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Microsoft Unveils European-Controlled Cloud Variants to Shield Data From US Access

Microsoft plans to roll out three variants by the end of 2025 under European management to comply with EU privacy laws.

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Overview

  • The new Sovereign Public, Sovereign Private and National Partner Clouds are designed to keep all customer data in Europe under local employee control.
  • Hardware security modules from Utimaco and partnerships with government-approved providers such as Delos Cloud will enable client-side encryption and regulated operations.
  • The Data Guardian protocol restricts administrative access to Europe-based staff and mandates local approval for any non-EU access requests.
  • Vice-chairman Brad Smith has committed to legally contest any US federal demands under the Cloud Act that conflict with European cloud operations.
  • The rollout forms part of Microsoft’s broader strategy to address EU businesses’ sovereignty concerns and reduce reliance on US technology providers.