Amazon Web Services (AWS) has launched a new cloud service located entirely in Europe, aiming to address growing concerns among European users over data security and reliance on U.S.-based technology providers. The new offering, called the AWS European Sovereign Cloud, is designed to operate independently from Amazon’s existing global cloud infrastructure.
AWS said the European Sovereign Cloud’s data centres are both physically and legally separate from the company’s U.S.-based servers. As the world’s largest cloud provider, Amazon is positioning the service as a secure alternative for governments, public sector bodies, and enterprises with strict data residency and sovereignty requirements.
According to AWS Germany Chief Technology Officer Michael Hanisch, the new cloud is engineered to continue operating even in extreme scenarios, such as if the European Union were disconnected from the internet or if the United States imposed restrictions on software exports. This level of independence is intended to reassure customers that critical services and sensitive data would remain accessible within Europe under all circumstances, Reuters news report said.
Rising Demand for European Cloud Alternatives
European customers are increasingly seeking alternatives to predominantly U.S.-controlled technology platforms amid concerns over foreign government access to data. One key issue is the U.S. Cloud Act, which requires American companies to provide U.S. authorities access to data, even when that data is stored outside the United States.
These concerns have fueled demand for sovereign cloud solutions that ensure data remains under European legal jurisdiction. AWS’s move reflects a broader shift in the market, as cloud providers compete to meet heightened regulatory and compliance standards across the region.
Microsoft and Google, the other major U.S. cloud providers, are also expanding their European offerings to address similar concerns. Microsoft allows European customers, upon request, to store data exclusively in European data centres. Google has announced significant investments in Europe, including a 5.5 billion euro commitment to expand its data centre footprint in Germany.
Major Investment in European Infrastructure
AWS’s first European Sovereign Cloud data centre is currently under construction in the German state of Brandenburg, which surrounds Berlin. Additional data centres are planned across Germany and other European countries as part of a broader expansion strategy.
Hanisch said AWS plans to invest more than 7.8 billion euros in building and operating the European Sovereign Cloud infrastructure. The investment underscores Amazon’s long-term commitment to Europe and its ambition to serve customers with the most demanding data protection and operational resilience requirements.
AWS said the new cloud will include robust controls, sovereignty assurances, and legal safeguards designed to meet the needs of European governments and businesses handling sensitive and regulated data.
Operated Under European Control
To further reinforce data sovereignty, the European Sovereign Cloud will be operated and monitored by a German company. Its management and advisory board will be staffed by European Union citizens, and all employees involved in running the cloud will eventually be required to hold EU citizenship.
By separating governance, operations, and infrastructure from its global cloud platform, AWS is seeking to position the European Sovereign Cloud as a trusted, independent solution for customers concerned about data access, compliance, and geopolitical risk.
The launch marks a significant development in Europe’s cloud market and intensifies competition among global providers as governments and enterprises prioritize digital sovereignty, resilience, and regulatory certainty.
RAJANI BABURAJAN
