EU Cloud Plan Criticised for Enabling US Data Access
The EU's new cloud initiative, aimed at increasing data sovereignty, is facing criticism. Industry experts fear a technical phrasing could open the door for US access under the CLOUD Act.
What happened?
The European Commission has presented a draft of its new cloud policy intended to define "sovereign" cloud services within the bloc. The initiative, part of the broader EU Data Strategy, aims to increase Europe's strategic autonomy regarding cloud infrastructure. Criticism is directed at a specific technical definition of what qualifies as sovereign, which has sparked concern within European industry.
Key facts
| Källa för kritik | Europeiska molnindustrin |
|---|---|
| Berörd lagstiftning USA | U.S. CLOUD Act |
| Berörda amerikanska bolag | Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform |
”A technical formula on what counts as sovereign is prompting fierce reaction.”
Why it matters
The debate centres on the definition of data sovereignty and its relationship to foreign legislation. European companies worry that the current wording could be interpreted such that US authorities, via the U.S. CLOUD Act, could gain access to European data stored in cloud services operated by American firms, even if these clouds are physically located within the EU. This undermines the purpose of increased data sovereignty and strengthens the position of US tech giants in the European market.
Who is affected?
This primarily affects European cloud service providers who fear distorted competition. European companies and public entities using cloud services are also affected, as they may be forced to accept potential US access to their data. American cloud giants such as Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform are the direct beneficiaries if the criticised wording remains.
Impact on the EU
According to Politico, concerns regarding a US "backdoor" are already significant among member states, indicating that this issue will play a central role as the EU's cloud strategy is implemented. A technical formulation defining cloud sovereignty is the specific point of intense criticism within the EU. The outcome will have direct consequences for technical standards and certification processes for cloud services within the union.
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