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What is a sovereign cloud?
A sovereign cloud is a cloud services infrastructure (storage, compute, applications and so on) hosted and operated within a framework guaranteeing technological independence, legal certainty and control over data. It aims to ensure that sensitive or critical data is not subject to extraterritorial regulations such as the US Cloud Act, and that it is hosted, processed and administered in compliance with local law (notably GDPR in Europe).
The different types of cloud
There are several types of cloud computing, depending on the deployment and governance model:
- Public cloud: shared between several customers, often hosted by giants such as AWS, Microsoft Azure or Google Cloud.
- Private cloud: dedicated to a single organisation, often on-premise or through a provider.
- Hybrid cloud: a combination of public and private cloud, to spread workloads or ring-fence certain data.
- Sovereign cloud: can be public or private, but is distinguished by the location, governance and independence of its infrastructure.
What defines a sovereign cloud technically?
A sovereign cloud must meet several technical requirements:
- Hosting data on national or European territory.
- Operators under local jurisdiction (no dependence on a company subject to extraterritorial law).
- Encryption and security services compliant with national or European standards.
- SecNumCloud certification (in France), issued by ANSSI (the national cybersecurity agency).
- Interoperability and reversibility, to avoid proprietary lock-in.
Regulatory constraints and legal stakes
- GDPR: personal data must be processed with a high level of security and transparency.
- Cloud Act (USA): allows US authorities to demand access to data stored by American companies, even when hosted in Europe.
- NIS 2 Directive: imposes reinforced cybersecurity obligations on critical operators in Europe.
👉 These factors push many companies to look for cloud solutions compatible with sovereignty requirements, particularly in sensitive sectors: healthcare, defence, finance, public administration and so on.
Who are the sovereign cloud players?
In France and Europe
- OVHcloud: a major French player, with a cloud offering compatible with SecNumCloud. A partner for sovereign AI solutions.
- 3DS OUTSCALE (Dassault Systèmes): recognised for its compliance with ANSSI requirements.
- Scaleway: offers a sovereign approach with data centres exclusively in France.
- Orange Business / Bleu (a partnership with Capgemini and Microsoft): a French sovereign cloud project with European governance.
- Thales / Google Cloud (S3NS): an initiative aiming to reconcile technological power with operational sovereignty.
Levels of independence
- Some players use 100% European, open-source technologies (OVHcloud, for example).
- Others build on American technology, but with specific contractual and governance guarantees (as with the Bleu project or S3NS).
Why choose a sovereign cloud?
- Regulatory compliance in sectors subject to strict requirements.
- Strategic control over critical data and infrastructure.
- Reduced technological dependence (vendor lock-in).
- An answer to cybersecurity challenges, particularly in the current geopolitical context.
- Ethical and responsible data processing.
Concrete use cases
- Hosting sensitive business applications (finance, healthcare, education, justice and so on).
- Deploying AI in a controlled environment, compatible with data protection (R&D, conversational agents, computer vision and so on).
- Developing collaborative platforms for public bodies or NGOs that respect GDPR.
In summary
The sovereign cloud is establishing itself as a strategic answer to the need for control, security and autonomy in data processing. It is not merely a technical choice, but a matter of digital governance, regulatory compliance and economic resilience.
As artificial intelligence, business applications and collaborative platforms increasingly rest on cloud infrastructure, choosing a sovereign, secure and interoperable cloud becomes a decisive lever for European companies and institutions.