Digital sovereignty has grown into one of the biggest topics in the European tech world. From the Dutch House of Representatives to the European Commission: everywhere, the question is being asked how we, as Europe, keep a grip on our own data and digital infrastructure. And rightly so, because where your data lives, and especially whose legislation it falls under, really makes a difference.
At Etheron, we're getting this question from customers more and more often. That's why, in this article, we explain in plain terms what digital sovereignty means, how the American CLOUD Act relates to the European GDPR, and why hosting with a Dutch provider is a logical step.
What is digital sovereignty
Put simply, digital sovereignty means keeping control over your data, your systems, and your digital infrastructure yourself. Not being dependent on parties you have no grip on, and being able to decide for yourself who has access to your data.
For businesses, that boils down to three practical questions. Where is my data physically located? Which legislation does my hosting provider fall under? And can I verify what happens to my data?
The CLOUD Act: why American legislation affects your data
This is where it gets interesting. In 2018, the United States passed the CLOUD Act, in full the Clarifying Lawful Overseas Use of Data Act. This law gives American authorities the ability to request data from American companies, regardless of where that data is physically stored.
In concrete terms: if your data is stored with an American hyperscaler in a datacenter in Frankfurt or Amsterdam, that data can still fall under American jurisdiction. So the "EU" server location on the order form doesn't tell the whole story. What matters is who owns your provider and which legal system they fall under.
This clashes with the GDPR, which sets strict requirements for transferring personal data outside the EU. As a result, American providers are caught in a legal split between two legal systems. Not scaremongering, but definitely something to weigh when deciding where your data belongs.
Europe is going all in on digital sovereignty
Policymakers see this too. In 2026, the European Commission presented a technological sovereignty package aimed at strengthening European capacity around chips, AI, cloud, and open source. In addition, the EU is working on a framework to make cloud sovereignty measurable in procurement, so governments can make more deliberate choices.
The same is happening in the Netherlands: in politics, the call for less dependence on foreign cloud services is growing louder and louder. The direction is clear: Europe wants more control over its own digital infrastructure.
What digital sovereignty delivers for your business
Choosing a Dutch or European hosting provider isn't just a matter of principle. It brings you concrete benefits:
- Legal clarity: your data falls under Dutch and European law, without foreign legislation such as the CLOUD Act cutting through it.
- GDPR-friendly: your data stays within the EU, which makes your data processing agreements and compliance a lot simpler.
- Approachable support: you deal with people who speak your language and know your situation, not with an anonymous ticket system on the other side of the ocean.
- Low latency: data located in Amsterdam is simply faster for Dutch visitors.
How we handle it at Etheron
At Etheron, you don't have to guess where your data lives. Our infrastructure runs in two ISO 27001-certified datacenters in Amsterdam: NorthC and Databarn. Our own hardware, on Dutch soil, under Dutch law. Whether you use web hosting, a VPS or a dedicated server with us.
And because sovereignty is also about transparency, you can always see for yourself:
- Status page: at status.ping64.net you can see in real time how our services are doing.
- Looking Glass: via lg-ams.ping64.net you can test the connection to our network in Amsterdam yourself.
- Dutch support: our team is based right here in the Netherlands and helps you in your own language.
Know where your data lives
Digital sovereignty sounds like a big word, but it starts with a simple choice: deliberately choosing where your data lives and who can access it. Europe is clearly moving in that direction, and with a Dutch hosting provider, you're already one step ahead of that movement.
Do you have questions about where your data lives or what this means for your situation? Feel free to ask them via our Discord or create a ticket — we're happy to think along with you!