Swedish governments’ over-reliance on American cloud services is a security risk, according to experts. Dr. Cristina Caffarra, leading competition economist with over 25 years of experience, critizices Europeean governments for not doing enough, and not moving quickly enough. In an article, written ahead of the European Digital Sovereignty Summit, she writes:
“Ahead of today’s European Digital Sovereignty Summit, it is clear that moving technology components and skills back to European soil, building the means to meet our own digital infrastructure needs (from chips to cloud, computing, connectivity and software to the AI stack) and strengthening resilience – all of this is essential for Europe.”
To DN.se she goes on to say: “Right now Sweden is far behind Denmark and France. Sweden has amazing IT companies and startups. Scale up, scale up, do something”.
France, as Dr. Caffarra was alluding to, have recently made efforts to ditch American cloud services for security purposes. The French government announced in january of 2026 that it would be replacing Microsoft Teams and Zoom with a domestically developed video conferencing platform.
Similarly, the Danish Ministry for Digital Affairs is transitioning to open-source software, replacing Windows and Microsoft 365 with Linux and LibreOffice.
Why European digital sovereignty matters in practice
European digital sovereignty is often framed as a political ambition, but for organizations it has very concrete implications. These five dimensions explain why cloud choices have gone from being a technical conversation, to becoming a strategic one.
Dependency creates risk
When most data and communication tools are controlled by non-European providers, organizations become dependent on foreign infrastructure, foreign legal systems, and vendors whose priorities may change without notice. This increases exposure to security incidents, service disruptions, and forced changes outside European control.
Data protection is tied to jurisdiction, not just location
Storing data in the EU does not automatically mean it is protected by EU law. Non-European providers may still be subject to foreign surveillance or disclosure legislation, creating legal uncertainty and compliance risk. Digital sovereignty ensures that sensitive data remains governed solely by European regulations such as GDPR.
Platform choices shape long-term competitiveness
Relying exclusively on external technology providers weakens Europe’s digital ecosystem and reduces organizational bargaining power over time. Supporting European platforms helps maintain strategic options, predictable costs, and technology that is built for European regulatory and institutional realities.
Values and incentives are embedded in technology
Many global platforms are optimized for data extraction, analytics, or engagement-driven business models. These incentives do not always align with European principles around privacy, transparency, and public accountability — especially in public-sector and regulated environments.
Geopolitics increasingly affects technology
Digital infrastructure is now part of geopolitical reality. Organizations that rely heavily on non-EU platforms are more exposed to political tension, trade restrictions, and regulatory conflicts. Digital sovereignty strengthens resilience and the ability to plan long-term without external pressure.
What this means for video platforms — and where Qbrick fits in
Video has become a core part of organizational communication, from internal training and leadership messaging to public information and crisis communication. Yet many organizations still rely on platforms built for global consumer markets rather than European institutional needs.
Qbrick is a European video platform built under European jurisdiction, with hosting, operations, and governance aligned with EU regulations. For customers, this means:
- reduced dependency on non-EU cloud providers
- clear legal and data ownership structures
- security and access control designed for organizational use
- GDPR-aligned data handling by default
- a platform built to support European organizations, not monetize their data
For European organizations looking to strengthen digital sovereignty in a practical, incremental way, video is a natural starting point — and Qbrick is designed to meet those needs without compromise.