Microsoft plans to offer new level of EU cloud data protection

Microsoft announced that it will support additional EU data privacy initiatives by allowing commercial and public sector customers to host and process data entirely within the EU. The commitment will apply to all major Microsoft services such as Azure, Dynamics 365, and Microsoft 365.

Dubbed the EU Data Boundary for the Microsoft Cloud, Microsoft president and chief legal officer Brad Smith indicated that the company will involve customers and regulators in the process to meet cybersecurity guidelines. The company first launched a European datacenter in 2009 and indicated that it was the first technology company to implement GDPR protections. In fact, Microsoft adopted the European Data Protection Board's draft recommendations as a result of the Schrems II decision, and launched the Defending Your Data Initiative.

This latest initiative will encompass datacenters in 13 EU countries, as well as those in Norway and Switzerland, and the company plans to hold an EU Cloud Customer Summit in the fall.