AWS European Sovereign Cloud: The future of digital sovereignty?

An innovative new cloud infrastructure

This is the third blog in our series exploring digital sovereignty. Having introduced the concept and surveyed AWS's existing services, we now take a specific look at the AWS European Sovereign Cloud. We'll consider who should adopt this unique platform when it launches in 2025—and who might be able to get the same or similar benefits right now using existing AWS services.

A new level of digital confidence

As a brief recap, digital sovereignty refers to an organisation's ability to control its digital assets, data, and operations while complying with local regulations. As discussed in our earlier blogs, it's an increasingly important concern for businesses and governments alike.

AWS already offers many robust services supporting digital sovereignty, but for some European customers, even these offerings may not meet the significant compliance requirements applying to their most important data assets.

Introducing the AWS European Sovereign Cloud

This is the need that will be served by a new, independent cloud infrastructure designed specifically for Europe. Set to launch in Brandenburg, Germany, by the end of 2025, the AWS European Sovereign Cloud represents a significant step in addressing the evolving needs of organisations with the most stringent data sovereignty requirements.

Key features will include:

This offering is particularly relevant given regulations like GDPR and DORA, which have raised the bar for data protection and operational resilience in the EU.

Who should adopt on launch?

When the AWS European Sovereign Cloud launches in 2025, it will be particularly appealing to:

• Public sector organisations handling sensitive citizen data
  Government agencies and public institutions that handle sensitive citizen data and require the highest levels of data sovereignty will find the AWS European Sovereign Cloud particularly appealing.
• Defence and security agencies requiring maximum data control
  Organisations in the defence and security sectors, where data control is paramount, will benefit from the stringent controls and EU-based operations of this new cloud region, as well as ensuring all meta-data relating to operations is maintained within the EU.
• Financial services subject to strict regulatory requirements
  Although not generally required to this extent, banks, insurance companies, and other financial institutions subject to strict regulatory requirements will appreciate the compliance-focused design of the AWS European Sovereign Cloud.
• Healthcare providers managing sensitive medical data
  The sensitive nature of medical data and the stringent regulations surrounding it mean that healthcare organisations may find this new offering meets many privacy and security needs, while heading off potential future regulatory changes.
• Organisations prioritising EU economic support and job creation
  Some organisations (particularly in the public sector) may choose to use this cloud region to support job creation and economic growth within the EU, aligning with their broader strategic goals.
• Other highly regulated industries with strict data residency needs
  In general, any industry subject to strict data residency and sovereignty requirements will find value in the AWS European Sovereign Cloud. It’s also worth noting that this somewhat catch-all category is likely to expand over time as regulatory and compliance obligations inevitably increase. Indeed, some of the industries covered in the next section of this article may find that the AWS European Sovereign Cloud suddenly becomes more relevant to their needs as legislations develop further.

The common thread among these potential early adopters is the need for absolute certainty that their data and cloud operations are fully contained and controlled within the EU, reducing risk of access or influence from outside the EU.

Who can act today?

While the AWS European Sovereign Cloud offers significant benefits for certain organisations, many others in highly regulated sectors can actually meet their requirements today, using existing AWS regions and services. This includes:

• Organisations where metadata can be provided from outside of the EU
  Can metadata about your environments (not the data itself), for example billing or console & IAM logging data, leave the EU? If so, as we described in our previous article, you can achieve data sovereignty requirements using existing regions and services.
• Organisations where support and operations can be provided from outside of the EU
  Can support services for your solutions be provided from outside the EU—as long as the data is maintained within the EU? If so, the benefits of EU-based AWS support and operations teams are not necessary for your organisation.
• Businesses requiring immediate cloud migration
  If you have compelling events or business needs that require immediate cloud adoption, waiting for the 2025 launch of the AWS European Sovereign Cloud may not be feasible. Building your solution now using Infrastructure as Code and ensuring you have robust data and DR strategies at solution design will leave you with a simpler path to regional migration in the future. It will also enable the business to move forward in a secure fashion with immediate needs. This is especially true for non-production and development workloads, where organisations can develop their new solutions and applications using existing regions, in preparation for production Sovereign Cloud launch in 2025.
• Startups and innovators
  Many startups and innovative companies may find that the existing AWS regions in Europe provide sufficient security, resilience, and scalability for their immediate needs—along with the operational agility and cost savings they require from a business perspective. Taking advantage of cloud technology by adopting now does not prevent organisations from migrating to Sovereign Cloud later as requirements change.
• Companies with hybrid cloud strategies
  Some businesses may opt to use existing AWS regions in Europe for most of their workloads while keeping certain sensitive workloads on-premises until the AWS European Sovereign Cloud becomes available.
• Organisations outside highly regulated industries
  If your industry isn't currently subject to the strictest data sovereignty requirements, the additional controls provided by the AWS European Sovereign Cloud may not be necessary for your operations.
• Businesses prioritising global scalability
  The regional focus of the European Sovereign Cloud might not align with needs for seamless global operations and data transfers.

Put simply, if an organisation’s current regulatory requirements are met by existing AWS regions and services, there is simply no need to wait. They can continue to leverage these offerings while monitoring the development of the AWS European Sovereign Cloud and regional regulations from 2025 onwards. It’s the best of both worlds and should offer complete confidence about protecting your digital sovereignty in partnership with AWS—now and in the future.