The Dutch government has signed a contract with the European cloud platform STACKIT. This will allow Ministries and other government services to move to a European cloud service, decreasing reliance on American tech companies, the government announced.
The agreement stipulates that Dutch data will be stored within the European Union, and that the government can check whether the company adheres ot these agreements.
It also includes conditions for the event that the supplier falls into foreign hands, like is currently the fear for Solvinity, the software company that hosts DigiD. If that happens with STACKIT, the Dutch government can amend or terminate the contract.
The deal with STACKIT fits into a broader movement in which the government is being more conscious about where its data is stored and who has access to it. It also follows several warnings from regulators that the Dutch government is too dependent on American tech companies.
Virtually all of the government’s digital systems run on cloud services from parties like Microsoft, Amazon, and Google. American legislation allows the U.S. government to access data controlled by American companies, even if that data is stored abroad. Experts also warned that the functioning of the government and vital sectors could be jeopardized if these services are cut off.
Minister David van Weel of Justice and Security, therefore, calls the agreement with STACKIT an important step. “We are reducing our dependency on parties outside Europe and strengthening our digital resilience.”
State Secretary Willemijn Aerdts of Digital Economy and Sovereignty called it essential to gain more control over the digital infrastructure. “Digital autonomy means that we can make our own choices and are not dependent on a single type of provider,” she said. “It is important that we stimulate the European market. We are doing that with this agreement, which allows central government organizations to use cloud services from a European provider under favorable conditions.”