Many EU government agencies have invested substantially in cloud computing initiatives to boost the adoption of cloud solutions. The rising demand to personalize customer interactions with customer data has driven the demand for SaaS solutions, further enticing enterprises to move to the cloud. The Europe Cloud Computing Market size exceeded USD 35 billion in 2020 and is expected to grow at 15% CAGR between 2021 and 2028.
Hybrid cloud computing is growing in popularity too. Businesses in highly regulated industries are using hybrid cloud models to keep some data and applications on-premises and use the cloud for business agility, scalability, and data security. In Italy, the hybrid cloud deployment model is estimated to see growth at around 25% from 2021 to 2028.
Despite the benefits of cloud computing, adhering to local regulations and laws is challenging and often a roadblock for digital transformation. And Europe is fast in developing new regulations to ensure security, privacy, and compliance controls, putting more pressure on businesses to keep up and conform.
The high cost for GDPR non-compliance
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) mandates how businesses collect, use, and store personal data. Organizations have reporting requirements for accountability in every country within which they operate. Each country has unique compliance requirements adding to the complexity. Some countries have additional requirements for vertical industries. For example, the Federal Financial Services Authority (BaFin) in Germany ensures stability and integrity in the financial sector so bank customers, insurance policyholders, and investors trust the financial systems. Failure to meet the requirements can result in massive fines. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) can impose fines of up to €20 million or 4% of annual global turnover – whichever is greater – for breaches in GDPR.
OpenText and Google: The perfect pair for digital transformation and compliance in the cloud
Organizations are responding to market changes by prioritizing their customer engagement and leveraging the benefits of the cloud to do so. OpenText ™ Digital Experience solutions enable organizations to optimize customer interactions and provide a continuous, connected journey across all touchpoints. Organizations can modernize their customer experiences on Google Cloud and deliver more personalized, omnichannel experiences at scale on any device at anytime, anywhere. When deployed on Google Cloud, these OpenText solutions enable organizations to address European-specific security and compliance requirements while enhancing customer engagement and creating customers for life with market-leading digital experience solutions.
Google Cloud meets Europe’s data protection and regulatory requirements
Google Cloud supports regional requirements that European customers have for configuring services to meet their privacy and security requirements. Google Cloud supports GDPR compliance efforts (GDPR) by providing customers with tools for control over the location of data and access to that data. GDPR-related documentation is available from the GDPR overview page to assist with configuration. Additionally, Google provides resources for the European Banking Authority (EBA) Outsourcing Guidelines and regional and sector-specific regulation information. For more information on where data is stored, how the data is controlled and how Google handles government requests and the CLOUD Act, please refer to the Google Cloud Whitepaper.
- Compliance offering
Google Cloud supports customers with their compliance and security requirements with regular independent verification of security, privacy, and compliance controls. Europe customers can find compliance offerings
for each region or sector-specific regulations. Google Cloud products achieve certifications, attestations, and audit reports to demonstrate compliance. Customers can use Google’s free Compliance Reports Manager with easy, on-demand access to critical compliance resources.
- EU Cloud Code of Conduct
Google Cloud was one of the first cloud providers to support and adopt the EU GDPR Cloud Code of Conduct (CoC).
- Privacy and security standards
Google Cloud is certified against internationally-recognized privacy and security standards such as ISO/IEC 27001, ISO/IEC 27017, ISO/IEC 27018 and ISO/IEC 27701. These certifications provide independent validation of their
ongoing dedication to world-class security and privacy.
- Stronger levels of control
Google Cloud customers have more control over their data. They can store data in the European region, ensure customer data is not moved outside of Europe, and prevent users and administrators outside of Europe from accessing their data.
- New Standard Contractual Clauses
The European Commission has published new Standard Contractual Clauses to help safeguard European personal data. Google Cloud plans to implement the new SCCs to help protect customers’ data and meet the requirements of European privacy legislation.
Digital experience solutions delivered on the world-class infrastructure of Google Cloud
OpenText on Google Cloud offers optimized environments for digital experience solutions running on Google Cloud, backed by a single, best-in-class service level agreement (SLA) that covers every element of your solution, including the application, cloud infrastructure, and managed service operations—a commitment that is unmatched by any other cloud managed service provider.
Whether migrating on-premises workloads to the cloud or embarking on a cloud-first deployment strategy, choose OpenText on Google Cloud to back your digital strategy, personalize customer experiences, and meet European and industry-specific security and compliance requirements.