Microsoft's Pledge to Europe: Ensuring Data Sovereignty Amidst Transatlantic Tensions

Microsoft has reassured European customers by pledging to contest any US government orders to halt data centre operations in Europe. Brad Smith, Microsoft's president, emphasized the company's commitment to maintaining data services, expanding operations, and increasing data centre capacity by 40% over the next two years.

Microsoft has pledged to challenge any US directive that disrupts its data centre services in Europe, aiming to alleviate European customers' concerns over potential transatlantic service interruptions. Brad Smith, the company's president, stressed the importance of this issue despite it not being a current topic in Washington, DC.

Amid growing tensions fueled by President Donald Trump's trade policies and other transatlantic issues, Smith sought to reassure European leaders at a Brussels event. He emphasized Microsoft's dedication to expanding its European data centre operations, ensuring continued service even in the face of possible legal challenges from governments worldwide.

Microsoft is set to increase its European data centre capacity by 40% over the next two years and is making five digital commitments to the region. This expansion, costing tens of billions annually, comes as Europe explores reducing dependency on major US cloud providers like Microsoft and Amazon due to geopolitical volatility.

(With inputs from agencies.)