EU awards its €180 million sovereign cloud contract to four European providers
The European Commission has awarded a significant €180 million contract for its sovereign cloud infrastructure to a consortium of four European providers. This move underscores the EU's commitment to fostering digital sovereignty and reducing reliance on non-European cloud services. The initiative aims to secure sensitive data and critical digital infrastructure for European institutions. The awarded contracts have been distributed among Post Telecom (in partnership with CleverCloud and OVHcloud), StackIT, Scaleway, and Proximus. The Proximus consortium notably includes S3NS, a joint venture between Thales and Google Cloud, indicating that technology not solely developed in Europe can still meet the "sovereign" criteria if operated under stringent European data governance and operational control. This framework is set for a six-year duration. This development directly impacts European public sector bodies and potentially other organizations handling sensitive data, offering them greater control and security over their digital operations. The broader implication is a strengthened European digital ecosystem, encouraging local innovation and creating a more competitive landscape against established global hyperscalers, thereby enhancing the EU's technological independence.
Curated and translated by Europe Digital for our multilingual European audience.
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