On January 15, Amazon's cloud division AWS introduced the AWS European Sovereign Cloud. The new service offers a secure, independent alternative for users focused on data residency and the influence of US-based providers.
The data centers for this cloud are physically and legally separate from Amazon's global server network. This isolation ensures the cloud can operate even if the EU is disconnected from the global internet or if the US imposes software export prohibitions. The move responds to European concerns about the US Cloud Act, which permits American authorities to access data stored abroad by US companies.
AWS Germany CTO Michael Hanisch stated that a German company will operate and monitor the cloud to guarantee sovereign autonomy. Management and advisory boards will be composed of EU citizens, and eventually all service employees must hold EU citizenship. Amazon is investing over 7.8 billion euros ($6.41 billion) in this expansion. The first data center is now being built in Brandenburg, Germany.