In a world where data is the new gold, digital sovereignty is becoming increasingly important. Who manages our data? Where is it stored? And under which legislation does that data actually fall? These questions are more topical than ever, especially now that more and more companies and governments are outsourcing their digital infrastructure to large, often American cloud providers.
That is why there is a growing call for a sovereign Dutch cloud – a cloud solution that complies with national and European laws and regulations, is physically hosted on Dutch soil, and is independent of foreign interference.
What is a Sovereign Cloud?
A sovereign cloud is a cloud infrastructure that:
- Hosted in the Netherlands or within the EU
- Managed by Dutch or European parties
- Complies with the GDPR and other relevant legislation
- Is protected from access by foreign governments (such as through the U.S. CLOUD Act)
The goal: maximum control over data, without being dependent on foreign technology companies with different legal and political frameworks.
Why is this important?
- Data security and privacyCitizens and companies must be able to trust that their data is safe – not only technically, but also legally.
- Independence and innovationDigital infrastructure is just as crucial as physical infrastructure. Independence in this promotes innovation and economic growth.
- Strategic autonomyGovernments and critical sectors such as healthcare, education and defense cannot afford to depend on foreign cloud platforms.
Concrete risks: things are already going wrong
The risks of dependency are not hypothetical – they are already a reality:
- Blocked accounts at critical institutions: For example, the Microsoft email account of an employee of the International Criminal Court (ICC) was recently blocked, exactly at a time when sensitive investigations were underway. This raises serious questions about control and access to crucial communication channels.
- Access to European data through foreign legislation: The American CLOUD Act requires American tech companies to also make data from European data centers available at the request of their government. This undermines European legislation and raises concerns about sovereignty.
- Worrisome vendor lock-ins: Many organizations become so dependent on one American cloud vendor that switching becomes almost impossible without high costs and risks.
The Role of the Netherlands
The Netherlands has the knowledge, infrastructure and entrepreneurship to be at the forefront of this. There are already initiatives such as the European GAIA-X and Dutch collaborations between public and private parties. The next step is cooperation, standardization and, above all, decisive policy.
Conclusion
A sovereign Dutch cloud is not a luxury or nationalistic aspiration – it is a strategic necessity. If we want to stay in control of our data, our infrastructure and our digital future, now is the time to invest in our own, reliable and transparent cloud solutions.
Would you like to discuss this further or collaborate on an initiative on sovereign cloud infrastructure? Let’s connect!
