The “Cloud” Europe and Germany as the European Stabilizer

Abstract Since the global economic crisis emerged, the European Union confronts several and substantial challenges in its roots. The fundamental European vision of stability, growth, prosperity and economic convergence seems to be at stake, mainly, by the citizens of the countries that suffer from the consequences of lengthy austerity measures and economic recession. The European Union itself changed since 2009. As the Franco-German axis is crumbling, Germany – even reluctantly for some analysts – became the essential leading force in the EU and hard fiscal policies dazzled bright characteristics of the EU. Intergovernmental controversies are coming at the front of the stage once again. We argue that is time for the European Union to seek for another approach of itself, an approach beyond the narrow intergovernmental processes, beyond even the “spill-over effect” model that guided the monetary unification. The aim of this paper is to draw the “cloud Europe” approach, show its characteristics and attributes. The “cloud Europe” scheme, based upon the “cloud Computing” characteristics from the field of ICTs, can stimulate again the European vision, and revitalize the European cooperation in terms of positive and reliable aspects and not just in terms of heavy fiscal discipline. We use a theoretical adaptation from the ICTs’ area to the political field of the European organization and successful cases of best practices such as the progress of Estonia towards the digital economy and the growth of digital infrastructures. The leading role of Germany in an approach like that can turn the country into a European stabilizer.