Sun, 17 Aug 2025

Sun, 17 Aug 2025 Should Europe wean itself off US tech?

Just three US firms provide 70% of Europe's cloud-computing, leading to fears of overreliance.
The European Union (EU) is concerned that US President Donald Trump could potentially cut off Europe's internet access, a scenario known as the "kill switch". This concern has been discussed among tech industry and policy circles due to escalating tensions between Washington and Brussels. The EU relies heavily on American technology, with three US giants - Google, Microsoft, and Amazon - providing 70% of Europe's cloud-computing infrastructure. Some experts believe that an unpredictable Trump could use this leverage to gain control over the situation by ordering these companies to turn off their services in Europe. This would lead to a collapse of critical online services, including hospital IT systems. Microsoft, Google, and Amazon have responded to these concerns by stating that they offer "sovereign" cloud computing solutions that safeguard EU clients' data, making it impossible for the US government to access or block them. The lack of digital sovereignty in Europe has been a long-standing issue, with many countries relying heavily on American technology. The recent controversy surrounding Karim Khan's Microsoft Outlook email account after being sanctioned by the White House has brought this issue to the forefront. Experts believe that it is not impossible for the EU to move away from US technology and establish its own digital sovereignty. Many European companies are already working to provide alternative solutions, such as OVHCloud in France or Germany's T-Systems. However, they lack the scale and capabilities of their American counterparts. A senior analyst at Forrester believes that while moving to sovereign alternatives won't happen overnight, it is a feasible solution. He notes that many organizations are already phasing out Microsoft products in favour of open-source solutions like LibreOffice and Linux. Google has partnered with local EU suppliers to grant them control over client data encryption, while Microsoft has vowed to take legal action if the US government orders it to suspend services. However, experts believe that developing a European-based sovereign cloud may not be feasible due to the complexity and cost involved. Instead of focusing on eliminating American technology from the supply chain, experts recommend that Europe should focus on areas where it can gain an edge, such as industrial use of AI or next-generation chipmaking equipment.
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