Many notable European companies, such as Deutsche Telekom, Orange, and Airbus, have expressed worries about a plan permitting tech giants such as Amazon, Google, and Microsoft to bid on significant EU cloud computing contracts.
Belgium has introduced this proposal with the goal of creating a certification scheme (EUCS) to safeguard the cybersecurity of cloud services within the EU.
However, the new proposal eliminates previous requirements for US tech giants to partner with EU-based companies to handle customer data within the EU to qualify for the EU cybersecurity label.
In a joint letter to authorities and senior Commission officials, the companies argue that including EU headquarters and European control requirements is crucial to prevent unlawful access to data under foreign laws. They specifically cite concerns about laws like the US Cloud Act and the Chinese National Intelligence Law.
The companies highlight the importance of maintaining sovereignty requirements, similar to those in Europe’s Gaia-X cloud computing platform, which aims to reduce the EU’s reliance on Silicon Valley giants.
They warn that removing these requirements could hinder the competitiveness of EU cloud providers against their larger US counterparts. Signatories to the letter include companies like EDF, OVHcloud, Aruba, Dassault Systemes, Ionos, Telecom Italia, Exoscale, Capgemini, and Eutelsat.
