European Commission registers initiative calling for a sovereign European AI domain
The European Commission has registered a European Citizens’ Initiative calling for a European digital space using the proposed .IA domain and measures to support what its organisers describe as European digital sovereignty in AI.
The European Commission has registered a European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) calling for the creation of a European digital space using the proposed .IA domain for what its organisers describe as ‘sovereign AI governance’.
The initiative proposes an EU framework for ‘High-Trust Digital Spaces’ and testing environments, or sandboxes, for ethical AI. It also calls for discussions with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and ICANN/IANA over the reservation, protection and allocation of the .IA namespace.
The organisers further propose that any .IA domain should incorporate existing European requirements on digital identity, AI oversight and data protection. These include the EU’s eIDAS 2.0 framework for digital identity, the AI Act and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
The Commission’s registration does not mean that it supports the initiative or agrees with its proposals. Registration only confirms that the initiative meets the formal conditions required for an ECI to be registered. The Commission has not assessed the substance of the proposals at this stage.
A European Citizens’ Initiative is a mechanism that allows EU citizens to ask the European Commission to consider proposing legislation in an area where it has the power to act. To trigger a formal Commission response, an initiative must collect at least one million valid signatures from citizens in at least seven EU Member States.
Following registration, the organisers have six months to begin their 12-month signature collection period. If the required threshold is reached, the Commission must examine the initiative and decide whether to take action. It must explain its decision, including if it chooses not to propose legislation.
The initiative therefore does not create a .IA domain or establish any new EU rules on AI or domain names. Any such measures would require further action through the relevant EU and international processes.
The Commission said the initiative is one of 136 European Citizens’ Initiatives it has registered since the mechanism was introduced in 2012.
