Netherlands Pushes for European Cloud Sovereignty Amid U.S. Tensions

The Dutch parliament is urging the government to lessen reliance on U.S. software companies by creating a Dutch-controlled cloud platform. Motivated by recent U.S.-Europe relations, notably under Trump, the initiative aims to enhance European tech sovereignty. The effort highlights concerns about data control by U.S. tech giants.

The Dutch parliament has passed several motions urging the government to decrease its dependence on U.S. software firms by establishing a Dutch-managed cloud services platform. This push arises amid evolving relations with the United States, particularly during former President Donald Trump's tenure, which has heightened the urgency for technological sovereignty in Europe.

Marieke Koekkoek, from the pro-European Volt party, questioned Europe's comfort with figures like Donald Trump, Mark Zuckerberg, and Elon Musk having power over their data. Besides advocating for a national cloud platform, the motions suggest reconsidering the use of Amazon's web services and favoring European firms in public tenders.

This parliamentary decision coincides with European tech companies urging the European Commission to form a sovereign fund for investing in European technology. Technology expert Bert Hubert highlighted the need for requiring agencies to report on risks associated with reliance on U.S. cloud services, particularly with Microsoft's potential withdrawal in question.

(With inputs from agencies.)