Europe is drawing lines in the digital sand. Leaders across the EU are actively working to limit the role of US and Chinese technology firms in two areas they consider strategically vital: cloud computing for government services and satellite spectrum allocation.
The effort isn’t theoretical anymore. On April 17, the European Commission awarded a €180 million sovereign cloud tender to four European companies under its new Cloud Sovereignty Framework. That’s real money going to EU-based providers, with non-European firms effectively shut out of the bidding.
The Cloud Sovereignty Framework and what it actually requires
To get in, cloud providers need to demonstrate operational control by EU entities, supply chain transparency, and full compliance with EU law. The framework sets the template for how Europe plans to evaluate cloud providers going forward, particularly when sensitive public-sector data is involved. Discussions are already underway about restricting non-EU cloud platforms from processing sensitive government information entirely.
The Digital Markets Act, the EU’s flagship competition regulation for tech platforms, is being expanded to include cloud and AI services as of April 28. That means the same regulatory teeth that Brussels has used to go after app store monopolies and search engine dominance will now apply to the cloud market.
