Germany, France to set up cloud data project

Germany and France on Thursday launched a project to set up a European cloud computing platform that they hope will enhance European economic sovereignty in the wake of the coronavirus crisis and break the continent's dependence on U.S. and Chinese companies. The platform, entitled GAIA-X, is meant to be up and running — at least in prototype form — at the beginning of next year and be open to users from outside Europe that commit to adhere to European standards.

German Economy Peter Altmaier said that the aim is "nothing less than a European moonshot in digital policy."

Germany and France will set up a non-profit association to coordinate and organize the data infrastructure, Altmaier said.

Conceived last year and initially announced in October, GAIA-X follows on the heels of an existing push by the European Union's two biggest economies to set up a car battery consortium aimed at catching up with Asian rivals.

The two countries said the project has brought together 22 companies in France and Germany, including Dassault Systemes, Orange, Siemens, SAP, Robert Bosch and Deutsche Telekom. They didn't give financial details.

French Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire called on "all other European companies and countries" to join the initiative.

Beyond that, "the idea is that we invite companies across the world providing their cloud services according to European standards and rules," Altmaier said. "Everyone who wants to have the label of GAIA-X will have to respect and to satisfy several sets of rules," including on interoperability and data migration.

He said that the project's success "will be crucial for Germany, for France and for Europe as far as our economic strength, our competitivity and our sovereignty are concerned."