Digital sovereignty – The data migration specialists

In times of hybrid warfare and digital industrial espionage, it is important to reduce dependence on foreign or at least non-European corporations and thus reduce corporate risk.

The internet has become a digital occupation zone.
Martin Andree, Founder of AMP Digital Ventures, Book author and Speaker at the iab Conference Day 2026 (Podcast Internetwold Austria). BDZV-Interview mit dem Medienwissenschaftler Martin Andree

This applies not only to the internet in the sense of (social) media, but also to the IT software industry as a whole.

European companies and authorities are often dependent on a few US providers.
Changes to terms and conditions or licensing models or measures resulting from political influence can have significant economic consequences.
A short-term change is often hardly possible.

The examples listed below can be assigned to three categories:

Political influence: ICC/Microsoft, CLOUD Act.
Economic dependency: VMware/Broadcom, Oracle, SAP, or other proprietary platforms with high switching costs.
Technological dependency: Cloud platforms (Azure, AWS, Google Cloud), office software, and collaboration services.

Click on a heading to read the details and conclusions.

Example VMware: Price increases of 500%, 1,000% or even 1,500%

The facts

Following Broadcom’s acquisition of VMware at the end of 2023, Broadcom fundamentally changed its licensing model. This resulted in significant cost increases for numerous customers.
In 2025, the German IT user association VOICE filed a complaint with the European Commission, citing “exorbitant price increases” and an exploitation of the dependency of many customers. CP
The European cloud association CISPE reported price increases of up to 1,500% for individual cloud providers and called for intervention by the EU Commission. NetworkWorld
There are documented individual cases in which companies reported cost increases of more than tenfold. Cloudmagazin
The European Commission is currently investigating complaints from industry associations against Broadcom. These associations accuse the company of abusing its dominant market position following the VMware acquisition. Parallel to this, further competition law disputes are ongoing between Broadcom and the EU. Reuters

Conclusion

This is an example of Europe’s digital dependence on US technology companies.

The crucial point is the so-called vendor lock-in.

Many companies have been running their entire server infrastructure on VMware for years or even decades. While switching to a different virtualization platform (e.g., Hyper-V, Proxmox, or Nutanix) is possible, it often means:

Migration of hundreds or thousands of virtual machines,
Adaptation of backup, monitoring, and automation systems,
Training of administrators,
and often projects lasting months.

These switching costs give VMware and Broadcom a strong negotiating position. This is precisely what the antitrust complaints in Europe relate to.

Gartner predicts that by 2028, 70 percent of enterprise VMware customers will move 50 percent of their virtual workloads to alternatives.

These are reactive, not preventive, measures.

Example: Donald Trump indirectly caused revoke of access to Microsoft 365 email accounts.

The facts

In February 2025, Trump signed an executive order imposing sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC) and, in particular, on individuals involved in investigations against US citizens (especially himself) or close allies (primarily Israel). This followed the ICC’s arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. Wikipedia
Chief prosecutor Karim Khan was subsequently placed on the US sanctions list. This means, among other things, that US companies are generally prohibited from providing him with services unless exceptions apply.
According to multiple reports, Microsoft then revoked Khan’s access to his official Microsoft email account. He was forced to switch to the Swiss provider Proton Mail. This was investigated by, among others, the Associated Press. Associated Press
The ICC has decided to implement OpenDesk – an open-source office and collaboration platform developed by the German Center for Digital Sovereignty (ZenDiS). The goal is to reduce dependence on US cloud services. The Register
However, this does not mean that the court will completely abandon Microsoft overnight. Such migrations typically take years for an international organization with many specialized applications.

Once again these are reactive, not preventive, measures.

Conclusion

This incident demonstrates that a non-European state can indirectly influence the digital infrastructure of European institutions or companies through its legislation. If a foreign government decides to impose sanctions on, for example, entire industries (steel industry, automotive industry, energy, oil), this can affect infrastructure such as power grids, refineries, or industrial companies, as well as government organizations (ministries, parliaments) and thus governments themselves.

This doesn’t just apply to the USA, it can also apply to China.

