Episode 28 - Trust Union - Why standards and trust are Europe's true strengths

00:00:00: We’ve known it for years. Europe must stand united. Reliable. Future-ready.

00:00:00: We say Europe must use its economic weight. Be able to act in critical moments. Operate globally on equal footing with the United States and China.

00:00:00: We are 27 countries. Each with its own strengths. Proud—each nation with its own history. Each of us is part of a living culture. That is Europe’s diversity. And our opportunity.

00:00:00: Right now, we’re seeing the pressure democracies are under.

00:00:00: So the question is: What can we rely on when it truly matters? What does that have to do with technology and innovation? That’s exactly what this episode is about.

00:00:00: It's great to have you back. I’m Sascha Block, your host of the Rock the Prototype podcast—and today we have a very important topic.

00:00:00: It’s about how we establish a European trust architecture. And why Europe’s future depends on standards, trust, and verifiable technology.

00:00:00: For our security. Critical infrastructure - software as well as hardware. For the prosperity of our society. For our education and social systems. As a shared foundation. Built on our European values.

00:00:00: Welcome to the Trust Union.

00:01:52: *Music* Rock the Prototype Song

00:03:30: Power and influence dominate. But what matters? What holds up? What’s responsible?

00:03:30: For the common good. For our society. For democracy.

00:03:30: Speed? Technological dominance?

00:03:48: For us in Europe, I’m asking a different question: How do we build trust — between states, technology, and people?

00:03:48: That is the Trust Union.

00:03:48: Not speed decides. Not money.

00:03:48: A mission can motivate — but it can’t carry the whole load.

00:04:05: What endures are standards. What endures are technologies we can trust.

00:04:05: That’s true for democracy as much as it is for bits and bytes. Simply true or false.

00:04:05: Imagine technology having to explain itself. To prove itself.

00:04:05: Imagine progress leaving traces that are transparently verifiable at any time. Provable.

00:04:05: That’s Europe’s opportunity.

00:04:50: We live in a time where everything is getting more complicated — but almost nothing is getting clearer.

00:04:50: Complexity is rising. Technologies evolve. But who still understands what’s actually running? And why?

00:04:50: Other nations answer with strength. With strategies. With tariffs. With dominance.

00:04:50: They think: dominance decides victory or defeat.

00:04:50: They say: Make us great again.

00:04:50: They say: If you show weakness, you lose.

00:04:50: They mean: The winner takes it all.

00:05:20: Europe says something different. Quieter. But sovereign.

00:05:20: Europe says: Trust is provable.

00:05:45: Trust emerges when technologies are open. When rules are clear. When software proves itself. Then accountability becomes visible.

00:05:45: An open internet doesn’t fall from the sky. Neither does interoperability. Digital sovereignty least of all.

00:05:45: They are built. With standards. With tests. With evidence. With discipline.

00:05:45: And yes — that’s painstaking. It doesn’t sparkle. It doesn’t make headlines.

00:05:45: But that’s exactly where Europe’s strength lies.

00:06:05: While others rely on command & control, Europe relies on strong standards — and on trust.

00:06:05: While others concentrate power, Europe distributes responsibility.

00:06:05: While others close systems, Europe opens interfaces.

00:06:05: That’s not a disadvantage. It’s a different model.

00:06:05: A model that says: technology serves people — not the other way around.

00:06:05: The state doesn’t command — it enables.

00:06:05: Innovation needs freedom — but also security.

00:06:05: In this episode, it’s about the craft of digital engineering. About IT architecture. About standards. About verifiable software.

00:06:05: It’s about whether we want technologies that sustainably serve the common good.

00:06:05: And technologies that positively shape our society.

00:06:05: Welcome to Rock the Prototype.

00:06:05: Today we’re talking about the Trust Union — and why trust is Europe’s strongest infrastructure.

00:07:30: Chapter 1: Why trust is an engineering problem

00:07:30: If trust is Europe’s strongest infrastructure, then we can’t leave it to hope.

00:07:30: Trust doesn’t arise because we promise it. And it doesn’t arise because we demand it.

00:07:30: Trust arises when technologies stand the test.

