Let's be brief: we are significantly dependent on American tech. Recently, NOS warned that the Netherlands is 'in a chokehold' of American tech companies. That is a problem, most experts now agree. The only question left is: how big is the risk really?
Dutch IT dependent on American tech
Microsoft, Google, Amazon, and Apple form the backbone of many Dutch IT environments. Microsoft 365 is the standard workplace within governments and companies, Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft Azure dominate the cloud market, and Google provides both infrastructure and data and AI services.
Recent analyses show that a large part of the Dutch government and vital sectors uses at least one American cloud service. This applies not only to supporting systems but also to core processes such as communication, document storage, and identity management. In practice, this means that crucial digital processes run on infrastructure that is legally and technically outside Europe.
This dependency has grown over the years due to efficiency considerations: American hyperscalers are scalable, relatively cheap, and technologically advanced. But those advantages have a downside.
Legal and strategic risks
An important pain point is the American CLOUD Act. This law requires American companies to hand over data to American authorities, even if that data is physically stored in Europe. This clashes with European privacy legislation such as the GDPR and raises questions about actual data sovereignty.
Additionally, there is a geopolitical risk. Technology is increasingly becoming a strategic tool of power. Think of export restrictions on chips, AI models, or cloud technology. If political relations change, dependence on foreign technology can suddenly become an operational problem.
For organizations in vital sectors – government, healthcare, energy, telecom – this is not a theoretical scenario. Outages, restrictions on access, or policy changes by a foreign supplier can have direct societal impact.
Europe is trying to catch up
The European Union is aware of the problem and has implemented strong legislation in recent years. The Digital Markets Act (DMA) and Digital Services Act (DSA) aim to limit the power of Big Tech and enforce fair competition. Additionally, the EU is working on its own AI regulatory framework and investing in initiatives around digital sovereignty.
However, this is changing practice only slowly. European cloud and software alternatives exist but often lack the scale, integration, and maturity of American solutions. Moreover, many organizations are stuck in existing contracts and complex IT landscapes that are not easy to migrate.
Even at the national level, policy remains cautious. There is broad political recognition that the dependence is too great, but hard obligations or clear migration strategies are often lacking.
Short-term goals for IT
Complete technological independence is therefore not yet a realistic short-term goal. But that does not mean that nothing is possible. On the contrary: there are concrete steps that organizations and governments can already take.
1. Assess critical systems differently
Not every workload needs to move away from American infrastructure, but core systems deserve a different consideration. Identity management, data storage with high confidentiality, and essential communication require stricter demands regarding location, ownership, and legal control.
2. Reduce multi-cloud and vendor lock-in
Many organizations are tied to one dominant supplier. By consciously opting for multi-cloud strategies and open standards, dependence decreases. This requires architectural choices but increases negotiating power and flexibility.
3. Seriously consider European alternatives
European cloud and software providers have been growing like bamboo lately. For specific applications – storage, private cloud, identity, collaboration – mature alternatives are available. These are still too often excluded in advance.
4. Stricter requirements in tenders
Governments and large organizations can steer through tenders. By setting requirements for data location, exit strategies, and transparency, they force suppliers to offer better conditions or create space for European parties.
5. Regain knowledge and control
An underestimated problem is knowledge loss. Due to extensive outsourcing, organizations often no longer know exactly how their own IT chain works. Investing in internal expertise is crucial to recognize and manage dependence.
No anti-Americanism, but realism
The discussion about American tech is not a plea for digital autarky or anti-Americanism. American companies have brought enormous innovations and remain technologically leading. Cooperation remains necessary, even in these uncertain times.
But cooperation without strategic counterbalance leads to dependence. And dependence is, especially in a geopolitically unstable world, a risk that is increasingly difficult to justify.
The conclusion is clear: the Netherlands – and Europe – will not break free from American technology tomorrow. But those who do not take steps now will be even deeper entrenched in five years. Digital autonomy does not start with grand visions, but with pragmatic choices in architecture, policy, and procurement. That is not ideology, but simply good IT management.
