The European Commission (CE) has launched an online public consultation on the use and provision of cloud computing. Responses to the consultation must be received by 31 August 2011.
Through this consultation, the EC is seeking to compile views on the following issues:
- data protection and liability questions, in particular in cross-border situations;
- other legal and technical barriers that can slow down the development of cloud computing in Europe;
- standardisation and interoperability solutions;
- uptake of cloud services, in particular by SMEs;
- ways to promote research and innovation in cloud computing.
The results of the consultation will be used by the Commission in the formulation of the European cloud computing strategy, which it is due to present in 2012.
It is noted that cloud computing is already used widely, for example for web-based e-mail services. This trend is growing and cloud services are expected to generate revenues of almost €35 billion in Europe by 2014.
Further information:
- Public Consultation on Cloud Computing http://ec.europa.eu/yourvoice/ipm/forms/dispatch?form=cloudcomputing&lang=en
- Digital Agenda: Commission seeks views on how best to exploit cloud computing in Europe http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/11/575&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en