00:07:30: And this is exactly where it becomes concrete: trust is a technical state.

00:07:30: We trust technologies every day. Banks. Airplanes. Power grids. IT.

00:07:30: Not because we like the operators. Not because we want to believe them.

00:07:30: But because rules are clear. Because inspections exist. Because failures become visible.

00:07:30: Because trust has been established. And because systems are built to cope with failure.

00:08:24: An airplane doesn’t earn trust through intention — but through tests, redundancy, and traceable engineering.

00:08:24: And that’s exactly how trust is built — including in software.

00:08:24: We don’t trust a system because it means well.

00:08:24: We trust it because we can see how it works.

00:08:24: Because we can verify what it does.

00:08:24: And because we can understand why it works that way.

00:08:24: That’s not a feeling. That’s engineering. That’s human in the loop.

00:09:01: Software without tests doesn’t deserve trust.

00:09:01: Software without standards doesn’t either.

00:09:01: And software without evidence has no legitimacy.

00:09:01: A system earns trust when it’s explainable — when it’s testable.

00:09:01: When it systematically avoids errors — and keeps learning continuously.

00:09:01: And that’s exactly why digital sovereignty starts with standards and sovereign IT architecture.

00:09:01: With clear requirements. With standards you can actually implement.

00:09:01: With interfaces that are open. With evidence that holds up.

00:09:01: And that’s exactly why we now look at why trust always emerges wherever technology carries responsibility.

00:09:01: And why software we can’t verify can’t have lasting legitimacy.

00:09:01: It’s fascinating because it’s so logical: trust emerges through verifiable properties of systems.

00:10:15: Chapter 2 — Europe’s real strength: standards instead of mission.

00:10:15: Europe isn’t weaker— it’s built on stronger foundations.

00:10:15: Europe isn’t slower. Europe is precise.

00:10:15: Not out of convenience — but because Europe carries responsibility. For all 27 member states.

00:10:15: Europe builds differently because it is built differently: decentralized. Rule-of-law based. With many voices. With shared responsibilities.

00:10:15: That often feels cumbersome. In reality, it’s something else.

00:10:15: Europe works with invariants.

00:10:15: Invariants don’t change just because things get uncomfortable.

00:10:15: They still apply when power shifts, when interests collide, when it gets hard.

00:10:15: Law is one such invariant. Standards are, too. Responsibility as well.

00:10:15: Missions, by contrast, are variable. They change with cycles — with governments, with moods.

00:11:33: Europe doesn’t bet on missions. Europe bets on what lasts. And that’s exactly where its strength lies.

00:11:33: A union of European nations forces democratic processes.

00:11:33: The rule of law forces decisions to be justified.

00:11:33: That is the strength of the Trust Union.

00:11:57: The multi-stakeholder approach forces translation between technology, politics, and society.

00:11:57: That’s not a disadvantage. That’s a condition for trust at scale.

00:11:57: Because trust emerges where rules aren’t negotiable.

00:11:57: Where procedures are clear. Where decisions remain explainable.

00:11:57: That’s why standards are Europe’s shared language.

00:11:57: They enable trustworthy collaboration without losing control.

00:11:57: They enable progress without concentrating power.

00:11:57: Interoperability is a conscious surrender of power in favor of stability.

00:11:57: If you build interoperably, you give up lock-in.

00:11:57: You accept exchange. You allow comparability.

00:11:57: And that is digital sovereignty.

00:11:57: Not doing everything yourself — but being able to choose, to switch, and to understand systems.

00:11:57: Replaceability isn’t a risk. It’s the core of trust.

00:11:57: Because only what can be replaced can remain legitimate over time.

00:11:57: That’s the logic of the Trust Union.

00:11:57: High standards rooted in democratic values — invariants everyone can rely on.

00:13:31: Chapter 3 — Trust needs infrastructure.

00:13:31: Trust needs infrastructure that holds up.

00:13:31: Trust only scales where it’s carried by ethical values.

00:13:31: And trust is always also a load-bearing element inside our infrastructure.

00:13:31: That’s true not only for bridges and power grids — but in principle.

00:13:31: When power goes out for days in a European metropolis. When critical infrastructures suddenly feel fragile.

