The Cloud Infrastructure Service Providers Europe (CISPE) has expressed skepticism regarding Broadcom’s capabilities in supporting European cloud service providers in developing sovereign infrastructure. CISPE has labeled Broadcom’s assertions about its VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) software as overblown, emphasizing that the proprietary nature of VCF results in limited interoperability and a controlled environment that is not conducive to the autonomy Europe seeks in technology sovereignty.
CISPE’s secretary-general, Francisco Mingorance, criticized Broadcom, noting that their past actions have been bullying toward customers and channel partners. He argues that VCF cannot serve as a viable solution for Europe’s technology sovereignty challenges, as it falls short of the necessary resilience outlined in CISPE’s Sovereign and Resilient Cloud Framework due to its lack of portability.
As part of a broader initiative, the EU has introduced the Cloud and AI Development Act (CADA), which aims to strengthen digital sovereignty within the region by promoting investments in local research and creating guidelines for European data centers. However, CISPE maintains that Broadcom’s offerings do not meet the CADA standards and would only qualify for the most basic certification level under the proposed framework.
This confrontation is not new; CISPE previously urged the EU to block the merger between Broadcom and VMware, highlighting concerns over potential risks posed by U.S. cloud service giants attempting to dominate European markets under the guise of providing "sovereign" solutions.
For more information, visit the related CISPE statement and details on the Cloud and AI Development Act.
