AWS Launches European Sovereign Cloud: A New Era for Data Sovereignty

On January 15, 2026, Amazon Web Services officially launched the AWS European Sovereign Cloud — marking a new era for data sovereignty in Europe. This independent cloud infrastructure is entirely located within the European Union, physically and logically separate from all other AWS Regions worldwide.

The launch of this European sovereign cloud represents a significant milestone for organizations that require strict data residency controls and operational independence from non-EU jurisdictions. AWS designed this infrastructure specifically to address the growing demand for digital sovereignty across European governments, enterprises, and regulated industries.

Why Data Sovereignty Matters

Data sovereignty has become a critical concern for European organizations. With increasing regulatory requirements like GDPR and emerging EU frameworks for cloud services, many enterprises need guarantees that their data remains under European jurisdiction and control.

Traditional cloud deployments, while secure, often involve infrastructure and operations that span multiple countries and legal jurisdictions. The AWS European Sovereign Cloud eliminates this concern by ensuring that everything — from the physical servers to the operational staff — remains within EU borders.

Key Features of the AWS European Sovereign Cloud

The new sovereign cloud launches with comprehensive capabilities designed to meet the most stringent requirements:

EU-Only Operations

All operations are managed exclusively by EU residents. There is zero operational control from outside European borders, ensuring that no non-EU entity can access or influence the infrastructure. This operational autonomy extends to all aspects of the cloud service, from routine maintenance to incident response.

Complete Data Isolation

The AWS European Sovereign Cloud is physically and logically separated from other AWS Regions. This isolation ensures that customer data, including all metadata, configurations, and access logs, remains entirely within the EU infrastructure. The separation is designed to be resilient even in extreme scenarios.

European Governance Structure

AWS has established a dedicated governance structure with a new parent company and subsidiaries incorporated in Germany. The leadership consists of EU citizens who are legally bound by European laws and obligated to act in the best interest of the sovereign cloud and its customers.

Full Data Residency Control

Organizations gain complete control over where their data is stored. This includes not just primary data but also metadata such as IAM roles, permissions, resource labels, and configurations. Even billing and usage metering systems operate within the sovereign infrastructure.

Advanced Security Controls

Like other AWS Regions, the European Sovereign Cloud is powered by the AWS Nitro System, providing industry-leading physical and logical security boundaries. Customers can implement advanced encryption, key management services, and hardware security modules to further protect their content.

Investment and Expansion Plans

Amazon is committing significant resources to this initiative. The company plans to invest more than €7.8 billion in Germany alone, supporting an estimated 2,800 full-time equivalent jobs annually and contributing approximately €17.2 billion to Germany’s GDP.

The initial launch in Brandenburg, Germany will be followed by expansion across the EU through new AWS Local Zones in:

Belgium — Supporting Western European markets
Netherlands — Ideal for organizations in the Benelux region
Portugal — Extending coverage to Southern Europe

These Local Zones will provide options for customers who need data residency in specific countries while maintaining the sovereignty controls of the main region.

Available Services

The sovereign cloud launches with more than 90 AWS services across key categories:

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning — Build intelligent applications with European data residency
Compute — EC2, Lambda, and container services for any workload
Databases — RDS, DynamoDB, and other managed database options
Networking — VPC, Direct Connect, and content delivery
Security — IAM, KMS, and compliance tools
Storage — S3, EBS, and archival solutions

All services are built on the AWS Nitro System, ensuring consistent security across the platform.

Who Should Consider the European Sovereign Cloud?

This infrastructure is particularly relevant for organizations in regulated industries:

Government agencies handling citizen data and national security workloads
Healthcare providers managing sensitive patient information under strict privacy requirements
Financial services firms subject to data localization regulations
Defense and aerospace companies requiring isolated infrastructure
Energy and utilities operating critical national infrastructure
Telecommunications providers managing customer data

IT Move NL: Your Partner for European Sovereign Cloud Migration

IT Move NL now has full access to the AWS European Sovereign Cloud.

As cloud modernization specialists with deep AWS expertise, we’re ready to help European organizations take advantage of this new sovereign infrastructure. Our team can assist you with:

Sovereignty Assessment — Evaluate your current infrastructure and identify workloads that would benefit from sovereign cloud deployment
Architecture Design — Create migration strategies that maintain operational efficiency while meeting compliance requirements
Migration Execution — Move workloads to the sovereign cloud with minimal disruption to your operations
Ongoing Optimization — Ensure your sovereign cloud deployment remains cost-effective and performant

Whether you’re in the public sector, healthcare, financial services, or any industry requiring strict data sovereignty, we have the expertise to guide your journey to the European Sovereign Cloud.

Important Note: While the AWS European Sovereign Cloud offers a comprehensive suite of services, some AWS services and features are not yet available in the sovereign infrastructure. Service availability is expanding progressively. We recommend consulting with our team to understand current capabilities and plan your migration strategy accordingly.

Ready to explore how the European Sovereign Cloud can meet your data sovereignty requirements? Contact our team to schedule a consultation.

Source: AWS Official Press Release