In a striking move reflecting growing geopolitical uncertainty, Denmark’s Minister for Emergency Management, Torsten Schack Pedersen, has publicly urged Danish authorities and private companies to prepare contingency strategies for a possible disruption of access to American cloud services. His statement, published in Politiken, highlights the deep digital dependency that European countries—particularly Denmark—have on U.S.-based tech giants.
“We already recommend that businesses and authorities establish exit plans for their use of, for example, cloud services, and that they ensure strong ownership of the data handled by the service providers,” Schack Pedersen said.
Why Denmark is concerned about USA cloud dependency
Major cloud providers like Microsoft (OneDrive), Google (Google Drive), Apple (iCloud), and Dropbox are all American. In Denmark, the reliance on these services is nearly total across sectors—universities, corporations, government agencies, and even the military. According to Carsten Schürmann, professor of computer science and cybersecurity expert at the IT University of Copenhagen,
“Denmark is a Microsoft country. Everyone uses Microsoft products.”
But this widespread use brings vulnerability. In a worst-case scenario, if US authorities—under political pressure or through policy shifts—decide to cut off cloud services to European users, the consequences could be catastrophic.
Jacob Herbst, head of the Danish Government’s cybersecurity council, warns: “The likelihood is very low, as it would be a huge own goal for the USA. But the consequences would be enormous. That makes it a significant risk that we must plan for.”
Digital sovereignty and data control in a new geopolitical era
Beyond accessibility, data privacy and sovereignty are major concerns. Cloud services store vast quantities of personal and institutional data—emails, documents, pictures, internal communications—and this information is largely under the control of foreign entities.
Schürmann stresses the need to reflect on how dependent Danish society has become: “If you lose access to your cloud services, you can’t do anything at all. That’s why it’s smart to think about alternative providers.”
He also suggests that individuals and institutions reconsider where their data is stored, especially in light of how artificial intelligence models from Google, Meta, and others are trained on user data.
“Privacy is crucial. I personally intend to move my data away from Google,” he said.
Planning for the unlikely—but not impossible
While Schack Pedersen reaffirms that the United States remains Denmark’s closest ally, he insists that even low-probability risks require mitigation strategies. “Regardless of which cloud service you use, if you lose access to your data, the consequences can be severe. That’s why we recommend backup systems and clear exit strategies,” he noted.
The call for digital contingency planning comes at a time of broader international tension. With recent examples such as the trade war initiated by President Donald Trump and his public suggestions of acquiring Greenland, Nordic leaders are increasingly aware of the potential volatility in transatlantic relations.
Towards a more resilient digital infrastructure in Europe
Denmark’s warning is part of a growing European movement toward “digital sovereignty“—the idea that European countries should have autonomous control over critical digital infrastructure. As dependence on American technology continues to grow, so too does the urgency to develop resilient, locally managed alternatives.
In the meantime, Denmark is taking the first steps in preparing its institutions for a digital reality where access to USA cloud services can no longer be taken for granted.
