From stranglehold to room to manoeuvre: why digital sovereignty is a priority now
By Cyso Cloud on
Last updated on
The Dutch government, healthcare institutions and vital businesses find themselves in a digital stranglehold. Recent research by the Dutch NOS shows that as many as 67 per cent of the more than 16,500 domain names examined are linked to American cloud services. Microsoft alone holds a 49 per cent market share. From email to electronic patient records, from Teams meetings to the hosting of critical websites: the dependence is deep and almost all-encompassing.
What long felt like a comfortable choice for proven technology is now revealing itself as a strategic risk. Behind these figures lies a vulnerability that reaches far beyond technical considerations alone.
The moment of realisation
Donald Trump's return as president has made the political reality of digital dependence painfully visible. When the International Criminal Court in The Hague was hit by American sanctions, staff suddenly lost access to their own systems and data. The judge who experienced this put it aptly: "Being on the sanctions list means being thrown back to the nineties."
This scenario is no longer a theoretical exercise. American legislation gives intelligence and law enforcement agencies access to data held by American companies, even when that data is stored in Europe. Microsoft reported that these agencies made such requests as many as 57 times in the second half of 2024. Five of these cases concerned business data.
For organisations with business-critical data or personal data belonging to EU citizens, an urgent question arises: how can you comply with European privacy legislation while your data effectively falls under American jurisdiction?
The upward shift is underway
Awareness is growing fast. European email providers report that the number of new customers has nearly tripled since the start of 2025. The Dutch Cloud Community switched from Microsoft to European alternatives. Five Dutch universities are experimenting with solutions that make them less dependent. Even the Belgian government has named steering digital sovereignty as a top priority.
This shift is more than a trend. It's a fundamental reorientation of what organisations consider acceptable when it comes to control over their own data and systems.
From problem to perspective
For many organisations, the step towards European cloud infrastructure feels significant. American services are familiar, integrated into workflows and working processes. The ease with which everything works is tempting. But that ease comes at a price that only becomes visible once geopolitical tensions rise or legislation is tightened.
The shift towards digital sovereignty doesn't call for a revolution, but for a considered evolution. It starts with getting a clear picture of where your critical data actually sits, who has access to it and under which legal regime that data falls. Only then can you take well-informed steps.
For many organisations, this doesn't mean everything has to change at once. It does mean you can organise your infrastructure strategically: business-critical systems and sensitive data in a sovereign environment, while retaining more freedom for other applications.
The Dutch and German option
Cyso offers organisations the opportunity to approach this transition in a phased and pragmatic way. With data centres in Amsterdam and Frankfurt, we comply with the GDPR and other European legislation. Our managed services provide the technical expertise and guidance needed to migrate business-critical workloads without compromising operational continuity.
Whether it's compliance questions around personal data, regaining full control over your IT environment, or reducing geopolitical risk: we'll think it through with you, step by step, to help you gain more grip on your digital infrastructure.
What does this mean for your organisation?
The question is no longer whether digital sovereignty matters, but how quickly you want to take steps. Geopolitical developments are forcing governments, healthcare institutions and vital businesses to reconsider their dependence. Those who invest in European cloud infrastructure now are positioning themselves strategically for a future in which autonomy and compliance will only become more important.
This isn't a doom scenario. It's an opportunity to make well-considered choices about where your data sits, who can access it and under what conditions. It's the chance to move from a digital stranglehold to real room to manoeuvre.
Want to know how your organisation can make this transition? Get in touch with us for a no-obligation introductory conversation. We're happy to discuss your specific situation and explore together which steps make the most sense for your organisation.
