Any effort to advance the Microsoft cloud in Europe should occur on Europe’s phrases, and one 12 months in the past, we shared a brand new set of ideas to ensure we proceed to make progress on this regard. As Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith famous when he introduced these European Cloud Rules final 12 months in Brussels, the ideas have been established to information all facets of our cloud enterprise, improve transparency for the general public and assist Microsoft higher assist Europe’s expertise wants.
In asserting these new ideas, Microsoft dedicated to the next:
- We are going to guarantee our public cloud meets Europe’s wants and serves Europe’s values
- We are going to guarantee our cloud offers a platform for the success of European software program builders
- We are going to associate with and assist European cloud resolution suppliers
- We are going to guarantee our cloud choices meet European governments’ sovereign wants, in partnership with native trusted expertise suppliers
- We acknowledge that European governments are regulating expertise and we’ll adapt to and assist these efforts
These ideas have been supported by a selected and centered initiative to assist European Cloud Suppliers to host a greater diversity of Microsoft merchandise extra simply on their very own cloud infrastructure, making them extra aggressive with extra choices to serve their prospects.
We’re proud that European corporations together with Siemens, Mercedes-Benz, Bayer, and DHL Provide Chain have trusted Microsoft to assist them in their very own innovation journeys – utilizing our AI, sustainability, and cloud choices to digitally rework their organizations, whereas enhancing service and expertise for his or her prospects.
With an thrilling new wave of AI and cloud expertise now providing much more alternatives for all Europeans, together with cloud suppliers, companions, and prospects, I wished to share an replace on the work that has taken place within the final 12 months primarily based on our European Cloud Rules – a 12 months of listening to suggestions and of taking motion.
Assembly Europe’s wants and serving Europe’s values
We proceed to spend money on ensuring that our trusted cloud helps Europe. Our information middle footprint in Europe continues to develop. We now have introduced that we’re both working or planning 17 areas and 49 availability zones. Most lately, we introduced the opening of our first cloud area in Central and Japanese Europe, positioned in Poland.
These information facilities are a cornerstone of making certain buyer information is protected and assembly the necessities of European legal guidelines. Microsoft has dedicated to retailer and course of buyer information inside the EU Information Boundary and constructed on our present residency options to supply enhanced management and elevated transparency. Earlier this 12 months, we started to supply prospects the power to retailer and course of their information inside the EU Information Boundary for Microsoft 365, Azure, Energy Platform, and Dynamics 365 providers. This implies expanded native storage and processing commitments, drastically decreasing information flows out of Europe and constructing on our industry-leading information residency options. We plan to broaden the EU Information Boundary to incorporate the storage and processing of extra classes of private information, together with information offered when receiving technical assist.
We imagine it’s important to make sure Europeans are outfitted with the proper expertise and filling the roles that expertise can unlock, together with within the essential space of cybersecurity. Microsoft has pledged to assist the lately launched EU Cybersecurity Expertise Academy by committing to coach 100,000 folks in Europe with cybersecurity expertise over two years. We’re additionally supporting efforts to open alternatives for folks from underserved and refugee communities with extra grants, a 12 months after increasing our cybersecurity expertise initiative into Europe.
Present a platform for the success of European software program builders
We proceed to assist European software program builders. As we famous final 12 months, our instruments and expertise are broadly utilized by European builders together with GitHub and Visible Studio. The chance for builders is growing as AI helps to alter the panorama of software program growth. A current GitHub survey confirmed between 60%-75% of customers reported they really feel extra fulfilled with their job, really feel much less pissed off when coding, and are in a position to deal with extra satisfying work when utilizing GitHub Copilot.
And the pace at which Europe can put AI to work issues, particularly concerning sustaining a aggressive edge globally. Its deep expertise base means it’s effectively positioned to maneuver shortly, having over six million skilled builders – greater than in the US.
Our annual developer convention, Microsoft Construct will probably be held Might 23-25. European builders could have a possibility to attend nearly, for gratis, to be taught extra concerning the newest tendencies in cloud, AI, machine studying, quantum computing, and extra.
Companion with and assist European cloud suppliers
Final 12 months, a set of European Cloud Suppliers filed complaints with the European Fee, elevating issues with our licensing practices. In follow-on discussions with these corporations and others, it was clear there was extra wanted to assist European cloud suppliers and provide extra alternatives for them to raised serve prospects. Our European Cloud Supplier Initiative has been designed to deal with their issues particularly within the following areas:
Licensing evolution
Our European Cloud Supplier Initiative has been anchored by updates to our world licensing applications. A collection of adjustments have been launched in October 2022 together with:
- New versatile virtualization profit for purchasers to drastically broaden their choices permitting them to deploy their software program subscriptions on any European cloud supplier’s infrastructure.
