Cloud Storage
GDPR Compliance
Backblaze GDPR compliance
Evaluating Backblaze GDPR Compliance: Why Sovereign Cloud Is the Safer EU Alternative
Using non-EU cloud storage providers presents significant GDPR compliance challenges for European businesses. The risk of exposure to foreign laws can undermine data sovereignty, regardless of where servers are physically located. A truly European cloud, built on EU law, offers a more resilient and predictable path to compliance.
Key Takeawys
True GDPR compliance requires data sovereignty, not just data residency, as non-EU laws like the US CLOUD Act can override protections even in EU data centers.
The Schrems II ruling invalidated the EU-US Privacy Shield, placing the burden on companies to verify that data transferred outside the EU receives equivalent protection.
A sovereign EU cloud provider, governed exclusively by EU law, eliminates jurisdictional conflicts and offers predictable costs with no egress fees, ensuring resilient compliance.
For UK and EU businesses, ensuring GDPR compliance is a top priority, with potential fines reaching up to 4% of worldwide annual turnover for non-compliance. Many organisations trust non-EU cloud storage providers, assuming that an EU-based data center guarantees protection. However, the reality is far more complex due to laws like the US CLOUD Act, which can compel data access regardless of its location. This creates a direct conflict with GDPR principles, exposing companies to legal risks. This article explores the nuances of this challenge and presents a sovereign, enterprise-ready solution designed for the EU.
Assess Core GDPR Risks with Non-EU Storage Providers
GDPR applies to any organisation processing the personal data of EU citizens, regardless of the company's location. Non-EU providers often promise compliance by operating data centers within Europe, serving over 27 member states. This physical data residency, however, offers incomplete protection against foreign government access requests. The fundamental conflict arises from jurisdiction; a company headquartered outside the EU is subject to its home country's laws. This legal reality can override contractual GDPR assurances with customers. For instance, a US-based provider must comply with US laws, creating a compliance gap that affects hundreds of thousands of businesses. This legal contradiction is the primary challenge when evaluating GDPR compliance frameworks of non-EU services.
This jurisdictional issue forces EU companies into a difficult position, balancing operational needs against unresolved legal risks.
Demand True Digital Sovereignty, Not Just Data Residency
Data residency simply means data is stored in a specific geographic location, like Germany. Data sovereignty, however, means data is subject exclusively to the laws of the country where it is stored. A strong majority of EU decision-makers now demand European solutions for their critical data infrastructure. Storing data with a provider governed by EU law ensures it is protected by the GDPR's stringent privacy standards. A non-EU parent company negates the benefits of an EU data center. This is why EU legal certainty is a key criterion for more than 50% of enterprises choosing a cloud provider. The distinction is critical for maintaining control over sensitive information.
Understanding this difference is the first step toward building a resilient and genuinely compliant data strategy.
Mitigate CLOUD Act Exposure to Protect EU Data
The US CLOUD Act of 2018 allows US law enforcement to compel US-based technology companies to provide requested data. This applies even if the data is stored abroad, for example, in a Frankfurt data center. This law creates a direct conflict with the GDPR, which prohibits data transfers without adequate protection. The act undermines the principle of data sovereignty that is central to EU regulations. US authorities can issue requests without involving any European public authority. This leaves EU businesses using US cloud services in a state of legal uncertainty. The following points outline the primary risks:
Unilateral data access by a foreign government bypasses EU legal frameworks.
It directly undermines the GDPR principles of transparency and consent.
It creates contradictory legal obligations for providers, forcing them to choose between US law and GDPR.
Gag orders can prevent providers from notifying customers that their data has been accessed.
These risks highlight why the provider's country of origin is a critical factor in compliance.
Navigate Schrems II and Its Impact on Data Transfers
The Court of Justice of the European Union's Schrems II ruling in July 2020 invalidated the EU-US Privacy Shield. This framework was a primary mechanism for legitimising data transfers to the US. The ruling confirmed that US surveillance laws do not provide protections essentially equivalent to those in the EU. As a result, companies transferring data must now conduct a Transfer Impact Assessment for each data flow. This places a significant due diligence burden on the data exporter. Relying on Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) alone is not enough if the recipient country's laws undermine them. This ruling affects over 5,000 companies that relied on the Privacy Shield. The core issue remains the conflict between EU privacy rights and non-EU government access.
