European businesses face data sovereignty and cybersecurity gaps

Recent studies highlight a complex landscape of digital sovereignty and cybersecurity preparedness among European and German businesses. A study on email communication reveals that while 80 percent of European companies believe they have control over their email data, approximately half remain dependent on non-European providers. This dependency raises concerns for 56 percent of respondents regarding extraterritorial laws, such as the US CLOUD Act. Furthermore, only 49 percent of companies report the ability to manage or migrate email accounts without relying on their service provider.

In Germany, research by G DATA, Statista, and brand eins indicates that 97 percent of companies have basic contingency plans for cyberattacks. However, significant gaps in technical execution remain. Only 51 percent of surveyed companies utilize technical measures to mitigate attacks, and fewer than half engage in regular training or emergency drills. Additionally, only about one-third of companies seek external expert support or conduct forensic analyses to investigate the causes of incidents, suggesting that while planning is widespread, the depth of technical resilience varies.