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Cloud computing is fundamental to Europe’s digital future.

We welcome the focus on the important role of Cloud Computing in building a competitive data driven knowledge economy across Europe in the European Commission’s Cloud Computing Initiative Communication. This communication is part of a package of documents released today under the Digital Single Market Strategy.

techUK’s Head of Cloud, Big Data and Analytics, Sue Daley, explains the importance of cloud computing to the UK and EU’s digital future:

“The next wave of the UK and EU’s digital revolution is being powered by technologies such as the internet of things, advanced mobile applications, big data analytics and artificial intelligence (AI). But it is cloud computing that underpins all of these technological developments. Cloud provides the capability to store, process and manage the vast volumes of real-time data being created through digital innovation. As the Commission’s Cloud Initiative recognises, the Cloud provides businesses, consumers, the scientific community and others with the ability to access complex computing platforms and resources on an ‘on-demand’ basis. It is this flexibility that is driving innovation, productivity, job creation, scientific discoveries and business competitiveness.

“The UK has amazing strengths in every part of the cloud ecosystem. We have a vibrant, fast moving and constantly evolving cloud computing market with multiple cloud providers offering innovative cloud services at the infrastructure, platform and software level. We have world leading supply-side expertise and world beating demand-side exploitation with organisations using cloud computing today to drive innovation and productivity. This combination means the UK is well placed to support the continued adoption and exploitation of Cloud computing by European organisations and consumers envisaged by the Commission’s Cloud Inititaive. But to do this we must ensure that we keep the UK at the forefront of cloud adoption by addressing issues such as data portability and interoperability and security concerns.”

techUK’s recently published Cloud 2020 Vision paper identifies six key issues that need to be addressed to keep the UK at the forefront of cloud adoption. These include enabling data portability and system interoperability within the cloud computing ecosystem, building trust in the security of cloud computing services, ensuring effective public sector adoption and usage of cloud and having a communications infrastructure that keeps pace with mass cloud adoption.

Members interested in being involved in the work to take forward the Cloud 2020 Vision recommendations, the results of which will feed the UK and European discussions on the important role and future development of Cloud Computing, should contact Sue Daley.

You can also see techUK Head of Policy, Charlotte Holloway's response to the launch of the European Digitising Industry Strategy.