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A policy vision document by the Steering Board of the European Cloud Partnership (final report)

21.03.2014

Preface

The European Union, like most of the world, faces economically challenging times. In such times, it becomes all the more important to recognise and seize new and unique opportunities to drive growth, stimulate innovation, and to provide benefits to citizens, businesses and public administrations.

One of these opportunities is cloud computing. Its direct economic value to the European Union is already substantial, but the impact on innovation and social developments is even bigger, as it enables a transformation to a more connected and more efficient on-line society.

The European Cloud Computing Strategy* aims to ensure that this potential is captured in Europe. Gaining and maintaining a leadership position in this market requires quick, coordinated and effective action, so that trust in the cloud would increase.

This document represents an important step in the execution of the Cloud Computing Strategy. It is the result of a collaborative process in which participants of public administrations, cloud businesses, and data protection advocates have joined forces through the European Cloud Partnership, and have worked together to establish a roadmap for European leadership in the cloud.

The adoption of this document, however, does not signal a conclusion of our work. A sense of urgency remains: cloud computing is not a technology of the future, it is the technology of today. This document hopes to set the stage for rapid follow-up action. European businesses and administrations need to become cloud leaders in the global market. This is how we can maintain a strong and competitive position in a challenging environment. Ultimately, that is the goal of the European Cloud Partnership and of this document.

Toomas Hendrik Ilves
President of Estonia
Chair of the Steering Board of the European Cloud Partnership

* See the European Commission's communication on "Unleashing the Potential of Cloud Computing in Europe", Brussels, 27.9.2012, COM(2012) 529 final; http://ec.europa.eu/digital-agenda/en/european-cloud-computing-strategy

Read the final report here (PDF).