Amazon has unveiled plans to launch the Amazon Web Services European Sovereign Cloud, a strategic move to bolster data privacy for highly regulated industries and the European public sector.
This independent cloud infrastructure will be exclusively located within Europe, distinct from Amazon's other cloud operations.
CNBC reports that the move responds to the pressing demand for businesses to adhere to Europe's stringent data privacy regulations while aligning with the continent's goal of achieving "digital sovereignty."
A Closer Look
The European Sovereign Cloud project promises a host of key features designed to enhance data security and control.
Among them, customers using this system will be able to store specific data within the European Union. Crucially, only AWS employees residing within the EU's 27-nation bloc will manage the operations and provide support for this sovereign cloud, ensuring the highest levels of data protection and governance.
Amazon emphasized in a statement that "Customers will have the control and assurance that AWS will not access or use customer data for any purpose without their agreement, as well as access to the strongest sovereignty controls among leading cloud providers."
Digital Sovereignty
One of the paramount drivers behind introducing this cloud solution is the notion of "digital sovereignty."
While the exact definition remains somewhat nebulous, it centers on the European Union's efforts to bolster its technology sector and establish stringent rules for data storage and transfer, emphasizing retaining control over it.
As more government agencies and critical businesses transition to public cloud providers like Amazon and Microsoft, concerns have been growing within the European Union about data residing on servers operated by non-European companies.
Certain cloud functionalities may necessitate data transfer to and from the EU, leading to apprehension among businesses and lawmakers that entities outside the EU may access data. Amazon's European Sovereign Cloud appears to be a response to these concerns.
Max Peterson, the Vice President of Sovereign Cloud at AWS, noted, "The AWS European Sovereign Cloud reinforces our commitment to offering AWS customers the most advanced set of sovereignty controls, privacy safeguards, and security features available in the cloud."
The Need for 'Sovereign' Clouds
CNBC tells us that for years, the European Union has been wary of its reliance on foreign cloud providers, especially those from the United States.
Europe has sought to counteract the growing dominance of cloud giants with initiatives such as Gaia X, which aims to connect various cloud providers in the region to offer businesses more diversified service choices.
Other major US technology companies have also recognized the demand for "sovereign" cloud services in the EU. Google Cloud, for example, introduced features last year that restrict access to European data to EU residents within the bloc. Microsoft, on its part, released its "Cloud for Sovereignty" features to enhance customer data control.
The AWS European Sovereign Cloud will provide customers with low latency and high availability, consistent with what they expect from existing AWS Regions.
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