- New licensing choices for Home windows Server
- New virtualization advantages for Home windows 11 with Microsoft 365 licenses
- An up to date cloud resolution supplier program the place any resolution might be hosted by European cloud resolution suppliers. Up to now, greater than 75 European and UK primarily based CSPs have signed up.
Constructing relationships
For Microsoft, it was of the utmost significance to re-establish relationships with European Cloud Suppliers with a purpose to assist the group obtain its targets and create extra alternatives to have efficient two-way communication. Prior to now 12 months, we’ve got established a brand new assist workforce devoted to European cloud suppliers. The workforce’s mission is to assist their enterprise targets by leveraging Microsoft’s expertise and sources, and delivered by means of each depth engagements with the biggest cloud suppliers in Europe and new digital engagements together with month-to-month occasions and a brand new web site to assist the broader European ecosystem at scale. As well as, we’ve got engaged in a collection of discussions by means of the European Cloud Alliance and native commerce associations to make sure a sturdy and efficient suggestions loop. We plan to take extra steps on this regard over the following few months.
Assembly European governments’ sovereign wants with native trusted expertise suppliers
We acknowledge that many European governments need extra custom-made cloud options for his or her sovereign expertise situations. Final July, we introduced Microsoft Cloud for Sovereignty for presidency prospects seeking to harness the ability of the general public cloud whereas assembly particular compliance, safety and coverage necessities. For the reason that announcement, we’ve got delivered two private-preview releases. We now have labored with trusted companions in native markets together with Leonardo in Italy, Proximus in Belgium and Telefonica in Spain and proceed to work with governments and different trusted companions throughout Europe and all over the world. Earlier this week, we shared a weblog put up providing learnings round the important thing challenges that governments face in assembly their digital transformation targets whereas making certain native sovereignty necessities are met.
Supporting European regulation
We’re in a brand new period for expertise, and this implies a brand new space of tech regulation. One which we as an organization imagine is vital to adapt to, and to interact in dialogue whereas regulatory proposals are in growth. Some highlights of our assist and engagement on key EU regulatory initiatives embody:
- Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA): Microsoft has engaged from the start of the legislative course of by means of adoption to make sure monetary providers {industry} prospects in Europe can proceed to depend on our providers and new resiliency measures. We proceed to interact with each regulators and prospects to make clear and guarantee corresponding regulatory compliance.
- Digital Providers Act (DSA): Microsoft was supportive of most of the goals of recent European guidelines on-line content material, and pursuant to the adopted DSA, publishes info semi-annually on its common month-to-month energetic customers within the European Union, calculated over a six-month interval. Most lately, LinkedIn and Bing have been included within the checklist of the primary 19 corporations designated by the fee as topic to the brand new necessities.
- Digital Markets Act (DMA): Microsoft has been publicly supportive of EC efforts to develop new guidelines for big digital platforms that function as “gatekeepers.” Following adoption, Microsoft has been in common dialogue with EC enforcement officers on the implementation of the brand new necessities and which entities and providers might finally fall in scope.
- Company Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD): Following its adoption, Microsoft is getting ready to make sure Microsoft and buyer compliance in addition to product readiness. Microsoft’s has been and stays supportive of EU efforts and management on this area.
- EU E-Proof Regulation: The long-awaited proposal has been supported by Microsoft from the outset and has lastly reached EU political settlement, importantly, serving to to pave the best way for a CLOUD Act settlement between the EU and the US.
- Community Data Safety Directive 2 (NIS2): Microsoft has supported most of the baseline necessities on essential infrastructure sectors and is now centered on engagement throughout Europe with each regulators and CI prospects to make sure harmonized implementation.
What’s subsequent
A 12 months in the past, we promised to maneuver quickly in order that we might modify and be taught shortly. We’re nonetheless studying. And listening. And dealing to enhance. Our work is much from being accomplished. We are going to proceed to offer enter on key legislative initiatives and adapt to new laws. We are going to proceed to advance new applied sciences that meet Europe’s wants and are aligned with Europe’s values. We are going to proceed to assist prospects and companions in Europe to leverage and profit from new expertise options. We are going to proceed to prioritize transparency and communication, whereas working collectively to assist Europe advance its digital ambitions and defend its world competitiveness.