"Buy European" / "Use European" is a deeply unserious and reactionary mantra that assumes software and hardware manufactured and designed in Europe is inherently the "safest" and "most secure". Or if not, then "safer" than their AmeriKKKan or their Chinese counterpart. Or if it is not "safe" at all then it is assumed it is "less unsafe".
It's reactionary, because it reinforces ideals for European nationalism and only ever came up so far when Trump got elected. It also necessarily espouses the Great Man Theory because of that, which you seem to entertain there.
If Europe or European companies were serious about security and privacy, they would do well to decouple from GAFAM. The reality is that European institutions all use Microsoft or Amazon to host their websites, use Google or Microsoft for their office suite software (save for a few and far between insignificant instances of LibreOffice use), use Instagram/Facebook/Twitter/etc.. for public communication, as well as promotional and marketing purposes, and so on.
If the EU had any skin or teeth, they would actually enforce their GDPR regulations and not allow any GAFAM in Europe. Instead, they are essentially allowed to continue to operate, the "fees" GAFAM pay for violations of GDPR rules are basically only chump change and can be made back within hours.
And finally, the EU routinely invests in spyware to be used within and outside their borders. It's no surprise it deservedly doesn't get the traction Europeans want.
The real solution, which correctly transcends any and all borders, involves advocating for Free/Libre Open Source Software and Hardware. It shouldn't be hard to understand why.
Sources:
- EU funds are flowing into spyware companies, and politicians are demanding answers
- The EU Funds Surveillance Around the World: Here's What Must be Done About it
- AI mass surveillance at Paris Olympics – a legal scholar on the security boon and privacy nightmare
- Investigation of the use of Pegasus and equivalent surveillance spyware
- 20 biggest GDPR fines so far [2024] (the fines in question are negligible, and only serve to line the pockets of the rich)
- Female health apps aren’t doing enough to protect sensitive data, study says