France's OVHcloud May Replace Microsoft Azure In Major EU Cloud Shake-Up

The European Commission is reportedly in talks to move its cloud services away from Microsoft Azure, according to Euractiv. Per the news outlet, the information came via three senior sources familiar with the matter. Apparently, France-based OVHcloud is the front-runner in these discussions. While other European cloud service providers like IONOS, Scaleway, and Aruba are also being considered.

Well, this isn’t just about performance or pricing. It’s part of a broader push for European digital sovereignty. In simpler words, the European Commission wants tighter control over where its data is stored and who can access it.

The urgency has been shown by the Commission after a U.S. executive order reportedly led to Microsoft shutting down access for an EU institution employee. Since then, concerns about relying too heavily on U.S. cloud services have grown louder in Brussels.

The move would set a precedent. As Euractiv points out, once the Commission switches its cloud service providers, national public administrations may follow, funneling contracts toward European tech firms.

Two of the Commission’s key departments—DG CNECT and DG DIGIT—are now overseen by one Commissioner, Henna Virkkunen, whose portfolio includes tech sovereignty. That’s reportedly also helping speed up talks and coordinate priorities across policy and infrastructure.

An OVHcloud spokesperson confirmed the news outlet about ongoing talks to the news outlet. The spokesperson said:

Discussions are indeed underway, both with the Commission and with other public and private institutions and organisations that are evaluating projects to migrate to a sovereign cloud.

A Commission spokesperson also reportedly confirmed that it “has a contract with OVHcloud.” However, there was no confirmation whether the European Commission would replace Microsoft Azure. More recently, there were reports about Denmark moving away from Microsoft 365 and Windows in favor of open-source software.

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