Belgian telecommunications group Proximus NXT unveiled a sovereign cloud platform with partners Microsoft, Intel and Thales to better protect European companies’ data.

The offering combines the Microsoft Cloud for Sovereignty platform with cybersecurity expertise from Thales and Intel into Proximus’ existing cloud product.

Proximus is adding a European encryption layer on top of Microsoft’s technology, “enabling it to move into the sovereign in the cloud category” while stating the platform will give companies more control over their critical data.

The combined platform is currently being tested by the Agoria group of technology companies.

New legislation such as NIS2 and DORA will require companies in the European Union to take additional measures to better protect themselves against cyberattacks.

Anne-Sophie Lotgering, enterprise market lead at Proximus, stated sovereign cloud offerings “are essential for European companies for reasons of security, compliance with European legislation and competitive edge”.

She noted the risk of bankruptcy will triple by 2027 for organisations that fail to continuously manage remote access to their architecture and processes.