{{Short description|Data infrastructure development project}} {{Promotional|date=September 2021}} {{use dmy dates|date=July 2021}} {{AI-generated|date=February 2026|reason=[https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gaia-X&diff=1299941524&oldid=1298482560 these 2025 edits]; note WP:AISIGNS in vocab distribution, promotionality (not the same as the 2021 stuff), etc}} '''Gaia-X''' is a European project that has developed a federated secure standard for data infrastructure whereby data are shared, with users retaining control over their data access and usage. It was developed to help ensure European digital sovereignty.<ref name="politico">{{cite news |last1=Goujard |first1=Clothilde |last2=Cerulus |first2=Laurens |date=26 October 2021 |title=Inside Gaia-X: How chaos and infighting are killing Europe's grand cloud project |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/chaos-and-infighting-are-killing-europes-grand-cloud-project/ |access-date=27 February 2022 |work=Politico |location=}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Adler‐Nissen |first=Rebecca |last2=Eggeling |first2=Kristin Anabel |date=2024 |title=The Discursive Struggle for Digital Sovereignty: Security, Economy, Rights and the Cloud Project Gaia‐X |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jcms.13594 |journal=JCMS: Journal of Common Market Studies |language=en |volume=62 |issue=4 |pages=993–1011 |doi=10.1111/jcms.13594 |issn=0021-9886}}</ref> It has moved past the development stage and is now being implemented. It promotes interoperability and data sovereignty across Europe and elsewhere.<ref>[https://gaia-x.eu/new-gaia-x-hub-launched-in-brazil-a-strategic-step-in-global-data-sovereignty-and-digital-collaboration/ New Gaia-X Hub Launched in Brazil], 28 October 2025.</ref> It provides a framework and tools digital governance to ensure data can be shared securely while complying with European values of transparency, openness, data protection, and security,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie |title=Gaia-X vollzieht wichtigen Schritt hin zu einer souveränen europäischen digitalen Infrastruktur |url=https://www.data-infrastructure.eu/GAIAX/Redaktion/EN/Downloads/gaia-press-release-september-15th-de.pdf?__blob=publicationFile |access-date=6 October 2020}}</ref> which can be applied to cloud technologies to obtain transparency and controllability across data and services.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Home - Gaia-X: A Federated Secure Data Infrastructure |url=https://gaia-x.eu/ |access-date=2023-06-21 |language=en-GB}}</ref> The project name is a reference to the Greek goddess Gaia.<ref>{{cite web |date=2 October 2020 |title=Frequently asked questions about the Gaia-X project: Common digital infrastructure for Europe |url=https://www.eu2020.de/eu2020-en/news/article/gaia-x-common-digital-infrastructure-for-europe/2401076 |access-date=28 February 2022 |website= |publisher=eu2020.de |quote=The name Gaia-X comes from a goddess in Greek mythology; Gaia is the wife of the sky god Uranus. In addition to the personification of the Earth, Gaia also symbolises one of the primordial deities, in the sense of an original element of the universe.}}</ref>
Gaia-X started as an initiative by the former German Minister of Economic Affairs, Peter Altmaier, and his French counterpart, Bruno Le Maire, in 2019. Originally presented at the 2019 Digital Summit in Dortmund, Germany, the initiative is under the von der Leyen Commission of European strategic autonomy<ref>{{cite news |date=9 November 2020 |title=Europe on a Power Trip |work=EU Scream |location= |url=https://euscream.com/europe-on-a-power-trip-transcript/ |access-date=26 December 2020}}</ref> and is under continuous development.<ref name="bmwi.de">{{cite web |last1=Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie |title=Gaia-X - A Federated Data Infrastructure for Europe |url=https://www.bmwi.de/Redaktion/EN/Dossier/gaia-x.html |access-date=6 October 2020}}</ref> The initiative is based in Belgium and has the legal form of an international non-profit organization (AISBL). It aims to develop a proposal for the next generation of data infrastructure for Europe, and promote the digital sovereignty of European users of cloud services.
