Publication Date: 13.11.2025
Header (Meta Information)
Author: Computerworld
Source: Gartner: European IT leaders to boost spending on local clouds amid geopolitical worries
Publication Date: November 2024
Summary Reading Time: 3 minutes
Executive Summary (Conclusion First)
61% of Western European companies plan to increase their use of local cloud providers due to geopolitical tensions, according to a Gartner study – a clear signal of the growing importance of digital sovereignty. While US hyperscalers maintain their dominance with a 70% market share, a strategic tension field emerges between technological dependence and political autonomy. The core challenge for executives: rethinking risk management and differentially evaluating critical versus non-critical workloads – without falling into technological protectionism.
Critical Key Questions (Liberal-Journalistic Formulation)
Where does legitimate digital sovereignty end – and where does innovation-inhibiting protectionism begin that weakens Europe's long-term competitiveness?
What responsibility do European executives bear when they must balance short-term political security against long-term technological innovation?
Can Europe actually achieve digital autonomy without losing the advantages of global economies of scale and technological excellence?
Scenario Analysis: Future Perspectives
Short-term (1 year):
Hybrid cloud strategies become the standard. Companies implement multi-cloud approaches with local providers for sensitive data. Open-source migrations in the public sector accelerate, while private companies pragmatically balance between sovereignty and functionality.
Medium-term (5 years):
Emergence of a two-tier cloud market: premium services from hyperscalers for innovation and performance, local providers for compliance and sovereignty. 75% of non-US companies have implemented digital sovereignty strategies. European cloud providers reach critical mass in niche markets.
Long-term (10–20 years):
Fundamentally new architecture of digital infrastructure with decentralized, federated cloud systems. Geopolitical blocs develop their own tech stacks. Innovation could suffer from fragmentation – or be stimulated by competition.
Main Summary
a) Core Topic & Context
The Gartner survey of 214 CIOs and IT leaders in Western Europe reveals a paradigm shift: geopolitical tensions are fundamentally transforming cloud strategies. Fear of politically motivated service interruptions – exemplified by the ICC-Microsoft case – is driving a renaissance of digital sovereignty.
b) Key Facts & Figures (Bullet Points)
- 61% plan increased use of local/regional cloud providers
- 53% want to restrict future use of global providers
- 44% are already limiting their hyperscaler usage today
- 55% are expanding open-source software deployment
- Hyperscalers control 70% of the European IaaS/PaaS market
- Forecast: 75% of all non-US companies with sovereignty strategy by 2030
c) Stakeholders & Affected Parties
- Directly affected: CIOs/CTOs of Western European companies, local cloud providers, open-source community
- Institutions: Public sector (Schleswig-Holstein, Lyon, Austrian Military)
- Market leaders: Amazon AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud – still dominant but under pressure
d) Opportunities & Risks
Opportunities:
- Strengthening of European tech providers and innovation
- Reduced dependence on US sanctions policy
- Promotion of open-source ecosystems
Risks:
- Technological fragmentation and efficiency losses
- Higher costs due to smaller economies of scale
- Innovation lag from disconnection from global developments
e) Action Relevance
Executives must now revise their cloud governance: workload classification by criticality, building multi-cloud competencies, strategic partnerships with local providers. Time-critical: Regulatory developments (EU Data Act, Digital Markets Act) require proactive adjustments.
Quality Assurance & Fact-Checking
- ✅ Gartner survey data verified (May-June 2024, n=214)
- ✅ Market shares confirmed by Synergy Research Group (July 2024)
- ⚠️ ICC-Microsoft case: Microsoft denies – exact circumstances unclear
- ✅ Open-source migrations in DE/FR/AT confirmed by press releases
Supplementary Research (Perspective Depth)
Related Article:
Gartner Symposium 2025: AI Opportunities for CIOs Between Expectation and Disillusionment – Shows parallel challenges in AI sovereignty
Counterpoint:
The technological superiority of hyperscalers in AI/ML services could limit sovereignty efforts – a dilemma between autonomy and innovation.
References
Primary Source:
Gartner: European IT leaders to boost spending on local clouds amid geopolitical worries – Computerworld
Supplementary Sources:
- Gartner Symposium 2025: AI Opportunities for CIOs – Clarus News
- Synergy Research Group: Cloud Market Share Report (July 2024)
- Gartner Survey: Digital Sovereignty in Western Europe (May-June 2024)
Verification Status: ✅ Facts checked on November 15, 2024