Digital sovereignty is moving from concept to strategic requirement. As organisations focus on managing IT risk, control, and compliance, expectations towards providers are rising. This blog explores why the “sovereign” label is no longer enough and what it takes to meet these new demands. 

Many technology providers in Europe today claim to offer “sovereign” solutions. 

But ask a simple follow-up question, what exactly makes them sovereign, and the answers quickly become less clear. 

At the same time, demand for digital sovereignty is increasing. Over the past 15 months, geopolitical and economic uncertainties have pushed the topic higher up the agenda. When asked about digital sovereignty, almost 50% of organisations globally say their interest has increased compared to the previous year. 

But focusing on geopolitics alone misses the bigger shift. 

Why digital sovereignty expectations are changing 

As interest grows, so do expectations. Digital sovereignty is no longer an abstract or purely regulatory concept. It is becoming an essential strategic requirement in IT decision-making. 

At the same time, it remains a source of confusion. Many organisations still struggle to define what sovereignty actually means in practice, what is required to achieve it, and whether they need it at all. And then you need to ask, who can you trust? And then you need to ask, who can you trust? 

This creates a gap in the market. Providers talk about sovereignty. Customers are still trying to understand it. 

What is really driving digital sovereignty adoption 

Despite the geopolitical backdrop, the main drivers are far more practical. 

Organisations are prioritising control over their data, stronger governance and compliance, and the ability to manage risk. In Europe in particular, protection against extra-territorial data requests has emerged as the highest concern. 

This is where expectations begin to change. 

More than 40% of organisations globally say they will increase the frequency and granularity of their reviews of IT vendors and platforms to better assess and manage this risk. Furthermore, when asked what was most needed to achieve data sovereignty, 85% cited enhanced tools and solutions for governance, risk and compliance as the extremely or very important. 

Thus, if digital sovereignty is ultimately about managing IT risk, it cannot be reduced to a label or a feature. It needs to be something that is tangible and can be clearly explained, implemented, and validated. 

This also changes the role of providers. They need to help organisations assess their risk appetite, manage that risk, and deliver the solutions required to meet these expectations. 

And this is where many providers are not yet aligned. 

What digital sovereignty actually requires 

Part of the challenge lies in how sovereignty is framed. It is often treated as a single capability, when in reality it spans multiple dimensions. 

One practical way to approach it is through three areas: data sovereignty, technical sovereignty, and operational sovereignty. These form the three key pillars of cloud sovereignty, which itself represents a subset of the broader concept of digital sovereignty. 

Together, these define how control is exercised across data, infrastructure, and operations. 

For providers, this raises the bar. Sovereignty is no longer something that can be communicated in broad terms. It needs to be articulated across these dimensions, in a way that is transparent and verifiable. 

Where sovereignty really matters: high-risk workloads 

It is also important to clarify where sovereignty actually needs to be applied. 

Sovereign requirements are typically focused on workloads that involve sensitive data, regulatory exposure, and or critical business processes. This increasingly includes certain AI use cases, where data control and model governance are essential. 

This is also where trust becomes central. 

Customers need confidence that sovereignty claims hold up under scrutiny, especially in high-risk scenarios. It is no longer enough to state that a solution is sovereign or to only address isolated aspects such as data residency or localisation. 

Providers need to demonstrate how sovereignty is ensured, where the boundaries lie, and what guarantees are in place. This assurance must extend across the entire partner ecosystem, from primary providers to their partners and beyond. 

From positioning to proof 

The conversation around digital sovereignty is evolving quickly. Expectations are rising, and with them, the level of scrutiny applied to providers. 

In this environment, sovereignty is no longer a positioning or marketing statement. It is something that needs to be clearly defined, agreed upon by all stakeholders, consistently implemented, and credibly demonstrated. 

For many providers, that requires a shift. From broad claims to precise explanations. From messaging to evidence. 

And ultimately, from sovereignty as a label to sovereignty as a trust model that delivers autonomy, control, transparency, and resilience. 

If you are reassessing how to position and deliver digital sovereignty, speaking to an expert can help clarify what your customers will expect next. Request a call here. 

Join the webcast “Digital Sovereignty Beyond the Label: How Customer Expectations Are Changing” at the link here.

 
All data sources: IDC Europe, Worldwide Digital Sovereignty survey 2025, July 2025 

Rahiel Nasir - Research Director, European Cloud Practice, Lead Analyst, Digital Sovereignty - IDC

Rahiel Nasir is responsible for leading and contributing to IDC's European cloud and cloud data management research programs, as well as supporting associated consulting projects. In addition, he leads IDC's worldwide Digital Sovereignty research program. Nasir has been watching technology markets and writing about them throughout his professional life.