== Goals ==
The aim of Gaia-X is to foster '''digital sovereignty''' aligned with '''European values'''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=About - Gaia-X: A Federated Secure Data Infrastructure |url=https://gaia-x.eu/about/ |access-date=2025-07-09 |language=en-GB}}</ref>
To do so, Gaia-X is supporting ecosystems where data can be exchanged in a trustworthy way and owners keep sovereignty over their data, thus easing the growth of data economy.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-09-09 |title=Gaia-X Introduces the Compliance Document to Enable and Increase Trust, Security, and European Sovereignty in Digital Ecosystems - Gaia-X: A Federated Secure Data Infrastructure |url=https://gaia-x.eu/gaia-x-introduces-the-compliance-document-to-enable-and-increase-trust-security-and-european-sovereignty-in-digital-ecosystems/ |access-date=2025-07-09 |language=en-GB}}</ref>
To do so, Gaia-X has released standards, rules and a verification framework to enable transparent environments to spread for data exchanges.
According to the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy (BMWi), openness, transparency and European connectivity are central to Gaia-X. The stated goal of this digital ecosystem is to ensure that companies and business models from Europe can be competitive, and share data within a trustworthy environment.<ref name="bmwi.de" />
Gaia-X's objective is not to become a Cloud service provider or a Cloud management platform or to compete with hyperscalers.
== Solutions ==
The project combines existing central and decentralized infrastructures to form a "digital ecosystem" using secure, open technologies with clearly identifiable Gaia-X nodes.<ref name="FAQs on the Gaia-X project">{{cite web |last1=Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie |title=FAQs on the Gaia-X project |url=https://www.bmwi.de/Redaktion/EN/FAQ/Data-Infrastructure/faq-projekt-gaia-x.html |access-date=6 October 2020}}</ref> The ecosystem includes software components from a common repository,<ref>[https://gaia-x.eu/developers/ Gaia-x for developers], 18 November 2025.</ref> and standards based on relevant EU regulations.<ref name="Gaia-X: The European project kicks">{{cite web |date=June 2020 |title=Gaia-X: The European project kicks off the next phase |url=https://www.bmwi.de/Redaktion/EN/Publikationen/gaia-x-the-european-project-kicks-of-the-next-phase.pdf?__blob=publicationFile&v=13 |access-date=6 October 2020 |pages=3}}</ref> Gaia-X intends to offer significant benefits from a data and infrastructure perspective, including innovative cross-sector data cooperation and more transparent business models.<ref name="Gaia-X: The European project kicks" />
== Deliverables == '''Gaia-X''' '''AISBL''' is responsible for the following deliverables:<ref>{{Cite web |title=Deliverables & Gaia-X Standard - Gaia-X: A Federated Secure Data Infrastructure |url=https://gaia-x.eu/services-deliverables/deliverables/ |access-date=2025-07-03 |language=en-GB}}</ref>
* '''Specifications''' describing Gaia-X functional and technical requirements * '''Code,''' provided by the Gaia-X Open Source Software Community, translating the forementioned specifications * '''Labels''' certifying compliance to the governance rules written in the specifications
=== Specifications === Gaia-X provides the following specifications to describe Gaia-X concepts:
* The '''Gaia-X Architecture Document'''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Editorial Information - Gaia-X Architecture Document - 25.05 Release |url=https://docs.gaia-x.eu/technical-committee/architecture-document/25.05/ |access-date=2025-07-03 |website=docs.gaia-x.eu}}</ref> explains concepts and requirements for technical and syntaxical interoperability - no link with governance rules * The '''Gaia-X Compliance Document'''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Editorial Information - Gaia-X Compliance Document - 25.03 Release |url=https://docs.gaia-x.eu/policy-rules-committee/compliance-document/25.03/ |access-date=2025-07-03 |website=docs.gaia-x.eu}}</ref> expresses all the rules to follow to enable organisational and semantical interoperability - no link with technical requirements * The '''Gaia-X Identity, Credentials and Access Management Document'''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Identity, Credential and Access Management Document - 24.07 Release |url=https://docs.gaia-x.eu/technical-committee/identity-credential-access-management/24.07/ |access-date=2025-07-03 |website=docs.gaia-x.eu}}</ref> specifies how to deal with rights, authentication and access when interacting with a Gaia-X Ecosystem * The '''Gaia-X Data Exchange Document'''<ref>{{Cite web |title=GXFSv2 - Data Exchange - 23.11 Release |url=https://docs.gaia-x.eu/technical-committee/data-exchange/23.11/ |access-date=2025-07-03 |website=docs.gaia-x.eu}}</ref> explains process and rules for data exchanges in the Gaia-X world.
