Gaia‑X: the bid for a sovereign European cloud
- In 2020, the EU launched the Gaia-X project, which aims to build an interoperable, secure data infrastructure that complies with European standards.
- This strategy aims to strengthen the European Union’s digital sovereignty in the face of the hegemony of North American players.
- Gaia-X is an ecosystem of interconnected nodes based on open standards, designed to prevent the concentration of power in the hands of a single player.
- The project is based on the development of sectoral data pools to facilitate the secure exchange of information in areas such as healthcare, the automotive industry and energy.
- However, the creation of these spaces is hampered by a complex reality: managing relationships between players whose interests don’t always align.
While the hegemony of North American players – Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud – structures the global digital ecosystem, the launch of the Gaia‑X project in 2020 by the European Union aims to build a digital bulwark, an interoperable, secure data infrastructure that complies with European standards1. This initiative aims to encourage the development of sectoral “data spaces” in areas such as health, energy and mobility, to ensure that data management is aligned with the principles of transparency, reversibility and portability.
This year, Gaia‑X is entering an implementation phase, marked by the expansion of more than 180 data spaces2. This progress was highlighted at the Hub France plenary meeting in March 2025, where public and private stakeholders discussed standardisation issues, economic models promoting these data spaces, and potential synergies with artificial intelligence3.
At a time when cross-border data flows and AI are redefining geopolitical power relations, Gaia‑X raises several questions: can it truly represent a credible alternative to the digital giants? On what basis can a sovereign infrastructure be built without succumbing to technological isolation? And what levers can be mobilised to make it a vector of innovation for European businesses?
To decipher the issues underlying this initiative, Francesca Musiani, Director of Research at the CNRS, brings her expertise in digital sovereignty and data governance. She has analysed the Gaia‑X project in her article “À travers les infrastructures, c’est la souveraineté numérique des États qui se joue4” (Data infrastructure: national digital sovereignty at stake), in which she examines the implications of national autonomy through data infrastructure.
Europe faces the challenge of digital omnipotence
The European Union is embarking on a strategy to strengthen its sovereignty and control over digital infrastructure and data, which are considered key elements of its autonomy. In light of current technological and geopolitical imperatives, the aim is to ensure that European players retain control over this ecosystem. One of the fundamental levers is the development of the continent’s digital industry, particularly in strategic sectors such as cloud computing, microelectronic components and cybersecurity. The aim is to reduce dependence on external suppliers and encourage the emergence of European players offering alternative and independent solutions. Flagship projects such as the European Semiconductor Alliance and Gaia‑X demonstrate this desire to build a decentralised and competitive digital infrastructure.
Francesca Musiani, Director of Research at the CNRS, explains that the project is based on an EU-wide architecture: “Gaia‑X has a European governance structure; it is a non-profit association based in Belgium (AISBL: Association internationale sans but lucratif) with governing bodies composed mainly of European players.” This approach aims to prevent takeovers by non-European powers. Although external entities can join the programme, they must comply with strict requirements regarding “sovereignty and interoperability rules”, a point which, according to the researcher, has sometimes generated “controversy due to the track record of certain players such as Microsoft, Google and even Palantir.”
At the same time, an ambitious regulatory framework is being put in place to govern the use of digital information. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a key pillar of this approach, establishing strict standards for the protection of European citizens’ personal information5. New regulations, such as the Data Act and the Digital Markets Act, are needed to improve the transferability of information assets, ensure competition in the digital sector and impose obligations on online platforms to prevent anti-competitive practices and improve access to data6.
Another key aspect mentioned by Francesca Musiani is decentralised architecture: “Gaia‑X is not a single cloud, but an ecosystem of nodes interconnected via open standards, which is supposed to prevent the concentration of power in the hands of a single player, particularly one from outside Europe.” This model, based on “interoperability guaranteed by common specifications,” seeks to minimise the risks of excessive domination. The researcher also highlights the legal dimension of the project, with protection against extraterritorial legislation: “An important part of Gaia‑X’s strategy is its exclusion from non-European extraterritorial law; providers must guarantee that foreign extraterritorial laws do not compromise European data.” Some services even go so far as to rely on “entirely European infrastructure to guarantee legal immunity from non-European laws.”
To prevent any undesirable influence, several measures are being considered, as Francesca Musiani explains: “Limiting their voting and decision-making power in management bodies, monitoring certifications by independent auditors approved by the Gaia‑X association and promoting the emergence of European alternatives in the cloud, AI and data through public funding.” Transparency in the decision-making process, with “management decisions in principle made publicly” and the involvement of a “broad community”, is also an important safeguard.
Data spaces, between vision and friction
The aim of Gaia‑X is to create a European infrastructure for interoperable, secure data governed by shared principles, with the goal of laying the foundations for sovereign technology that can compete with dominant non-European platforms while respecting European values such as personal data protection and transparency of processing.
“The ultimate goal of this initiative is to create a sovereign European technology base: the project sets out a common framework of technical and governance standards that guarantees the compatibility, security and portability of digital services,” explains Francesca Musiani.
The initiative is based on the rise of industry-specific data collectives, which aim to facilitate the secure exchange of information in strategic sectors such as healthcare, automotive, energy and mobility. Programmes such as Catena‑X in the automotive sector and GAIA‑X Health in healthcare are concrete examples of this approach. These actions aim to guarantee access to data that is essential for innovation while ensuring compliance with the GDPR and other European standards. For example, Catena‑X aims to transform the automotive value chain in Europe by facilitating the flow of data between industry players while ensuring its security and integrity7.
The aim of Gaia‑X is to create a European infrastructure for interoperable, secure data governed by shared principles
The proposed model is part of a drive to create an integrated digital market, where data becomes a shared resource available to European companies for developing new technologies such as artificial intelligence. Data spaces are also seen as a stimulus for operations funded by European programmes such as Horizon Europe and the Digital Europe Programme, thereby promoting the formation of innovation coalitions. In this sense, this infrastructure aims to foster enhanced cooperation between public and private actors, as well as between Member States, to promote true digital autonomy on the continent.
“This initiative is based on sectoral data collectives that stimulate co-innovation between large groups, SMEs, laboratories and public institutions,” the researcher continues. “It serves as a catalyst for European projects funded by programmes such as Horizon Europe or Digital Europe.”
However, the creation of these spaces is hampered by a complex reality: managing relationships between players whose interests don’t always align is a major challenge. This is particularly evident in architectures such as GAIA‑X Health, where the diversity of stakeholders and national approaches slows down the synchronisation of actions. Beyond the technical aspects, these challenges involve difficult governance negotiations, especially when it comes to defining common standards. This results in delays in the adoption of technical standards and in the implementation of the infrastructure needed to share data.
“The coordination process is difficult because each actor has its own requirements and priorities, which sometimes creates tensions between European countries themselves,” observes the researcher.
The system is developing slowly, with technical adjustments and coordination still in progress. This is resulting in a series of practical and institutional obstacles that are slowing down its implementation and making its long-term success uncertain. For example, differences over the distribution of roles within the various consortia and issues of digital sovereignty are complicating the establishment of common norms and standards for all stakeholders8.
“Although it has an innovative vision, this project remains fragile due to tensions in its governance, insufficient technical maturity and a lack of strategic alignment between the various European players,” notes Francesca Musiani.