00:13:31: When political power openly ignores international law. When interventions happen without a sovereign mandate.

00:13:31: When territorial claims get loud again — as if geopolitics could be forced.

00:13:31: At the latest then, it becomes clear: trust does not come from power — only from high standards.

00:13:31: Trust in technology becomes concrete as soon as its actions become traceable.

00:13:31: When trust can be verified at any time — and, if needed, proven.

00:13:31: Where democratic action rests on applicable law — and that law itself follows high, verifiable standards.

00:13:31: Because every durable system of trust consists of the same core elements:

00:13:31: Evidence — reliable proof.

00:13:31: Root of trust — a dependable starting point.

00:13:31: Verifiable supply chains — responsibility doesn’t end at your own system boundary.

00:13:31: Transparency — visible at any time.

00:13:31: If any one of these elements is missing, trust remains fragile.

00:13:31: And what is fragile doesn’t scale. It doesn’t hold up.

00:13:31: Trust needs evidence.

00:13:31: In complex systems, trust must always be a valid system state.

00:13:31: Evidence means: a system can show what it does, how it does it, and why it works that way — at any time.

00:15:53: Root of trust — anchored in cryptography.

00:15:53: Every ecosystem needs a stable origin. A point where trust begins.

00:15:53: That applies to centralized as well as distributed systems — decentralized.

00:15:53: In all those places, a root of trust works — verifiable and clearly defined.

00:15:53: In digital systems, that origin is not an empty promise. It’s cryptographically anchored.

00:16:30: Transparency — being able to see, not having to believe.

00:16:30: Transparency — being able to validate and trace, instead of believing.

00:16:30: Transparency doesn’t mean revealing everything.

00:16:30: But the more transparency is implemented, the more durable a trust-capable infrastructure becomes.

00:16:30: Transparency means traceability.

00:16:30: If you make decisions, you must be able to explain them.

00:16:30: If you operate software, you must be able to show its behavior.

00:16:30: If you design algorithms, you must be able to disclose them.

00:16:30: Transparency is not an end in itself. It’s the prerequisite for making accountability visible.

00:17:25: Supply chains — trust reaches beyond your own code.

00:17:25: Modern software isn’t built in isolation. It’s built in supply chains.

00:17:25: Libraries. Dependencies. Infrastructures.

00:17:25: If you ignore this part, you ignore the biggest attack surface.

00:17:25: Trust without verifiable supply chains is an illusion.

00:17:53: Building blocks of a European system of trust.

00:17:53: When we talk about the Trust Union, we’re talking about building blocks — components of a coherent system.

00:17:53: DNS4EU creates a trustworthy namespace as public infrastructure.

00:17:53: Interoperable registers prevent data silos.

00:17:53: Data protection is not the obstacle.

00:17:53: The obstacles are missing evidence, poor data quality, and unvalidated processes and data.

00:17:53: Information security is created through demonstrably effective use of data.

00:17:53: Data protection and customer-centric thinking are never in conflict — they depend on each other.

00:18:47: The EUDI Wallet can anchor digital identity — if it is operated within a verifiable framework.

00:18:47: And if its trust properties are proven against clear acceptance criteria.

00:18:47: None of these building blocks are sufficient by their own. But together they form a system of trust.

00:18:47: Trust emerges when infrastructure carries responsibility.

00:18:47: And this is exactly where Europe’s approach differs fundamentally from other models.

00:19:24: Now let’s look at what that means for governance.

00:19:24: Because trust doesn’t end with technology. It begins there — and continues in accountability.

00:19:24: Governance is the framework that reliably locates responsibility.

00:19:24: Who decides must be visible.

00:19:24: Who operates must remain accountable.

00:19:24: Who delegates must not outsource responsibility along with it.

00:19:24: Good governance doesn’t describe ideals.

00:19:24: It clarifies roles.

00:19:24: It makes expectations explicit.

00:19:24: And it ensures responsibility doesn’t diffuse.

00:19:24: This is exactly where the circle closes between technology and trust.

00:19:24: Because systems that are verifiable need governance that actually fulfills that trust.

00:20:20: Artificial intelligence is considered the greatest innovation of our time.