The Architecture Document outlines what needs to be built and how the pieces conceptually fit together. The Compliance Document defines the rules and criteria that govern the behaviour of those pieces and their participants.
=== Code === Gaia-X specifications are turned into code by the '''Gaia-X Open Source Software community'''.
This code is an example of implementation of Gaia-X concepts and rules, creating '''software modules'''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Developers - Gaia-X: A Federated Secure Data Infrastructure |url=https://gaia-x.eu/developers/ |access-date=2025-07-03 |language=en-GB}}</ref>
Two versions of these components are available so far:<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://docs.gaia-x.eu/#/ |access-date=2025-07-03 |website=docs.gaia-x.eu}}</ref>
* Version 1 named '''TAGUS''' * Version 2 named '''LOIRE''' - current version of Loire [https://docs.gaia-x.eu/ 25.03]
=== Labels === A '''[https://gaia-x.eu/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Labels-Document_2024_FINAL-V2.pdf Gaia-X Label]''' is issued by a Gaia-X Digital Clearing House when the proofs given by the requestor fulfil the requirements expressed in the '''Gaia-X Compliance Document''', aligning with '''Gaia-X values''' of trust, transparency, security and interoperability.
Four Labels are available so far:
* '''Gaia-X Standard''' * '''Gaia-X Label''' '''level 1''' * '''Gaia-X Label''' '''level 2''' * '''Gaia-X Label''' '''level 3'''
== Use cases == Live '''use cases'''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Lighthouse Projects - Gaia-X: A Federated Secure Data Infrastructure |url=https://gaia-x.eu/community/lighthouse-projects/ |access-date=2025-07-10 |language=en-GB}}</ref> demonstrate how '''Gaia-X concepts''' ease data space management or data exchange. Gaia‑X is in its implementation phase, with more than 180 data spaces.<ref>Francesca Musiani (CNRS Research Director), [https://www.polytechnique-insights.com/en/columns/digital/gaia-x-the-bid-for-a-sovereign-european-cloud/ Gaia‑X: the bid for a sovereign European cloud], 18 June 2025.</ref>
=== Lighthouse Data Spaces === Some '''data spaces''' are recognised by the Gaia-X AISBL as the best examples to showcase how '''Gaia-X concepts can foster''' '''European data sovereignty and value creation'''.
These data spaces span across diverse sectors such as the automotive, aeronautics and space or manufacturing industry, but also cloud services.
=== Lighthouse Projects === '''Lighthouse Projects''' aims to create '''data exchange platforms''' based on '''transparency, trust and openness'''. Many sectors are targeted, like agriculture, mobility, industry, health, energy or finance.
This projects are the '''frontrunners''' towards setting up trust for data exchanges and data services thanks to use of the '''Gaia-X Trust Framework'''
=== Use case testimonials === '''Some testimonials'''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Use Case Testimonials - Gaia-X: A Federated Secure Data Infrastructure |url=https://gaia-x.eu/community/ecosystems/use-case-testimonials/ |access-date=2025-07-10 |language=en-GB}}</ref> are also published by the Gaia-X AISBL to better understand how Gaia-X Concepts are enabling secure and trustworthy data exchanges, thanks to '''down-to-earth examples'''.
