With the European Commission's new adequacy decision, presented on 10 July 2023, it has become even more important to choose the right cloud service for your organisation. This is particularly true in light of the fact that the decision may be reviewed by the European Court of Justice and risks being declared invalid. So what should you consider when choosing a cloud service?
Three things to consider when choosing a cloud service
Open standards and APIs
Look for cloud services that offer open, standardised APIs to avoid lock-in effects. It is important that your IT environment can be easily moved to another provider without major restructuring.
Technical expertise
Select a partner with the right technical solutions and expertise to suit your specific needs. They should understand your digital ecosystem in order to offer tailored support and advice. Also look for relevant certifications, such as ISO 27001.
More secure cloud storage within the EU
To avoid future legal difficulties regarding data storage in the cloud, it is highly advantageous to use a Swedish or European cloud service rather than one with its legal domicile in a third country. In that case, data processing is governed solely by the GDPR.
Legal certainty and multicloud strategy
Investing fully in, for example, an American cloud service provider can be risky, especially given the uncertain future of the new adequacy decision. It is therefore wise to consider alternatives that offer greater legal certainty and comply with EU data protection laws.
Instead of putting all your eggs in one basket, it may be wise to explore a multi-cloud strategy, where you can place your most sensitive data with a provider that is not exposed to third-country transfers.
