The Eurostack Data Platform for European Digital Sovereignty

Eurostack refers to a European, end-to-end digital technology stack that is built, operated, and governed within Europe. Its main aim is to reduce dependence on non-European (mainly US and Chinese) technology and strengthen Europe’s digital sovereignty—that is, Europe’s ability to control its own digital infrastructure, data, and compliance with local laws. Think of Eurostack as “Europe’s own full stack for the digital age”, designed to empower organisations to operate independently, securely, and confidently within EU borders.

Infrastructure Layer: Foundation and Compliance Context

The foundation of a Eurostack data platform is its infrastructure layer. Unlike traditional platforms, Eurostack infrastructure goes beyond just providing compute power and storage. It is specifically designed to guarantee sovereignty (data remains under European jurisdiction), data residency (data is stored and processed in Europe), compliance with EU law (such as GDPR), jurisdictional control, and robust governance.

This infrastructure can be hosted on-premises (within an organisation’s own datacenters) or via European-based cloud providers operating strictly withinEU/EEA/EFTA legal frameworks. Examples include OVHCloud, Open TelekomCloud, Stackit, and Scaleway.

Technical Components: Key Terms Explained

Compute and Orchestration: The Kubernetes-First Model

Eurostack uses a Kubernetes-first model for running applications. Kubernetes is an open-source system that helps manage and automate large numbers of software containers—making it easier to deploy, scale, and operate applications. A Kubernetes-first approach ensures organisations can move workloads easily between different European clouds or on-premises environments, keeping control over where data is processed and avoiding reliance on proprietary systems.

Storage: S3-Compatible Object Storage

S3-compatible object storager efers to a type of data storage that uses the same interface as Amazon’s S3, but can be provided by any vendor. This means organisations can store large amounts of data in a standardised way, with the flexibility to move or access it across different European cloud providers or their own infrastructure, supporting data sovereignty and avoiding vendor lock-in.

Networking and Security: HSM/KMS and More

Eurostack platforms use strong security controls, such as HSM (Hardware Security Module) and KMS (Key Management Service). HSMs are physical devices that securely manage cryptographic keys, while KMS solutions provide centralised software for generating, storing, and controlling access to encryption keys. These tools ensure that only authorised users can access sensitive data and that all data remains protected and auditable under European rules.

Data Ingestion, Processing, and Serving

• Table formats (e.g., Apache Iceberg): Open-source systems for managing large data tables, ensuring consistency and easy data access.
• ETL/ELT (Extract, Transform, Load): Methods for importing and preparing data, using open technologies like Apache Spark (for batch processing) and Apache Kafka/Flink (for real-time streaming).
• Query and serving (e.g., Trino): Open-source engines that allow fast and federated querying of data across different sources, without being tied to any single vendor.

AI and Machine Learning

AI and Machine Learning in a Eurostack environment rely on open, portable frameworks running on EU-based compute resources. Models are trained and deployed using containers orchestrated by Kubernetes, ensuring that data, models, and resultsalways remain within European jurisdiction and under the organisation’s control.

Data Governance

Data governance ensures data is discoverable, trustworthy, and compliant. This includes managing metadata (information about data), tracking data lineage (where data comes from), enforcing data quality, and applying fine-grained access policies.Open standards support regulatory compliance (such as GDPR), while avoiding lock-in to proprietary vendor ecosystems.

Practical Scenario: Migrating aHealthcare Provider to Eurostack

Consider a Belgian healthcare provider wanting to move patient records and analytics to a Eurostack data platform. The provider starts by assessing its current systems and identifies sensitive health data that must remain within the EU to comply with GDPR and health sector rules. Partnering with a firm like Big Industries, they develop a migration roadmap:

• Assessment: Review all current data sources and applications to identify those holding sensitive information.
• Choosing Infrastructure: Select a European cloud provider (e.g., OVHCloud) or build on-premises infrastructure for maximum control.
• Migration: Move data to S3-compatible object storage in the chosen environment, using secure transfer protocols and encryption managed by HSM/KMS.
• Application Modernisation: Refactor applications to run as containers orchestrated by Kubernetes, ensuring that workloads can be moved or scaled easily.
• Data Pipeline Setup: Implement open-source tools like Apache Spark and Kafka for processing and real-time analytics, ensuring compliance with sector-specific regulations.
• Governance and Compliance: Apply data governance frameworks to ensure access controls, data lineage, and audit trails are in place, demonstrating compliance to auditors and regulators.

With this approach, the healthcare provider ensures sensitive patient data never leaves European jurisdiction, remains compliant with all relevant regulations, and retains the ability to innovate using modern analytics and AI tools.

Compliance Benefits: How Eurostack Supports Regulatory Needs

Conclusion: Eurostack’s Value for European Organisations

Eurostack offers a future-proof, compliant, and sovereign platform for European organisations to manage their data and digital services. By relying on open technologies, European infrastructure providers, and robust governance, organisations can reduce dependency on foreign vendors, remain fully compliant with EU regulations, and unlock innovation in a secure, transparent environment.

Partners like Big Industries provide the expertise and accelerators needed to guide organisations through assessment, migration, and ongoing operation of Eurostack-aligned platforms—enabling a smooth transition towards true digital sovereignty and long-term business success in the European digital landscape.