These examples, spanning from road condition monitoring, to perfect component fit within the manufacturing industry, are the following ones:
* [https://gaia-x.eu/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/TAMIS-in-TEMS-Setting-up-the-basis-for-an-Audiovisual-data-hub.pdf TAMIS in TEMS] : basis for a data hub for the audiovisual industry * [https://gaia-x.eu/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Merlot-Project.pdf MERLOT] : smart tool for student career management * [https://gaia-x.eu/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/X-RoadNIIS.pdf X-ROAD] : platform for data space creation * [https://gaia-x.eu/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Use-Case_Digital-Road-Condition-Monitoring-1.pdf Digital Road Condition monitoring] : proactive tool for road maintenance * [https://gaia-x.eu/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Use-Case_Ideal-Component-Matching-1.pdf Ideal Component Matching] : ensuring components are matched accurately. * [https://gaia-x.eu/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Use-Case_French-Korean-Professional-Mobility-Tool.pdf French-Korean Professional Mobility Tool] : career management tool for Korean professionals looking for opportunities in France.
== Gaia-X Digital Clearing Houses == '''Gaia-X Digital Clearing Houses'''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Digital Clearing House - Gaia-X: A Federated Secure Data Infrastructure |url=https://gaia-x.eu/services-deliverables/digital-clearing-house/ |access-date=2025-07-07 |language=en-GB}}</ref> are the entry point where participants or data services can be automatically scanned regarding '''Gaia-X conformity rules'''.
They are organised in a '''network of nodes''' and are running the technical Gaia-X components linked to Gaia-X Conformity (Gaia-X Registry or Gaia-X Compliance engine for example), as expressed in the Gaia-X Specifications.
Thus, calling one of the Gaia-X Digital Clearing House is the practical way to determine your '''eligibility to the Gaia-X Conformity rules'''.
All the Gaia-X Digital Clearing Houses are '''interconnected''', and can be reached independently.
The list of active Gaia-X Digital Clearing Houses, including the version of code they are running for each component, is provided on a [https://docs.gaia-x.eu/#/gxdch portal powered by Gaia-X AISBL].
== Organisation ==
=== The association: Gaia-X AISBL === '''Gaia-X AISBL''' was established early 2021<ref>{{Cite web |title=FAQ - Gaia-X: A Federated Secure Data Infrastructure |url=https://gaia-x.eu/faq/ |access-date=2025-07-01 |language=en-GB}}</ref> as an '''international private non-profit association''' under Belgian law (French: ''Association Internationale Sans But Lucratif'', short: AISBL) and headquartered in Brussels.
Gaia-X AISBL is funded by the '''annual fees from its 250 members''' (private companies, associations, or universities for example).
Its '''General Assembly''', where all the members of the association have a seat, has full authority to ensure that '''Gaia-X AISBL goals are reached'''.<ref name="gaia-x.eu">{{Cite web |title=About - Gaia-X: A Federated Secure Data Infrastructure |url=https://gaia-x.eu/about/ |access-date=2025-07-11 |language=en-GB}}</ref>
A '''Board of Directors''', elected '''every 2 years''', decided on important matters on behalf of all members and for the Association.<ref name="gaia-x.eu"/>
The '''Management Team''' of the Association is composed of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), the Chief Operating Officer (COO), the Chief Strategy Officer (CSO), the Chief Technical Officer (CTO), the Chief Innovation Officer (CINO), the Chief Financial Officer (CFO), and the Digital Communications Director. '''It runs the daily activities''' of the Association.<ref name="gaia-x.eu"/>
=== Committees and Working Groups === To be able to work on the several subjects in Gaia-X AISBL scope, tasks has been dispatched between operational committees and working groups:<ref name="gaia-x.eu"/>
* The '''Data and Services Business Committee''' aims to collect and share business information linked to Gaia-X in order to speed up '''market adoption'''. It is powered by the Sounding Boards dealing with local hubs, industrial domains or ITC service providers. * The '''Policy Rules Committee''' aims to translate Gaia-X principles (transparency, data protection, cybersecurity, portability, openness) into '''rules and objectives''' in order to add value to the ecosystems using them. This committee is organised in sprints. * The T'''echnical Committee''' designs and '''implements the technological vision''' about Gaia-X. Some working groups have been set up to deal with architecture, data exchange services, or identity, credentials and access management.
