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Thomas Reynaud, DG of Iliad, emphasized the need for faster administrative approvals in France to build a €2 billion AI data center in Seine-et-Marne, which currently faces three years of authorization delays. He noted that while it takes less than a year to build data centers in the U.S., France's stringent regulations, including seasonal wildlife studies, hinder progress.

Reynaud advocates for a European Buy Act to allocate 25-30% of public contracts to European providers, highlighting Scaleway's existing contracts with various companies and institutions. He also discussed Iliad's investment in a sovereign cloud solution, which avoids non-European legislation, and urged France to maintain its academic excellence to foster innovation.