The debate about data sovereignty and the influence of US authorities on European data is becoming increasingly urgent. A recent legal opinion by the University of Cologne on behalf of the German Federal Ministry of the Interior shows: Only SaaS solutions from companies with European management, ownership structure and hosting location offer real protection. As a member of the Bundesverband IT-Mittelstand (BITMi ), EGOTEC offers a secure and sovereign cloud application with SaaS.de.
BITMi on the report on data access by US authorities: EU companies first choice for data sovereignty
- Report proves once again: data hosted by US companies and subsidiaries in Europe is not safe from US access despite marketing promises.
- BITMi calls on the German government to take action and put digital sovereignty into practice.
- Companies based, managed and owned in Europe are the safest choice for data storage and processing
This week, the legal opinion "Zur US-Rechtslage zum weltweiten Datenzugriff von US-Behörden" by the University of Cologne on behalf of the Federal Ministry of the Interior and for Home Affairs (BMI) was published. This once again proves beyond doubt: US authorities can access data hosted in the EU by US companies and their European subsidiaries. The Bundesverband IT-Mittelstand e.V. (BITMi) would like to take this report as an opportunity to urge companies, but also the German government in particular, to follow up their commitments to digital sovereignty with action. After all, data sovereignty and data protection are a crucial basis for our digital resilience and it has been proven that US companies cannot guarantee these to the same extent as EU companies. After all, mere location or marketing promises are not enough to guarantee digital sovereignty - as long as providers are closely tied to the US via corporate structures or business relationships, access to European data by US authorities remains a real risk.
"It is significant that this time it is a report commissioned by the German government, which has been available since March. We urge politicians in particular to draw the necessary conclusions: Resilience, data sovereignty and compliance with European law must be decisive selection criteria for the choice of digital solutions in public authorities and administration, and the domestic digital economy must be strengthened," comments Christian Gericke, Vice President of BITMi, on the report.
The report does not rule out the possibility that EU companies operating in the US market, for example with branches, could also be requested by US authorities to hand over data stored in the EU. "US authorities can try to exert pressure if they find targets locally. However, US authorities have no enforcement options on EU territory," explains Rasmus Keller, spokesperson for the BITMi IT law specialist group. "Companies based in the EU with a European management and ownership structure are legally the first choice for the secure storage and processing of data. A small presence on the US market also increases economic independence from EU providers," says Keller.
The BITMi report confirms what EGOTEC has been living with SaaS.de for years: true data sovereignty can only be achieved through a European ownership structure, hosting in Germany and consistent compliance with European data protection standards. As a certified provider of "Software Made in Germany" and "Software Hosted in Germany", we offer our customers a secure, future-proof platform that makes no compromises when it comes to data protection and resilience.
For decision-makers and IT managers, this means
- European server locations as a basic requirement for data security
- Transparent ownership structures without US interests
- Certified solutions such as "Software Hosted in Germany" as a guarantee of trust
If you have any questions about data sovereignty, please contact our SaaS.de team