The access to these committees and working groups are mainly dedicated to Gaia-X AISBL members, enabling them to shape the future of data exchange and data services.
=== Origin === The Gaia-X AISBL has been created at the beginning of 2021 by 11 French organisations and 11 German organisations. The founding members on the German side<ref>{{Cite web |date=16 September 2020 |title=Offizieller Start der Gaia-X AISBL |url=https://www.it-business.de/offizieller-start-der-gaia-x-aisbl-a-964060/ |access-date=2021-02-04 |website=www.it-business.de |language=de}}</ref> included: * Beckhoff Automation * BMW * Bosch * DE-CIX * Deutsche Telekom * German Edge Cloud * PlusServer * SAP * Siemens
The Fraunhofer Gesellschaft, the International Data Spaces Association, and the European cloud provider association CISPE were co-founders of the Gaia-X Association.
On the French side, founding members included:
* Amadeus * Atos * Docaposte * Électricité de France (EDF) * Institut Mines-Télécom (IMT) * Orange * Outscale * OVHcloud * Safran * Scaleway Since then, the number of members grew constantly, enabling the association to cover all its costs thanks to the membership fees.
The Association is also involved in a project founded by the European Commission. This project, the Data Space Support Center (DSSC) has been launched in 2022 for 42 months.<ref>{{Cite web |title=FAQ - Gaia-X: A Federated Secure Data Infrastructure |url=https://gaia-x.eu/faq/ |access-date=2025-07-11 |language=en-GB}}</ref>
== Communities ==
=== Gaia-X Ecosystems === '''Gaia-X Ecosystems'''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ecosystems - Gaia-X: A Federated Secure Data Infrastructure |url=https://gaia-x.eu/community/ecosystems/ |access-date=2025-07-10 |language=en-GB}}</ref> are portals to '''discover Gaia-X''' but also to '''get in touch with organisations and companies''' aiming to produce solution for data and interoperable data spaces. These ecosystems are gathering several profiles (business, industry, researchers, etc.) but all '''targeting one dedicated topic or domain''', such as health or agriculture for example.
=== Gaia-X Hubs === '''Gaia-X Hubs'''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Hubs - Gaia-X: A Federated Secure Data Infrastructure |url=https://gaia-x.eu/community/hubs/ |access-date=2025-07-10 |language=en-GB}}</ref> are a '''network of local entry point''' in each countries. They are not part of the Gaia-X AISBL, but work closely with it as a '''lab for Gaia-X Projects''', sharing use cases, knowledge, skills and resources.
=== Open Source Community === The Gaia-X AISBL relies on its '''Open Source Software Community''',<ref>{{Cite web |title=Developers - Gaia-X: A Federated Secure Data Infrastructure |url=https://gaia-x.eu/developers/ |access-date=2025-07-10 |language=en-GB}}</ref> playing a key role in the development of the code released.
This code can be used by everyone, but also contributions and ideas are welcome as well.
== Implementation == The planned architecture was described in a June 2020 publication.<ref name="de-cix-management-2020"> {{cite book | author1 = DE-CIX Management | last2 = Eggers | first2 = Günter | last3 = Fondermann | first3 = Bernd | last4 = Maier | first4 = Berthold | last5 = Ottradovetz | first5 = Klaus | last6 = Pfrommer | first6 = Julius | last7 = Reinhardt | first7 = Ronny | last8 = Wilfling | first8 = Sabine | last9 = Rollin | first9 = Hannes | last10 = Schmieg | first10 = Arne | last11 = Steinbuß | first11 = Sebastian | last12 = Trinius | first12 = Philipp | last13 = Weiss | first13 = Andreas | last14 = Weiss | first14 = Christian | title = GAIA-X: technical architecture — Release June 2020 | date = June 2020 | publisher = Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) | location = Berlin, Germany | url = https://www.data-infrastructure.eu/GAIAX/Redaktion/EN/Publications/gaia-x-technical-architecture.pdf?__blob=publicationFile&v=5 | access-date = 2021-07-07 }} </ref> On 12 January 2021, the Laboratory for Machine Tools and Production Engineering (WZL) of RWTH Aachen University in Germany announced the implementation of a secure, decentralized, IoT data space based on the Gaia-X model.<ref>{{cite web |last1=WZL of RWTH Aachen University |title=Press release - Using data sovereignly |url=https://www.wzl.rwth-aachen.de/go/id/lywhj?lidx=1#aaaaaaaaaalywlx |access-date=7 February 2021}}</ref> A total of 4 locations were connected, one by Fraunhofer IPT.
