Dozens of European cloud CEOs call for real tech sovereignty ahead of Cloud and AI Development Act

News
By published

CISPE warns of "sovereignty washing"

European Union
(Image credit: Shutterstock.com)
  • The European Commission is preparing for the upcoming Cloud and AI Development Act (CADA)
  • CISPE leaders are asking Europe's Tech Sovereignty EVP to carefully consider five requests
  • Reducing reliance on US hyperscalers could still take years

Twenty-four European cloud CEOs are urging the European Union to ensure that the upcoming Cloud and AI Development Act (CADA) actually protects European sovereignty, rather than just implementing token gestures.

In the letter addressed to EU EVP for Tech Sovereignty Henna Virkkunen, the leaders warn of "sovereignty washing," which could actually allow American hyperscalers to continue driving their dominance.

"This first comprehensive European cloud policy should strengthen Europe’s digital capacity by prioritising procurement and investment in sovereign European solutions that foster a competitive cloud ecosystem," they write.

Article continues below

CISPE-backed European cloud CEOs push for tech sovereignty

The letter sets out five core demands to Virkkunen: sovereignty by control, where the bloc focuses on ownership, governance and legal protection; resilience where sovereignty may not be possible; reserved procurement shares for European cloud providers where sensitive data is concerned; a push for competition and interoperability; and strategic investment in European companies.

The upcoming CADA aims to address concerns around US hyperscalers, with AWS, Azure and Google Cloud collectively accounting for around 70% of the EU's cloud market.

Adding to that, Microsoft has even stated that it cannot fully guarantee EU data sovereignty on the basis that it must comply with US legal orders.

However, even a considered balance of the upcoming CADA and CISPE-backed leaders' demands, it could take years or even decades for Europe to reach a position where it's no longer reliant on US tech.

"CADA is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to put Europe back on the front foot in the digital economy, and we must not squander it by legitimising ‘sovereignty-washing’," CISPE Secretary General Francisco Mingorance added.

The European Commission has not yet publicly responded to CISPE's letter.

Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!

And of course you can also follow TechRadar on TikTok for news, reviews, unboxings in video form, and get regular updates from us on WhatsApp too.

Craig Hale
Craig Hale

With several years’ experience freelancing in tech and automotive circles, Craig’s specific interests lie in technology that is designed to better our lives, including AI and ML, productivity aids, and smart fitness. He is also passionate about cars and the decarbonisation of personal transportation. As an avid bargain-hunter, you can be sure that any deal Craig finds is top value!

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.