EU Prioritizes Cloud Sovereignty with €180M Investment in Top Providers
The European Union’s Digital Sovereignty Initiative
The European Union has taken a significant step towards strengthening its digital sovereignty by launching an initiative to promote the development and deployment of cloud services within the continent. As part of this effort, the EU has awarded a contract worth up to €180 million to four European-based providers of cloud services.
Key Objectives and Requirements
- Strategic independence from non-EU third-party influences
- Alignment with key objectives:
- Strategic considerations
- Legal considerations
- Operational considerations
- Environmental considerations
- Supply chain transparency
- Technological openness
- Security
- Compliance with EU laws
Awarded Providers and Partnerships
The contract was awarded to Post Telecom, which partnered with CleverCloud and OVHcloud. Stackit and Scaleway secured contracts independently. Proximus joined the list through partnerships with S3NS, a joint venture of Thales and Google Cloud, Clarence, and Mistral.
Future Developments
The European Commission plans to update its Cloud Sovereignty Framework with more detailed assessment criteria and apply those standards within its own digital services. This is part of the commission’s broader effort to enhance digital sovereignty, which includes:
- An Open Source strategy
- The Chips Act 2
- A roadmap for digitalization and AI in energy
- The Cloud and AI Development Act, which will define how sovereignty for cloud and AI services is applied within the single market
The awarded providers will deliver cloud services to EU institutions and agencies over the next six years, ensuring that the EU’s digital sovereignty is maintained and strengthened.
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