Europe's cloud providers push to challenge US tech giants

European cloud providers hold only about 15% of the market versus 70% for Amazon, Microsoft, and Google, prompting EU lawmakers to push for public sector adoption of local services after a Microsoft outage disrupted users in 74 countries. The outage, which began Thursday and affected Microsoft Outlook and Teams, renewed concerns about European dependence on US tech firms. EU citizens largely support European-controlled digital infrastructure, and a draft report on the Cloud and AI Development Act urges public authorities to buy from European providers. European alternatives include Mistral AI, STACKIT, and OVHcloud, but analysts say they face an uphill battle to regain market share. Parliament committees will discuss the draft report on 1 December, with votes expected in 2027.