The report also features Britain as a leader in digital innovation, which will play an even stronger role in advancing innovative technologies in 2018.
Cloud technology is at the heart of the fourth industrial revolution, helping businesses and organisations innovate, grow and compete on a global scale. The cloud has the potential to drive significant progress across sectors, and 2018 will be a key year in creating the right conditions. Europe is in a stronger position than generally believed and needs to build upon its strengths by establishing the right regulatory environment for a successful digital transformation.
Cloud stakeholders will face important regulatory milestones as soon as May 2018, when the EU’s GDPR and cybersecurity directive will apply across the Union. This framework will be complemented by new legislation on non-personal data and on security certification. The European Commission also plans to address the issue of lawful access to data, an area in need of a long-term solution.
Kim Gagné, Executive Director of the European Cloud Alliance, said: “We hope that our 2nd Annual Cloud Trends Report will prompt European policymakers to encourage digital transformation by enabling European firms and customers to make the most of cloud-based services.”