Europe's Bold Push for Sovereign Search Engines Challenges Big Tech
A Franco-German venture is pushing for Europe to build its own search engines. The European Search Perspective (EUSP) has launched sovereign search indexes for France and Germany, aiming to cut reliance on foreign tech firms. The move follows a pledge by EU leaders to reduce digital dependencies made just 100 days ago in Berlin.
EUSP is developing a search index called Staan, designed to cover 50% of France's and 33% of Germany's search queries by the end of 2025. The system is privacy-focused and has been available to search engines and AI developers since summer 2025. Unlike existing platforms, Staan operates independently and allows third parties to access its index, fostering competition.
The group argues that search engines are vital for both democracy and the economy. Currently, 99.5% of Europe's search queries are handled by U.S. and Russian companies. EUSP warns that losing access to these services could threaten €18 trillion of Europe's GDP, risking economic collapse. No other EU country has yet announced plans for a national search index. EUSP has sent open letters to all 27 member states, urging them to follow France and Germany's lead. The organisation frames search infrastructure as a strategic public good—similar to energy grids or telecoms networks—and has offered to extend its initiative across the continent.
The project marks the first concrete step toward European digital sovereignty in search technology. If successful, it could shift control away from foreign providers and create a more competitive market. For now, only France and Germany have committed to building their own indexes.
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