Examples of preventive measures in the public service

Microsoft and the French Senate: During a hearing in 2025, a representative of Microsoft France stated, in response to a question, that he could not guarantee that a US company would never be required to disclose data under American law (such as the CLOUD Act) – even if the data was stored in Europe. This statement was frequently cited in the debate because it highlights the difference between data location and legal jurisdiction.

The same applies in reverse. An example is the TikTok data of American citizens, which is stored at Oracle in the USA, but TikTok naturally has unrestricted access to it. In this case, the USA is the “victim”.

France’s Health Data Hub: France initially stored sensitive health data on Microsoft Azure. After years of criticism regarding potential access caused by US law, the French government decided to migrate the platform to the French cloud provider Scaleway. The case is considered one of the most prominent examples of the attempt to put digital sovereignty into practice. Reuters

Schleswig-Holstein: The German state has decided to gradually migrate approximately 30,000 workplaces from Microsoft Office and Windows to LibreOffice, Linux, and other open-source solutions. This decision was explicitly justified on the rason of cost, transparency, and digital sovereignty. The case is being observed across Europe as a model project.

What does digital sovereignty mean in practice for an Austrian or European company?

Sovereignty means being able to switch at any time.

Sovereignty is not about using a particular technology, but about being able to make autonomous decisions and utilize alternatives.

Digital sovereignty means being able to switch at any time – because data is portable, standards remain open, and decisions are not forced by technical dependencies.

Sovereignty means freedom of choice. Those who can switch providers, software, or platforms at any time are not permanently dependent on a single solution.
Switching requires open standards. Data must be available in open, portable formats, interfaces must be accessible, and systems should be able to communicate with each other.
Your own data remains the key. Digital sovereignty means retaining control over where data is stored, who can access it, and how it is used.
Recognize and avoid dependencies. A convenient system can become a dependency in the long run if switching becomes too expensive, technically impossible, or organizationally too difficult.
Sovereignty is also a question of the distribution of power. If users, companies, or states have no realistic alternative to a provider, they lose their room for maneuver.
A good digital system binds users not through captivity, but through quality. People stay because the service is compelling, not because switching is made practically impossible.

Sovereignty requires a mix and does not mean isolation.

Digital sovereignty is often mistakenly equated with independence in the sense of “doing everything yourself” or isolation.

Digital sovereignty does not mean isolation, but the ability to act openly and networked – with a balanced mix of your own skills, trustworthy partners and interchangeable technologies.

Sovereignty arises from diversity, not isolation. A sovereign system utilizes different providers, technologies, and partners to remain flexible and adaptable.
A mix of solutions creates resilience. Those who are not dependent on a single technology or provider can respond better to changes, failures, or new requirements.
Openness is an integral part of sovereignty. Exchange, cooperation, and international standards are necessary for digital systems to remain efficient and innovative.
It’s not about developing everything in-house. Sovereignty means consciously deciding what you need to control yourself and where collaboration makes sense.
Dependencies can be managed. Complete independence is hardly realistic in a networked world. The crucial factor is understanding critical dependencies and having alternatives.
Sovereignty requires connectivity. A digital system that functions only in isolation loses value. True sovereignty lies in being able to interact with others without losing control over one’s own interests.

Sovereignty is a purchasing decision

Digital sovereignty doesn’t begin in operations, but rather with procurement. Every purchasing decision influences how freely an organization can operate tomorrow. Those who prioritize open standards, data portability, and fair switching options invest in long-term flexibility.

Every procurement decision shapes future options. Whoever purchases a solution today also determines how easy it will be to switch tomorrow.
Criteria such as openness, data sovereignty, and interoperability must be part of the selection process. It’s not just price, functionality, and ease of use that matter, but also long-term independence.
Lock-in effects often arise from purchasing decisions. Proprietary formats, closed interfaces, or data that is difficult to transfer can make switching difficult later on.
Sovereignty is either bought along with the product or bought away. A seemingly inexpensive solution can become costly in the long run if it creates dependencies.
Strategic procurement creates choices. Those who prioritize open standards, portability, and transparent contract terms early on maintain flexibility.
Sovereignty doesn’t mean always choosing the supposedly most independent solution. The crucial factor is to consciously weigh the options: Which dependencies are acceptable? Where do we need control? Where can we purchase with confidence?

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