A former IT head's observation reveals why Belgian politicians historically outsourced critical services to US companies. The strategy aimed to protect domestic IT workers while limiting their potential influence over sensitive government systems. When threats emerged, officials preferred external providers who couldn't access internal communications.

That calculus shifted dramatically in 2025 as geopolitical tensions made foreign IT dependencies risky. Rather than empower local engineers with access to state secrets, politicians chose to maintain relationships with US tech giants despite mounting concerns about data sovereignty and foreign surveillance.

Belgium's upcoming Criminal Code now includes provisions that could criminalize the very arrangements politicians still defend. Section 5 covers political and intellectual collaboration while Section 6 addresses state secret violations, creating legal exposure for officials who maintain these partnerships.

The contradiction exposes a fundamental tension in European digital governance: leaders avoid empowering domestic technical expertise while accepting foreign dependencies that carry both operational and legal risks. This approach prioritizes short-term political comfort over long-term technical sovereignty.