Sovereign cloud ‘strategic enabler’ of digital transformation, says Portuguese government
Portugal’s DigitalGov sets out the benefits of sovereign cloud for public administration. Plus, the UK unveils a new framework designed to simplify how government organisations purchase cloud technology and enable more SMEs to compete for contracts
The Portuguese government has outlined why it believes sovereign cloud is a strategic foundation for the digital transformation and modernisation of public administration and how this aligns with the European Union’s digital strategy.
In an article published on its website on 13 August, DigitalGov – the Portuguese government’s platform for communicating, demonstrating and monitoring digital public policy – highlights that sovereign cloud infrastructure enables the balancing of innovation with security and technological autonomy, and ensures civil and public services are capable of delivering reliable digital services and meeting future challenges.
The article follows the publication of Portugal’s National Plan for Sovereign Cloud in May.
In the article, DigitalGov describes sovereign cloud as “a cloud computing infrastructure that ensures data and digital services remain under the jurisdiction and control of a specific country or the European Union”, and adds that it “combines the benefits of cloud computing, such as scalability, availability and efficiency, with high security and regulatory compliance standards”.
As public services become increasingly digital, the way in which data is stored, processed and protected “is more important than ever”, it states.
Against this backdrop, sovereign cloud “is emerging as a strategic enabler, offering public administrations the flexibility of cloud computing without compromising security, technological autonomy, or control over sensitive information”.
It emphasises that sovereign cloud is not just a technological solution but a “strategic pillar of public sector modernisation” that enables governments to “balance innovation, security and technological autonomy”.
“As digital public services continue to grow, protecting critical data and ensuring the resilience of digital infrastructure will be essential for building a public administration capable of meeting future challenges and delivering reliable digital services to citizens and businesses.”
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The benefits of sovereign cloud
DigitalGov emphasises that adopting sovereign cloud enables public sector organisations to strengthen key aspects of their digital transformation.
It cites the main benefits as reduced dependence on external technology providers; greater control over sensitive data and critical information; enhanced cybersecurity and data protection; increased resilience of digital infrastructure; improved interoperability between public sector organisations; and the ability to deliver more efficient and scalable digital public services.
“As public services become increasingly reliant on digital platforms, these capabilities are essential for ensuring operational continuity and maintaining citizens’ trust,” the article says.
National Plan for Sovereign Cloud
Portugal’s National Plan for Sovereign Cloud, released in May, is part of the Portugal Digital Strategy’s Action Plan 2026–2027 and aligns with the country’s objective to position itself as one of the most digitally advanced countries in Europe.
The plan sets out the strategic vision for the “coordinated, cross-governmental, and secure adoption of cloud computing services within public administration”.
“The growing relevance of digital infrastructures and data to the economy and public institutions, together with the increasing risks associated with extreme weather events, cybercrime, and electronic warfare, reinforces digital sovereignty and resilience as a national and European strategic priority,” the plan’s executive summary says.
“Digital sovereignty constitutes an essential condition for the continuity of public services, information security, and the state’s decision-making autonomy. In this context, Portugal must strengthen its role in the provision of sovereign cloud computing and artificial intelligence services.”
The cloud-first strategy does not require every government organisation, team or function to use the same domestic cloud environment. Instead, it applies different sovereignty requirements depending on the processes, data and systems involved, whilst aiming to enhance operational efficiency and the quality of public services.
Under the plan, public sector processes will be classified as neutral, routine, critical or strategic, with progressively stronger requirements for data control, security, software and operational sovereignty.
Portugal’s Agency for the Technological Reform of the State and National Cybersecurity Centre are responsible for defining the assessment methodology and technical requirements, and public bodies must classify their processes and supporting systems by 30 June 2027.
A common procurement framework for public cloud services is scheduled to begin development in the first half of next year, and Portugal also plans to train at least 10% of public sector IT specialists in digital sovereignty by 2028 and at least 1,000 public managers and project leaders by 2030.
Read more: UK developing data tool to track cloud spend across government
Alignment with the EU Cloud and AI Development Act
DigitalGov’s article also outlines the EU’s efforts to establish common criteria for cloud sovereignty, cybersecurity and public procurement.
It highlights that the European Commission sees access to secure, sustainable and interoperable cloud infrastructures as essential for accelerating Europe’s digital transformation in both the public and private sectors, and that a European ecosystem of cloud and edge computing infrastructures is being built as part of the EU’s commitment to digital sovereignty.
It cites the proposed EU Cloud and AI Development Act (CADA). This forms part of the European Technological Sovereignty Package and, if approved, would establish four sovereignty assurance levels and a common procurement framework for public administrations. It also aims to triple European data centre capacity within five to seven years.
CADA “aims to meet the growing demand for cloud and artificial intelligence services, improve energy efficiency, and strengthen Europe’s digital sovereignty”, DigitalGov says, adding that “key elements of the EU’s vision for the future of cloud computing include interoperability between platforms, the free flow of data [and] cloud service certification”.
Read more: European Commission tables tech sovereignty package for AI, cloud and opensource
UK unveils ‘most significant cloud procurement overhaul since 2012’
Meanwhile in the UK, the Government Commercial Agency (GCA) is set to launch G-Cloud 15, which it says “represents a step-change in how the government buys cloud technology”.
Due to become operational this month, G-Cloud 15 consolidates three separate frameworks into a single commercial agreement and is designed to simplify how government organisations purchase cloud technology.
It introduces several measures designed to lower barriers and expand opportunity for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to compete for contracts, including by making it easier for suppliers – particularly smaller ones without dedicated bid teams – to position their services accurately and to be discovered.
G-Cloud 15 also includes a modernised, industry-aligned classification system that GCA says will “make it easier for public sector buyers to find the right supplier”.
Philip Orumwense, commercial director and chief procurement officer for technology at GCA, said: “G-Cloud 15 is a genuine step forward for small and medium-sized businesses wanting to work with the government. For too long, SMEs have faced barriers that hold them back from winning business – complex application processes, short framework windows, and procurement routes that favour incumbents. This framework addresses those concerns directly whilst enabling further access for British businesses to government and wider public sector bodies.”
The framework’s procurement opportunities are valued at approximately £14bn (US$19bn) over four years and it is estimated that £3bn (US$4bn) in public sector cloud spend will flow through it each year.
It is the first G-Cloud agreement to be launched since GCA was formed on 1 April 2026, combining the Crown Commercial Service with several Cabinet Office commercial teams.
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