This week around a hundred protests are being held across the European Union against data centres. Their organisers are calling for a moratorium on building large facilities until there is an EU-wide framework for sustainable data centres. Demonstrations are also taking place in Spain.
A journalist has asked for my position as co-rapporteur of the Cloud and AI Development Act (CADA) — precisely the regulation whose aim is to accelerate the roll-out of the computing infrastructure these protests seek to block. I believe the best response is not a headline, but an argument. This is the one I shared.
The concerns are legitimate and deserve examination
Europe needs a serious, fact-based debate about the development of data centres and their role in our economy. I fully respect the concerns raised by local communities regarding energy, water and environmental protection. These concerns deserve proper examination.
However, when claims are made about public health, electricity prices, employment or environmental damage, they must be supported by verifiable evidence. That is the starting point for any responsible public decision.
Not all data centres are the same
We should avoid treating all data centres as if they were identical. Modern facilities use different technologies, including closed-loop cooling systems that can significantly reduce direct water consumption. Their environmental footprint depends on their design, location, energy supply and operational characteristics. Generalisations that ignore these differences do not provide a reliable basis for policymaking.
The same principle applies to their economic contribution. Assessing a data centre solely by the number of permanent jobs inside the facility overlooks the wider investment cycle, including engineering, construction, equipment, maintenance and the economic activity supported by digital infrastructure.
A data centre’s footprint depends on its design, location and energy supply, not on generalisations
Examine the evidence, not who makes the claim
As legislators, our responsibility is not to accept or dismiss claims based on who makes them. It is to examine the evidence and determine which conclusions are justified.
This is particularly important when discussing proposals for a general moratorium on new data centres. Such a measure would require a clear assessment of its necessity, proportionality and consequences, as well as an explanation of why targeted environmental safeguards and appropriate infrastructure planning would not be sufficient.
Develop and protect, at the same time
Europe must be able to develop the digital infrastructure needed for innovation, economic competitiveness and technological resilience while ensuring that environmental requirements are effective and based on measurable impacts.
Our objective with the Cloud and AI Development Act is to contribute to a regulatory framework that enables responsible investment, protects legitimate public interests and makes decisions on the basis of evidence rather than generalisations.
