Cloud Computing: the answer to the PRISM scandal lies in the creation of a secure European cloud

“Developing a European cloud that reflects our own values and guarantees a high level of data protection is the right answer the European Union can give to the PRISM scandal”, said Marielle Gallo MEP today, following the unanimous adoption by the EP Legal Affairs Committee of its position on the ‘European cloud computing strategy’ which the European Commission issued earlier this year.

Data of citizens and companies is increasingly stored in remote data centres often located outside the European Union. Although everybody agrees on the opportunities offered by cloud computing in terms of competitiveness and job creation, this new trend presents several challenges.

Marielle Gallo, the EPP Group Rapporteur in the Legal Affairs Committee, continued: “The European Union, in close cooperation with the Member States, must act swiftly to develop the infrastructure and the legal framework needed for a genuine and secure European cloud. In the digital economy, we Europeans are usually bound by services offered from overseas.”

“This situation will only change through action and not wishful thinking. More needs to be done. The stakes are high for economic growth and data protection”, concluded Gallo.