US cloud giants like Amazon, Microsoft, and Google are currently advertising “sovereign cloud” offerings for European companies. However, despite billions of investments in European data centers, a risk remains: the so-called “US CLOUD Act” still allows American authorities access to data – even if it is stored exclusively in Europe.
By Jan Nintemann and Jochen Siegle; Photo: Photo: Fujiphilm via Unsplash
Dr. Stefan Volck from the German cloud provider Connect4Video recently issued a strong warning: “The digital sovereignty of European companies is hanging by a thread.” Uncertainty has been growing since the dismissal of several members of the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board by US President Donald Trump in early 2025.
If the legal basis of the transatlantic data protection agreement were to disappear, European companies would once again be unprotected – similar to after the end of the Privacy Shield in 2020.
Green Business and Digital Sovereignty Belong Together
For companies in Europe, this means that strategies for digital sovereignty and sustainable transformation are urgently needed. These include transparent data flows, alternative legal instruments, and exit strategies in the event that US services fail or are no longer legally secure. More and more companies are therefore considering European cloud providers as a real alternative.
A secure, sovereign cloud is not only a technical question, but also central to a European Green Business strategy. After all, only those who retain control over data can build sustainable digital business models in the long term.
TransformIT Europe: Stage for Sovereign Sustainable Cloud and IT
The new TransformIT Europe trade fair and conference in Brussels is dedicated to precisely these topics. Sessions on the “sovereign cloud” were already the focus at the kick-off in May 2025.
The urgency was highlighted, among others, by Prof. Dr. Harald Wehnes. “Digital sovereignty has never been more important than it is today,” explained the computer science professor from the University of Würzburg.
He warns of the dangers of massive dependence – from cost explosions to blackmailability (“kill switches”) – and at the same time shows how Europe can act independently, self-determined, and securely in the digital space.
In view of the tense geopolitical situation, the main topic will be further explored there in May 2026 – for a secure, sovereign and sustainable Europe.
We are very much looking forward to the constructive exchange at TransformIT Europe 2026 from May 5th to 8th, 2026 at the Brussels Expo.
Sources and Links
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- https://www.heise.de/hintergrund/Wie-der-US-CLOUD-Act-das-europaeische-Datenschutzdilemma-verschaerft-10518058.html
- https://www.pclob.gov/
- https://www.it-business.de/was-ist-der-cloud-act-a-883c645b1c9f0edbf2988d96a7966b95/
- https://business-services.heise.de/it-management/cloud-computing/beitrag/dsgvo-und-cloud-act-rechtliche-risiken-beim-datentransfer-in-die-usa-4220
- https://www.transformit.eu/de-de/news/digitale-autonomie-europa-sucht-ausweg-aus-us-abhaengigkeit-opendesk-und-opencode-im-fokus/
- https://www.transformit.eu/news/sap-invests-20-billion-euros-in-sovereign-cloud-for-europe/