Google, Microsoft, and Amazon, the industry leader in data storage, dominate the global market, raising questions in Europe about the possibility of US surveillance.
The French government said on Monday that if cloud computing technology established by Alphabet’s Google and Microsoft is licenced to French companies, some of France’s most crucial state and corporate data can be securely stored.
The statement, which is part of a strategic plan outlined by French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire and two other ministers, recognises the United States’ technological dominance in the region, in contrast to previous demands from European politicians for fully homegrown alternatives.
Google, Microsoft, and Amazon, the industry leader in data storage, dominate the global market, raising questions in Europe about the possibility of US surveillance following the passage of the US CLOUD Act of 2018.
However, Le Maire believes that a “trustworthy” cloud computing alternative can be established within Europe by ensuring that servers are located on French soil and that the companies that store and process the data are owned by Europeans.
Le Maire said at a news conference “We therefore decided that the best companies – I’m thinking in particular of Microsoft or Google – could license all or part of their technology to French companies,”
Companies that provide cloud computing services that follow the principles as stated by Le Maire and other criteria set by France’s cybersecurity agency ANSSI will be given the label of “trustworthy cloud”.
Minister for Digital Affairs Cedric O, said “We… hope that other Franco-American alliances will emerge in this area, which will allow us to have the best technology while guaranteeing the independence of French data,”
France’s updated cloud computing strategy is based on the Gaia-X initiative, which is led by France and Germany and aims to establish shared standards for storing and processing data on local servers while adhering to the European Union’s strict data privacy laws.