This complex regulatory landscape demands a simpler, more secure approach to data storage.
Adopt a Sovereign, Enterprise-Ready EU Alternative
A truly European cloud storage solution eliminates the conflicts inherent in using non-EU providers. Impossible Cloud is a sovereign by design object storage service. It operates exclusively in certified European data centers with country-level geofencing. This ensures your data remains under EU rules, fully shielded from the CLOUD Act. Our architecture is built for performance and predictability, with zero egress fees or API call costs. Our 'Always-Hot' storage model ensures all data is immediately accessible. This avoids the restore delays and hidden fees common with complex tiering systems. We offer full S3-API compatibility, so your existing tools and scripts work without modification.
Here is how our platform delivers compliance and control:
EU Legal Certainty: We are a European company, governed solely by EU law, providing total immunity from the CLOUD Act.
Immutable Storage: Use Object Lock for audit-ready retention and robust ransomware protection.
Granular Access Control: Our IAM supports MFA, RBAC, and external IdPs via SAML/OIDC for secure access.
Predictable Costs: With no egress fees or minimum storage duration, your budget remains stable and predictable.
This approach provides a practical path to compliance without sacrificing performance.
Empower MSPs and Channel Partners with a Predictable Model
For MSPs and resellers, margin predictability is essential for building profitable services like BaaS and archiving. Our channel-first model is designed for partner success, offering stable margins by eliminating egress and API fees. The multi-tenant partner console simplifies management with features like RBAC and MFA. Fast onboarding allows partners to deploy solutions in under 60 minutes. We support our partners' growth through an expanding distribution network, including api in Germany and North amber plc in the UK. This provides local access and support for hundreds of resellers across Europe. Our collaboration with backup leaders like NovaBackup ensures seamless integrations for MSPs.
This partner-centric approach makes it easy to deliver sovereign cloud solutions to your clients.
Future-Proof Your Strategy for Upcoming EU Regulations
More Links
Wikipedia provides a comprehensive overview of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
The Datenschutzkonferenz offers a PDF document detailing guidelines for cloud services.
EUR-Lex provides the official legal text of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
The Bavarian State Office for Data Protection Supervision offers guidance on cloud computing and data protection.
The German Federal Government presents its initiatives and policies on digitization.
FAQ
What makes Impossible Cloud a GDPR-compliant solution?
Impossible Cloud is a European company with data centers exclusively in Europe. We are governed solely by EU law, making our services immune to non-EU regulations like the US CLOUD Act. This provides true data sovereignty and legal certainty for GDPR compliance.
Can I migrate my data from another S3-compatible provider easily?
Yes. We offer full S3-API compatibility, which means your existing applications, scripts, and tools will continue to work without code rewrites. This minimizes migration risk and protects your past investments in S3-based workflows.
What are the economic benefits of your storage model?
Our pricing is transparent and predictable. We charge for storage used with no egress fees, no API call costs, and no minimum storage duration. This eliminates surprise bills and allows for stable budgeting, which is especially valuable for backup and archiving use cases.
How does Impossible Cloud protect against ransomware?
We provide Immutable Storage through S3 Object Lock. This feature allows you to make data unchangeable and undeletable for a specified period, creating an audit-ready and resilient defense against ransomware attacks.
Is your platform suitable for Managed Service Providers (MSPs)?
Absolutely. Our platform is partner-ready with a multi-tenant console, full automation via API/CLI, and predictable pricing that protects MSP margins. We also have a growing distribution network in the UK and Germany to support our channel partners.
How does your 'Always-Hot' architecture work?
Our 'Always-Hot' model means all data is immediately accessible without any restore delays or retrieval fees. This simplifies operations and ensures that your backups and archives are always ready for a fast recovery, unlike complex tiered storage models.
