The Dutch parliament has approved multiple motions urging the government to reduce its reliance on US cloud technology. Lawmakers described this dependence as a “threat to the autonomy and cybersecurity” of the country, calling for a shift towards a national cloud service.
The concern stems from the US CLOUD Act, signed into law by US President Donald Trump. This legislation allows US law enforcement agencies to subpoena cloud providers such as Google, Microsoft, and Amazon Web Services (AWS) to access data stored in their systems, even if it belongs to foreign governments. Dutch officials worry that this could compromise sensitive government information.
In January, the Netherlands Court of Audit found that several government ministries had unknowingly used US-based public cloud services without fully understanding the risks involved. This revelation has intensified calls for a reassessment of the country’s cloud strategy.
The debate over the Netherlands’ cloud dependence has been ongoing since at least 2022. However, experts suggest it has gained new urgency with Trump’s potential return to office. While he has not signalled any intention to invoke the CLOUD Act, experts warn he could pressure cloud providers to surrender Dutch data or withdraw services, potentially disrupting public operations.
One of the approved motions calls for the government to launch a tender for a national cloud managed entirely by Dutch entities. Another urges the reconsideration of AWS’s role in hosting the country’s internet domain and suggests prioritising European cloud providers in future public contracts.
The government has also been asked to develop a broader strategy to gradually phase out dependence on US cloud platforms, ensuring greater control over national data security.
