Summary

Microsoft has admitted it cannot protect EU citizen data from U.S. government access, even when stored in European data centers. In sworn testimony before a French Senate inquiry in June 2025, Microsoft France's legal director Anton Carniaux stated "No, I cannot guarantee" that French citizen data would never be transmitted to U.S. authorities without explicit French authorization[^1].

The admission stems from the U.S. CLOUD Act, which compels American companies to hand over user data regardless of where it is stored[^1]. While Microsoft claims to resist "unfounded" requests, they must ultimately comply with legally valid U.S. demands[^6].

This revelation has significant implications for European data sovereignty, as U.S. firms control 69% of Europe's cloud infrastructure[^1]. The issue affects all major U.S. cloud providers - Microsoft, Google, and AWS must all comply with U.S. surveillance laws including FISA, the CLOUD Act, and Executive Order 12333[^6].

European officials worry this creates dangerous dependencies, as sensitive government, healthcare and business data could be accessed without EU oversight[^14]. Some experts advocate shifting to EU-based providers operating solely under European jurisdiction[^6].

[^1]: Forbes - Microsoft Can't Keep EU Data Safe From US Authorities

[^6]: Wire - Why Big Tech Can't Deliver True Data Sovereignty

[^14]: Fudzilla - Microsoft can't keep EU data out of US paws

Well, it's clear that the EU can't avoid leaking data to the US, when they continue using US Cloud providers, irrelevant if they use MS, Google or any other. They can force MS to have OneDrive desactivated by default, let the choice to the user if he want to use it or any other EU provider, if he can't o won't to use Linux, but there is the same problem when he use US cloud providers, is there where tha data are property of the corresponding company and the gov "to protect the childrem and making America great again"

EU sovereignty in soft an services, better yesterday as tomorrow, FTUS

What a surprise.

As if they even tried

More reasons for the EU to build their own data centers.

OK, who actually did think that data in Microsofts hands were safe from US meddling?

Any bit of data sent to an American server has to be considered compromized.

No they can't, they never could, and it's way way overdue for EU to finally wake up to the reality that all US owned cloud services are factually illegal for any European (EU) authority to use, from kindergartens to courts and everything in between.
It is also illegal for any private company operating in EU to hold any user/customer/personnel data on servers owned by American companies.

I've been saying this for more than 8 years now! Because this became apparent already under Obama, that the US government can demand, any data in any country held by any American company, to be handed over. Furthermore they can do this in secret under anti terror laws. And the companies affected are not allowed to mention anything to anybody, under regulation of steep penalties.

This was what Obama claimed was a balanced approach!
And the Republicans are worse!
And now it is very apparent that the checks and balances don't even work. The current American administration will do whatever they want, and worry about legality later. And threaten any opposition with secrecy under national security and anti terror laws.
Keep way way away from any American form of server/digital service and especially cloud services.
And also keep away from American telemetry. Which all ought to be illegal in EU.

No gov should allow their data in Microsoft hands simply based on this...

So what we’re saying is the CLOUD Act made it illegal in many countries to use American software and services that have any form of cloud storage?

Only option is to not use Americans products and services.

America cannot be trusted. At the end of the day the current US administration is a mere symptom, not the root cause.

As another poster mentioned, there is far more similarity between Obama and Trump than most Americans would like to admit.

No disrespect to sane Americans. It is a disaster for global democracy that America has de facto transitioned to a chauvinistic oligarchy.

It can't keep any countries' data safe from US authorities, yet most of the world's authorities are using Microsoft cloud because their IT personnel is a bunch of bought and paid for Microsoft buddies

Mind you, medical information from people all around the world is stored on private US servers. Good luck if you're trans, or have a"deviant" sex life!

I hate that MS is so widely used by companies across Canada

Ofc they can't google, meta and Microsoft are the three pillars of US intelligence gathering network.

Realities like this one are forcing entire nations to move to FOSS, more accountable systems, etc., which is a good thing for many of us, but bad for those who are in jurisdictions that they just can’t get enough of Microsoft et al.

A far journey ahead but at least we’re getting there!

Obviously

Isn't there some kind of sketchy corporate structure they could use to skirt this if they actually cared about data sovereignty?

"Sorry Feds, this data is actually held by Microsoft EU and not Microsoft".

Or do they only do that sketchy shit for dodging taxes and protecting people's data is a bridge too far?

To noone's surprise, really.
Feels good to be a Linux user, but I suppose some data gets snooped on anyway in various ways ...

"Can't."

Won't.

This is from July 2025.

Dated: Jul 22, 2025 at 07:56am EDT

Can't or won't?