What is at stake?
The European Union's proposed Cloud and AI Development Act (CADA) aims to strengthen sovereignty in cloud services. The law is still at the proposal stage and could reshape the rules of Europe's cloud market.
The €115bn estimate
A study by Brussels-based think tank ECIPE estimates the law's ten-year cost at €115bn. The study's author, Matthias Bauer, presents this as a central estimate.
Who paid for the study?
The research was funded by CCIA Europe, a lobby group whose members include Amazon, Google and Meta. That is a factor worth weighing when the figure is debated: the study was paid for by a group backed by companies that would be affected by the regulation.
Why it matters
The EU is trying to balance reducing dependence on foreign cloud and AI infrastructure against the costs involved. Lobbying by US tech giants could shape the scope and timeline of the law.
