This October 2025 position paper by the Association of Netherlands Municipalities (VNG) focuses on the urgent need to strengthen the digital autonomy of Dutch and European governments. It argues that excessive dependence on large, non-European tech companies poses significant risks to the continuity of municipal services, strategic policy choices and the protection of residents' data. To manage these risks, municipalities advocate collectivization of their digital efforts and endorse the national vision of digital autonomy and sovereignty. The VNG formulates six concrete objectives aimed at gaining direction, applying risk management and promoting open-source solutions and open standards, in which cooperation with other layers of government is considered crucial. This calls for joint steps in the areas of knowledge position, sovereignty over data, risk management and good procurement towards the market.
