Go European: Discover European products and services

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Alternative projects & scope

  • Commenters link several similar directories for European-made products and privacy‑friendly web services, plus a related browser extension.
  • Some note the rebranding from “Buy European Made” to “Go European” as a shift from just products to broader culture, tourism, and services.
  • The directory includes non‑EU Europe (e.g. UK, Switzerland, Norway) and some non‑European firms; for many users “non‑US” is already a key criterion.

Privacy, analytics, and cookie-law complexity

  • Multiple threads debate why a “pro‑European” site is using US hosting and Google Analytics instead of European analytics providers.
  • There is an extended, nuanced discussion of GDPR and the ePrivacy Directive:
    • Functional cookies (login, carts) generally don’t need consent.
    • Tracking/analytics often do, regardless of whether cookies or fingerprinting are used.
    • Plausible’s “no cookie banner needed” claim is seen as legally shaky in some jurisdictions.
  • Several participants push back against the idea that EU privacy compliance is “simple”; others argue the principles are clear but hard only if you want invasive tracking.

Data sovereignty and distrust of US providers

  • A major theme is that recent US policies (tariffs, CLOUD Act, threats to cut or seize services/territory, perceived alignment with Russia) make the US an unreliable partner.
  • Many argue Europe urgently needs to reduce dependence on US tech stacks (cloud, SaaS, payments, chips) for security and political autonomy.
  • Some extend this logic to China and other authoritarian states; others say current urgency is specifically about the US.

Economic nationalism vs globalization

  • One camp sees “buy European/Canadian” as rational defensive de‑risking and a tit‑for‑tat response to US trade aggression.
  • Another worries about a wider slide into protectionism, arguing free trade and global specialization historically raised welfare, and that retaliatory tariffs harm consumers.
  • There is meta‑discussion on whether boycotts work; examples from cars and fast food are cited as mixed evidence.

Gaps, constraints, and EU tech culture

  • Commenters highlight missing or weak European alternatives in key areas: GPUs/AI hardware, card networks (Visa/Mastercard), Amazon‑scale e‑commerce, and some SaaS.
  • Shipping inside Europe is criticized as expensive and fragmented; better logistics are seen as crucial for “buy European” to be practical.
  • Several posts blame Europe’s risk‑averse investment culture and underdeveloped VC ecosystem for promising startups migrating or incorporating in the US.