Norway Urged to Prioritize State-Owned Cloud for Data Sovereignty
Oslo, Norway – A coalition of Norwegian labor and political groups is pressing the government to accelerate plans for a state-owned cloud service, arguing that reliance on foreign tech companies poses a risk to national security and data sovereignty. The call for action comes from Fagforbundet, Norsk Tjenestemannslag (NTL), and the Socialist Left Party (SV), and follows a 2021 parliamentary decision to explore the feasibility of a national cloud solution.
The groups contend that the current approach, which favors procuring services from commercial providers, contradicts recommendations from the Norwegian National Security Authority (NSM). In November 2023, the government opted to purchase cloud services from a commercial vendor despite NSM advice to develop a state-run alternative. SV leader Kirsti Bergstø stated that public data should not be entrusted to commercial entities, particularly given concerns about the influence of technology giants on democratic processes.
“It should be a given that something as fundamental as public data and information isn’t left to commercial companies,” Bergstø said. “Especially when we see how tech giants are trying to influence people, elections, and democratic processes for their own gain.”
NTL leader Kjersti Barsok echoed these concerns, emphasizing the heightened security risks in the current geopolitical climate. “In the security policy situation we are in now, it is extra vital to secure our digital sovereignty through a self-operated state cloud service,” she stated.
The push for a state-owned cloud service is formalized in a proposal submitted to the Storting (Norwegian Parliament) outlining eight key demands. These include establishing digital sovereignty as a core principle in Norway’s digital strategy, creating a state-owned cloud service for data storage and public sector tools, and developing a licensing scheme for commercial data collection and usage. The proposal also calls for a national exit strategy to phase out reliance on major international commercial IT platforms, such as Microsoft 365, and for stronger collaboration with Nordic and European partners on secure digital solutions.
The 2022-2023 “Nasjonal sky” (National Cloud) project recommended a dual approach – both a state-owned and commercially operated cloud – but the government deemed the estimated six billion kroner cost of a fully state-run system prohibitive. Instead, NSM was tasked with developing a plan based on commercial solutions in the autumn of 2023. Progress on that front has been largely unreported since.
NSM Director Arne Christian Haugstøyl recently acknowledged the risks associated with concentrated reliance on a few American cloud providers, describing it as a “concentration risk.” He advocated for greater national control and the exploration of European alternatives, stating, “It is our recommendation that we acquire more national control, national sovereignty, and that we develop a national cloud solution.”
The 2026 state budget did allocate funding for a preliminary project related to the National Cloud initiative, but the future direction of the project remains uncertain pending a potential shift in government policy. The SV proposal seeks to compel the government to revisit its decision and prioritize a state-owned solution, framing the issue as critical to Norway’s security, sovereignty, and digital independence.