As digital sovereignty gains momentum in Europe — with political urgency and new procurement demands — more and more vendors are claiming to offer a “sovereign cloud.” But what does that actually mean? When is a cloud truly sovereign, and when is it just marketing?

At Soverin, we believe sovereignty should be measurable. So we created a simple benchmark with 10 critical questions — covering data location, legal control, open standards, transparency, and the ability to exit freely.

Here’s the Sovereign Cloud Checklist, with Soverin’s position filled in:

Category

Key Question

Soverin

Data Location

Are all data stored physically in Europe?

Yes – Netherlands-based

Jurisdiction

Is the full infrastructure governed by EU law (no CLOUD Act exposure)?

Yes – Fully EU-owned and operated

Open Standards

Does it use open protocols (IMAP, SMTP, etc.) and avoid vendor lock-in?

Yes – 100% open standards

Stack Transparency

Can customers inspect or audit the stack?

Yes – Built on open components

Data Ownership

Does the customer retain full control over their data and identity?

Yes – Customer-owned, no lock-in

Identity Infrastructure

Is identity/authentication managed under European control?

Yes – Fully European stack

Interoperability

Is it easy to migrate out using standard tools?

Yes – Migration and export tools

Accessibility

Is it suitable for public sector and SMEs without complex dependencies?

Yes – Simple service, also white-label

Policy Alignment

Is it aligned with EU policy (Data Act, SECA, EuroStack)?

Yes – Active supporter of EuroStack

Sustainability

Does it run on green, energy-efficient infrastructure?

Yes – Green-powered data centers

What We’re Seeing in the Market

Many vendors fall short once we ask the tough questions — especially about:

  • Legal jurisdiction (are you really outside the reach of the CLOUD Act?),

  • Identity services (can you control your digital keys independently?),

  • or Exit options (can you actually leave without rebuilding?).

Where Soverin Stands

At Soverin, we don’t outsource sovereignty. We build for it:

  • Our infrastructure is 100% European.

  • We use open standards and interoperable formats.

  • Customers own their data, identities, and communications.

We focus on email and identity — two core layers of any cloud infrastructure that often get overlooked. But they matter most. Because without sovereign communication, there is no sovereign cloud.

Sovereignty isn’t a sticker. It’s a structural choice.

Ask your provider these 10 questions. If they can’t answer clearly — they may not be as sovereign as they claim.

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