The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) published an opinion which puts forward an alternative to the plan for “unleashing the potential of cloud computing in Europe” presented by the European Commission. In stead, the EESC proposed a three-legged strategy, i.e. expand the use of the cloud, develop cloud-based software, and build cloud computing in Europe.

In an opinion recently adopted, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) highlights that while EU plans rightly aim to boost the use of cloud computing, the EU also fails to spur the development of cloud services and the emergence of European cloud computing infrastructure. The opinion assesses the European Commission's Communication on "Unleashing the potential of cloud computing in Europe" presented in September 2012, and puts forward an alternative, three-legged strategy, i.e. expand the use of the cloud, develop cloud-based software, and build a cloud computing in Europe.

On the other hand, the EESC has backed the Commission's suggestion to do away with the plethora of technical standards and create EU-wide certification schemes for cloud service providers. It has also come out in favour of drafting model conditions for cloud computing contracts in service level agreements and developing cloud-based public sectors. It nevertheless deplores the lack of concrete awareness-raising measures and warns against excluding the most vulnerable.

The Committee also called on the EU to make sure that European operators benefit from the promotion of cloud use and that it allows them to develop. It points to stringent data protection standards in Europe and European consumer preference for local suppliers as conditions that favour the emergence of EU-based operators. The EESC suggests targeted EU financing and national subsidies as well as kick starting European projects through competitive bidding.