Microsoft and Google's cloud now approved for sensitive data in France

Venturebeat reports that Microsoft’s Azure and the Google Cloud has now been approved for the storage of sensitive government data in France.

France’s Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire confirmed that sensitive data could now be stored on these cloud storage platforms, as long as the data is being stored by French companies and the servers located on French soil.

“We therefore decided that the best companies — I’m thinking in particular of Microsoft or Google — could license all or part of their technology to French companies,” Le Maire said at a news conference.

The companies would now be awarded the “trustworthy cloud” label.

“We… hope that other Franco-American alliances will emerge in this area, which will allow us to have the best technology while guaranteeing the independence of French data,” said Minister for Digital Affairs Cedric O.

Notably, Amazon was not mentioned, though the company insists “This is something that we’ve been doing for many years.”