Netherlands at risk of shutdown from dependence on foreign IT, data authority warns

The Netherlands relies heavily on a small number of foreign IT suppliers, a dependence that affects not only government operations but also healthcare and payment systems. The Dutch Data Protection Authority (AP) warns that if another country were to leverage this dependency, it could bring the Netherlands to a complete halt.

The privacy authority warns that a shutdown of digital systems could result in “unforeseeable and possibly irreversible societal, economic, and personal harm.” It says it is “deeply concerned,” especially given the “rapidly shifting geopolitical landscape.”

While the AP does not mention specific companies, many Dutch services rely on U.S. tech giants like Google, Amazon, and Microsoft. The authority says the risk is real: dependency has already been exploited.

For example, the International Criminal Court in The Hague relied on Microsoft for email services, and last year the U.S. government forced Microsoft to halt that service, leaving the court digitally unreachable.

The AP urges both the current government and the incoming coalition to prioritize digital sovereignty. This includes investing more in European alternatives to existing digital systems. The authority also backs the creation of a “Rijkscloud,” a national cloud infrastructure entirely managed by the Netherlands.

The company operating the DigiD service is on the verge of being taken over by a U.S. firm. Dutch residents rely on DigiD for tasks such as filing taxes, paying contributions, and arranging insurance. The AP’s warning, however, addresses broader concerns beyond just this acquisition.