Senseering, WZL, Fraunhofer IPT, and Fraunhofer FIT were planning to establish a state-wide Gaia-X compliant IoT data space for the German federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), the DataMarketPlace.NRW.<ref>{{cite web |last1=WZL of RWTH Aachen University |title=Press release - DataMarketPlace.NRW |url=https://www.wzl.rwth-aachen.de/go/id/maiyw?lidx=1#aaaaaaaaaamaizr |access-date=7 February 2021}}</ref>
== Political support ==
The then German Federal Minister of Economic Affairs and Energy, Peter Altmaier, supported by the French Minister of Economy and Finance Bruno Le Maire, initiated Gaia-X as a project during the summer of 2019.<ref name="auto1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.data-infrastructure.eu/GAIAX/Redaktion/EN/Video/20200604-GAIA-X-Ministerial-talk/20200604-ministerial-talk.html|title=Peter Altmaier and Bruno Le Maire present the European data infrastructure project GAIA-X|website=www.data-infrastructure.eu}}</ref> They issued a common press release in October 2019,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.data-infrastructure.eu/GAIAX/Redaktion/EN/Press-Releases/20191029-press-release-on-franco-german-common-work-on-a-secure-and-trustworthy-data-infrastructure.html|title=Press Release on Franco-German common work on a secure and trustworthy data infrastructure|website=www.data-infrastructure.eu}}</ref> and a first Franco-German Position Paper followed on 18 February 2020.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bmwi.de/Redaktion/DE/Downloads/F/franco-german-position-on-gaia-x.pdf?__blob=publicationFile&v=10|title=Franco-German Position on GAIA-X|website=bmwi.de|date=18 February 2020|access-date=27 June 2023}}</ref>
A specific joined press conference took place, with both Altmaier and Le Maire, in June 2020 (source: programme), including the announcement, by the 22 Founding Members, of the Gaia-X Association AISBL. That announcement achieved broad press coverage: Reuters,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-europe-tech%2Ffrance-germany-back-european-cloud-computing-moonshot-idUSKBN23B26B&usg=AOvVaw0jL3LEDEkefEfrPP9sEGLG |title=ACN | Noticias de Venezuela y el mundo |website=www.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-europe-tech%2Ffrance-germany-back-european-cloud-computing-moonshot-idUSKBN23B26B&usg=AOvVaw0jL3LEDEkefEfrPP9sEGLG |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170220175602/http://acn.com.ve/ |archive-date=20 February 2017 |url-status=}}</ref> AFP, Politico,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.politico.eu/article/germany-france-gaia-x-cloud-platform-eu-tech-sovereignty/|title=Germany, France launch Gaia-X platform in bid for 'tech sovereignty'|date=4 June 2020|website=POLITICO}}</ref> El Pais,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://elpais.com/tecnologia/2020-06-04/europa-lanza-gaia-x-para-disputar-el-control-de-la-nube-a-amazon-microsoft-o-google.html|title=Europa lanza Gaia-X para disputar el control de la nube a Amazon, Microsoft o Google|first=Silvia|last=Ayuso|date=4 June 2020|website=EL PAÍS}}</ref> Les Echos,<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.lesechos.fr/tech-medias/hightech/le-cloud-europeen-franco-allemand-devoile-ses-services-numeriques-souverains-1208046| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200609183449/https://www.lesechos.fr/tech-medias/hightech/le-cloud-europeen-franco-allemand-devoile-ses-services-numeriques-souverains-1208046| archive-date = 2020-06-09| title = La France et l'Allemagne défendent un cloud souverain européen | publisher = Les Echos}}</ref> Business Insider,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.businessinsider.es/gaia-x-respuesta-europea-dominio-eeuu-nube-653595|title=Qué es GAIA-X, la respuesta europea para dejar de depender de la nube de Amazon, Google o Microsoft que ya prepara sus primeros prototipos para 2021|first=Alberto R.