Jeff Brueggeman, Vice President - Public Policy AT&T, recently spoke at a European Internet Foundation conference in Brussels on the potential of the cloud for people and businesses everywhere.


The cloud could be worth €2,000 for every person living in the five largest EU member countries alone over the course of the next five years.


He spoke alongside representatives from the European Parliament, the private sector, academia and civil society about what AT&T is doing to drive cloud services forward, and the policy framework needed for the cloud to realize its potential.


For business customers, the cloud means aligning budget-saving targets with the need for more flexibility, reliability and security. For consumers, the cloud frees information from geographical limitations. Information can be effectively stored anywhere in the network and accessed over different devices from any location.


This level of convenience explains the continued growth of the cloud, but cloud services are also designed to provide strong privacy and security protections.


However, there are unresolved issues related to the cloud ecosystem in terms of security and uncertainties, some of which are legitimate, and there’s increasing pressure internationally to impose limits on cross-border data transfers and mandate local storage.


What’s important is to strike the right balance – ensuring privacy and security issues are addressed whilst unblocking barriers, enabling cross-border data flows and safeguarding.


It’s crucial for the EU and US to set an example on cyber security, privacy and law enforcement, forging a strong partnership in efforts to harmonize the international regulatory framework for the free-flow of information and push back against barriers and restrictions to customer confidence in cloud services.


Watch the full panel debate Visit the European Internet Foundation


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