• Refining and processing of minerals
• Energy-related infrastructure and technologies

By coordinating policy and investment in these areas, the initiative aims to build resilient value chains that are less exposed to geopolitical risk and concentrated suppliers.

Technological sovereignty at the heart of EU strategy

The EU’s decision to move towards joining Pax Silica coincides with the European Commission’s announcement of a package focused on technological sovereignty. The package is designed to cut Europe’s dependency on digital technology suppliers from outside the bloc.

While the Commission did not single out specific countries, the initiative is clearly shaped by concerns over both China and the United States. China remains a key supplier of rare earth elements and other critical minerals, while US-based platforms continue to dominate the EU’s digital landscape.

According to the Commission, more than 80 percent of products, services and intellectual property in the digital sector used in the EU originate outside the Union. This imbalance has sharpened political pressure in Brussels to secure more control over core technologies, infrastructure and data.

Tensions with US tech giants and regulatory pushback

Efforts to reduce dependence on US digital platforms have already led to significant regulation, including the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which targets the market power of major online gatekeepers. These rules have drawn criticism from Washington, where parts of the US administration see them as discriminatory towards American technology companies.

The EU’s move towards Pax Silica therefore sits at a sensitive intersection: on the one hand, Europe is seeking tighter strategic alignment with the US on critical technologies and supply chain security; on the other, it is pushing regulatory frameworks that directly affect some of the largest US-based firms.

Who has already joined Pax Silica?

In addition to several EU member states that have signed on individually, a broader group of US partners have already endorsed the Pax Silica declaration. Countries that have joined include:

• United Kingdom
• Australia
• Japan
• South Korea
• Israel
• United Arab Emirates

The list underlines Washington’s ambition to assemble a wide coalition of advanced economies around shared standards and secure technology supply chains, particularly in semiconductors and related sectors.

Polish diplomacy and Pax Silica

Pax Silica has also featured in bilateral diplomatic contacts. On 14 May, the initiative was among the topics discussed in a meeting between Polish foreign minister Radosław Sikorski and US ambassador to Poland Tom Rose. The conversation illustrates how the initiative is being woven into wider foreign policy and security dialogues between Washington and European capitals.

Implications for the global tech landscape

If the EU formally joins Pax Silica in June, the initiative will gain significant political and economic weight. A coordinated EU-US approach to semiconductors, critical minerals, infrastructure and advanced computing could accelerate efforts to diversify away from Chinese-dominated supply chains.

At the same time, the EU will have to balance its goals of technological sovereignty with its regulatory agenda and its desire to maintain room for independent policy vis-à-vis both the US and China. How Brussels manages this balance will shape Europe’s role in the emerging global technology order.