00:20:20: That’s exactly why enthusiasm is not enough.

00:20:20: The greater the impact, the greater the responsibility.

00:20:20: And responsibility comes from diligence.

00:20:20: Diligence means: clear requirements. Clear assumptions. And clearly defined acceptance criteria.

00:20:20: Not to slow down innovation — but to make it durable.

00:20:52: Chapter 4 — The AI Act as an engineering task.

00:20:52: The AI Act is a manifesto. It’s the starting signal for a high standard.

00:20:52: Regulation rarely fails because of its goals. It often fails only in execution.

00:20:52: With digital transformation, translating into trustworthy standards becomes indispensable.

00:20:52: Artificial intelligence doesn’t scale linearly.

00:20:52: It acts across many contexts at once.

00:20:52: It decides, recommends, prioritizes — and it does so at scale.

00:20:52: That’s exactly what makes it powerful. And exactly what makes it demanding.

00:21:37: Anything with far-reaching impact needs clear requirements and precise acceptance criteria.

00:21:37: Translating regulation into real systems happens with proven methods.

00:21:37: Prototypes — to make assumptions visible.

00:21:37: Validators — to keep requirements verifiable.

00:21:37: Machine-readable rules — so interpretation doesn’t turn into deviation.

00:21:37: And audit pipelines — to confirm trust continuously, including in operations.

00:21:37: That’s exactly where regulation becomes effective.

00:21:37: As trustworthy infrastructure.

00:21:37: Because such infrastructure can, based on clear requirements and directly linked acceptance criteria, provide transparent proof that systems scale in a trustworthy way.

00:22:34: Chapter 5 — Why black boxes have no future.

00:22:34: Why black boxes can’t hold up.

00:22:34: Systems that can’t explain themselves can’t have lasting legitimacy.

00:22:34: That’s true for any system that aims to create positive impact sustainably.

00:22:34: Why black boxes work only in the short term.

00:22:34: Black boxes often look convincing.

00:22:34: They deliver results. Fast. Efficient. And seemingly reliable.

00:22:34: Especially in complex environments, that creates the impression that understanding is optional.

00:22:34: As long as everything works, nobody asks questions.

00:23:17: Why that doesn’t hold up long term.

00:23:17: But systems are dynamic. Risks materialize.

00:23:17: At the latest then, missing explainability becomes a problem.

00:23:17: Because if you can’t explain how a system decides, you can neither take responsibility nor correct the system.

00:23:17: Trust needs more than results.

00:23:17: Trust doesn’t arise because systems work in the short or medium term.

00:23:17: It arises because they guarantee trust over the long term.

00:23:17: That includes being open to questioning.

00:23:17: Systems that escape that create dependency — not stability.

00:24:01: The special risk of public intransparency.

00:24:01: Intransparency becomes especially critical where systems are funded with public money.

00:24:01: Because public funding creates public responsibility.

00:24:01: If mechanisms of impact can’t be traced, a structural risk emerges — not only technical, but institutional.

00:24:01: The consequence: black boxes may look capable in the short term.

00:24:01: In the long term, they undermine exactly what they promise: trust.

00:24:01: Future-proof systems must be explainable.

00:24:01: Not because product owners and those responsible should be curious by default — but out of responsibility.

00:24:47: Chapter 6 — The Trust Union as an offer.

00:24:47: Europe needs systems that last.

00:24:47: Trust emerges where infrastructure holds up.

00:24:47: Where standards are defined, lived, verified — and evolved iteratively.

00:24:47: Where education is understood as an amplifier of responsibility, understanding, and positive ability to shape outcomes.

00:24:47: The Trust Union is an offer.

00:24:47: An offer to think of Europe as a shared space of trust — based on high standards.

00:24:47: An offer to enable trust in infrastructure.

00:24:47: Through structures that are verifiable and endure long term.

00:24:47: Digital sovereignty is an architecture decision.

00:24:47: Thank you for taking the time.

00:24:47: For this perspective. For this path toward digital sovereignty that holds up.

00:24:47: Until the next Rock the Prototype podcast episode.

00:24:47: Yours, Sascha Block.