Amazon in Talks to Expand Cloud Deal with Dutch Government
Amazon Web Services (AWS) is currently in discussions with the Dutch government to significantly expand their cloud contract. According to an internal document obtained by Insider, the deal between AWS and the Dutch Ministry of Justice and Security could increase to $85 million over a period of 5 to 6 years, up from the current $250,000 contract.
This potential expansion comes after AWS successfully passed the Dutch government’s Data Privacy Impact Assessment (DPIA), an important step in complying with Europe’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Previously, the Dutch government had identified “high risk” findings in AWS’s data privacy measures, leading to recommendations against using its cloud offerings. However, the recent DPIA results indicate that there are no longer any known high risks if Dutch government organizations follow the recommended mitigating measures.
In addition to the successful DPIA, AWS is also preparing for a separate Dutch government audit scheduled for September or October of this year. This audit is expected to focus on AWS’s EC2 compute, S3 storage, and Redshift database services. The outcome of this audit will be crucial in determining whether a larger deal can be closed with the Dutch government.
The Dutch government’s interest in purchasing various AWS cloud offerings suggests that other European countries may follow suit if GDPR compliance is established. The Dutch government has become a prominent enforcer of GDPR compliance, with some US tech companies viewing their approval as a “status symbol” and a testament to passing one of Europe’s most challenging data protection compliance guidelines.
Amazon and the Dutch government have not provided any official comments regarding these discussions. However, if the expanded cloud deal goes through, it could mark a significant milestone for both parties involved.
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