Microsoft pledges to store European cloud data in Europe

Author: AFP

US tech giant Microsoft on Thursday pledged to store all European cloud-based client data in Europe amid unease on the continent over the reach of US legislation on personal data collection.

Microsoft’s European clients have long been concerned over the legal status of data they store with US companies in the cloud and the extent to which they could be scrutinised by US authorities. Those worries came to a head last July when the European Court of Justice struck down the EU-US Privacy Shield, a framework allowing firms to transfer personal data to the US in compliance with Brussels’ General Data Protection Regulation.

The court found the mechanism did not adequately protect EU data from US authorities over which Europe has neither control nor right of redress. In a blog post on Thursday, Microsoft president Brad Smith said: “If you are a commercial or public sector customer in the EU, we will go beyond our existing data storage commitments and enable you to process and store all your data in the EU.”

In other words, “we will not need to move your data outside the EU.” He said the commitment — dubbed the EU Data Boundary for the Microsoft Cloud — would apply across all of Microsoft’s core cloud services -– Azure, Microsoft 365, and Dynamics 365 and would take effect by the end of next year.

Share
Leave a Comment

Recent Posts

  • Pakistan

Imran calls for ‘fight till the end’ as govt rules out talks

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan has lauded his party's supporters in Islamabad and D-Chowk,…

5 hours ago
  • Pakistan

Pakistan, Belarus to fast-track bilateral deals, sign several MOUs

Pakistan and Belarus on Tuesday agreed on the early realization of bilateral accords to enhance…

5 hours ago
  • Pakistan

Kurram clashes death toll rises to 99 as truce falters

The death toll from the recent violence that has plagued the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Kurram district…

5 hours ago
  • Pakistan

3 terrorists killed as forces foil Afghan border infiltration bid

Security forces have thwarted an infiltration attempt by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terrorists on Pakistan-Afghanistan…

5 hours ago
  • Cartoons

TODAY’S CARTOON

5 hours ago
  • Editorial

Positive Developments

There's no denying the significance of the agriculture sector to Pakistan's economic growth and food…

5 hours ago