|last=Aguiar|date=4 June 2020|website=Business Insider}}</ref> TagesSpiegel,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.tagesspiegel.de/wirtschaft/cloud-initiative-gaia-x-wie-das-europaeische-projekt-die-us-dominanz-bei-clouds-beenden-soll/25888628.html|title=Wie das europäische Projekt die US-Dominanz bei Clouds beenden soll|newspaper=Der Tagesspiegel Online|date=5 June 2020|last1=Voß|first1=Oliver}}</ref> and Europe1.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.europe1.fr/emissions/axel-de-tarle-vous-parle-economie/gaia-x-le-couple-franco-allemand-lance-un-cloud-europeen-3972993|title=Gaia-X : le couple Franco-Allemand lance un "cloud" européen|website=Europe 1|date=5 June 2020 }}</ref>
In September 2020, Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, mentioned Gaia-X in her first State of the Union Address<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/SPEECH_20_1655|title = Press corner}}</ref> in front of the European Parliament, as a key building block of the European Digital Strategy.
Will Hutton, writing in ''The Guardian'' in October 2020, indicated Gaia{{nbhyph}}X is part of a wider strategy to tackle the abuse of personal privacy and monopoly status by US{{nbhyph}}based tech giants.<ref name="hutton-2020"> {{cite news | last1 = Hutton | first1 = Will | title = Europe and America are taking on the tech giants. Britain needs to join the fight | date = 18 October 2020 | work = The Guardian | location = London, United Kingdom | issn = 0261-3077 | url = https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/oct/18/europe-and-america-are-taking-on-the-tech-giants-britain-needs-to-join-the-fight | access-date = 2020-10-18 }} </ref>
== Controversies == Early in the Gaia-X project, open source software advocates warned against corporate capture of Gaia-X by large companies. They referred to Gaia-X as a possible Trojan horse of big tech in Europe, and made comparisons to the French State-sponsored cloud project Andromeda that had been launched 10 years earlier and which resulted in public funds benefiting large non-European industry players.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Fermigier|first1= Stefane Oliver|last2=Franck |first2= Sven | date= 23 November 2020|title=Gaia-X: A trojan horse for Big Tech in Europe |url= https://www.euractiv.com/section/digital/opinion/gaia-x-a-trojan-horse-for-big-tech-in-europe/| work=Euractiv |location= |access-date=27 February 2022}}</ref>
In November 2021, the French cloud provider Scaleway, one of the founding members of Gaia-X, announced it was leaving the association. Other participants expressed doubts about the initiative's net benefits.<ref>{{cite news |last= Noyan|first= Oliver|date= 19 November 2021|title=Cracks appear as Gaia-X celebrates its progress |url= https://www.euractiv.com/section/digital/news/cracks-appear-as-gaia-x-celebrates-its-progress/|work=Euractiv |location= |access-date=27 February 2022}}</ref>
Gaia-X has registered delays in its implementation due to infighting between its corporate members. Participants from companies and government have expressed disappointment with the project.<ref name="politico"/>
== See also ==
* Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence * Strategic autonomy
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[https://www.gaia-x.eu/ Gaia-X Website]
Category:Organisations based in Belgium Category:Non-profit organisations based in Belgium Category:2019 establishments in Europe Category:2019 establishments in Belgium