68% of Dutch businesses have concerns over hosting data with non-European providers
Amsterdam – 27th May, 2026 – Over two-thirds (68%) of small and mid-sized organisations in the Netherlands have concerns about the control that non-European businesses have over their data, according to new research from OVHcloud, a global cloud player and the European Cloud leader. The study found that eight out of ten Dutch organisations with between one and 250 employees would prefer to use a European cloud provider, referencing concerns around privacy, control and risk of data ‘shutdown’.
“Dutch businesses understand that working with a non-European business may reduce how much control they have over their data,” said Guido Laout, Head of the Netherlands, OVHcloud. “Forty-three percent of businesses told us they think that data stored with non-European companies may not be fully sovereign. However, their choices are often influenced by limited awareness of European options, comfort and inertia with existing hyperscaler portfolios and the belief that local providers cannot meet the same requirements. Over time, this can reduce control and affect customer trust.”
The research showed that Dutch businesses have a good understanding of sovereignty risks, with 69% mentioning that privacy concerns and government access to data were recognized as potential issues. Businesses also cited impaired ability to control technology and avoid lock-in (58%) as well as the risk of ‘shutdown’ (55%) and loss of access in response to policy changes, which can significantly impact organizational ability to scale.
“According to our research, the average small or mid-sized organization in the Netherlands has around thirty-five percent of its data stored with non-European providers. This figure is probably higher in practice, given the state of shadow IT, and that many SaaS apps use hyperscale providers as well,” continued Laout. “This presents a material risk to both the technical security and strategic autonomy of local businesses, increases concentration risk and reduces the ability of businesses to adapt and migrate as needs change.”
“However, it’s also clear that Dutch businesses are becoming aware of the short- and long-term implications of working with other providers and what this means for them,” Laout concluded. “We’re also seeing support from the European Commission with the start of the Cloud Sovereignty Framework guidelines, helping organisations to assess when data needs to be in a sovereign European environment. In the next twelve to eighteen months, we’ll see more and more firms taking a more considered approach to their technology stack, ensuring data is secure, their businesses can continue to scale and ultimately, enabling them to retain customer trust.”
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About OVHcloud
OVHcloud is a global cloud player and the leading European cloud provider operating over 500,000 servers within 46 data centers across 4 continents to reach 1.6 million customers in over 140 countries. Spearheading a trusted cloud and pioneering a sustainable cloud with the best performance-price ratio, the Group has been leveraging for over 20 years an integrated model that guarantees total control of its value chain: from the design of its servers to the construction and management of its data centers, including the orchestration of its fiber-optic network. This unique approach enables OVHcloud to independently cover all the uses of its customers so they can seize the benefits of an environmentally conscious model with a frugal use of resources and a carbon footprint reaching the best ratios in the industry. OVHcloud now offers customers the latest-generation solutions combining performance, predictable pricing, and complete data sovereignty to support their unfettered growth.