The European Commission of the EU has awarded a €180 million ($212 million) sovereign cloud contract to four European providers for a six-year term. The contract, which was awarded to Post Telecom, StackIT, Scaleway, and Proximus, follows strict criteria covering strategic, legal, and environmental requirements. These criteria include supply chain transparency, technological openness, compliance with EU laws, and alignment with the EU’s digital sovereignty objectives.
The Commission’s Cloud Sovereignty Framework requires providers to limit control by non-EU entities over infrastructure and services, ensuring data and access controls used by EU institutions. The selected providers will operate through partnerships and consortia, with some including non-European technologies to meet sovereignty requirements.
In addition to the sovereign cloud tender, the Commission is preparing a broader Tech Sovereignty package, which includes measures to harmonize requirements for sovereignty in cloud and AI services in the EU single market. This package aims to expand procurement opportunities and support the entry of additional cloud and AI providers.
The issue of digital sovereignty has become a focal point in the European public sector, particularly due to reliance on US-based cloud providers. The dominance of US-based companies like Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud in the European cloud market has raised concerns about data protection and access by US authorities under the CLOUD Act.
Overall, the Commission’s efforts to strengthen Europe’s digital sovereignty through sovereign cloud services and regulatory initiatives are aimed at enhancing control over important technologies and infrastructure while ensuring compliance with EU laws and regulations.
