EU moves to cut reliance on external tech with sovereign cloud investment

The European Commission has awarded a €180 million sovereign cloud contract to four European companies as part of its goal to reduce the European Union’s dependence on external technology.

The Commission announced that the tender—aimed at strengthening digital independence—will allow EU institutions, bodies, and agencies to purchase sovereign cloud services worth up to €180 million over six years, CE Report quotes Anadolu Agency.

According to the statement, the contract was awarded to Post Telecom, StackIT, Scaleway, and Proximus. This means EU institutions will source cloud services from Europe-based providers.

The Commission noted that this step will strengthen its strategic control over key technologies and infrastructure. It also aims to increase the use of European cloud infrastructure and promote more secure, auditable, and EU-compliant digital services within public institutions.

Sovereign cloud

A sovereign cloud refers to a cloud computing environment in which an organization’s or country’s data is hosted, managed, and stored in full compliance with local laws, data privacy regulations, and technological control standards.