BT & STACKIT link networks for sovereign cloud access

BT International and STACKIT have formed a partnership to connect BT's global network with STACKIT's sovereign cloud in the European Union, giving multinational customers a new route into an EU-based cloud environment.

Under the agreement, BT will initially provide internet peering from its existing global network into STACKIT's cloud platform, hosted in Europe. That will later be followed by private connectivity options and integration with BT's Global Fabric network-as-a-service platform.

The move is aimed at companies operating across borders that need to keep data and applications within European sovereignty and privacy rules. It also opens STACKIT's private sovereign cloud to organisations outside the EU through a private sovereign connection rather than public internet links.

For multinational groups with operations in Europe, particularly those looking to separate European workloads from wider global systems, that marks a shift. By using private connections instead of public internet access, customers will be able to design infrastructure that aligns more closely with regulatory requirements and internal resilience policies.

STACKIT, the cloud provider of Schwarz Digits, runs data centres located exclusively in Europe. Its facilities operate under strict security protocols and comply with the General Data Protection Regulation, with EU customers retaining control over their data.

As the next stage of the partnership, BT plans to fold the connection into Global Fabric, its network-as-a-service offering. The platform is designed to give customers on-demand access to networking services linking cloud platforms, software providers, security tools and other digital services.

The companies are targeting multinationals based both inside and outside the EU. For European-headquartered groups with global operations, the setup is intended to offer greater control over where data and applications are hosted and who can access them. For companies based elsewhere but trading in Europe, it provides a way to build systems for European operations that keep critical information inside the bloc.

Regulatory focus

The announcement comes as data sovereignty and operational resilience become more prominent concerns for corporate technology leaders. Businesses are under pressure to show where data is stored, how it moves between systems and whether access paths expose sensitive workloads to legal or operational risks outside the relevant jurisdiction.

The companies also pointed to rising geopolitical concerns among executives, citing McKinsey's Economic Conditions Outlook. In a February 2026 survey, 72 per cent of respondents identified geopolitical instability as one of the biggest global economic risks, up from 51 per cent in December 2025.

In practical terms, the partnership focuses as much on the network layer as on the cloud itself. Global Fabric will allow customers to control how workloads and data traverse the network, with the aim of keeping data within EU borders even when it moves between users and cloud environments.

That could matter for businesses in regulated sectors or those seeking to reduce exposure to outages and external disruptions. STACKIT said its recovery arrangements are designed to protect customers from service interruptions caused by events including natural disasters.

The development also reflects a broader shift in the European cloud market, where demand for sovereign infrastructure has grown as organisations reassess their dependence on global public cloud providers and open internet connectivity. Private links and region-specific hosting have become more important for companies handling sensitive information or managing cross-border compliance requirements.

Executive view

"Through our partnership with BT, we are creating a groundbreaking connection for digital sovereignty," said Ghoutam Banerjee, Director Partner Ecosystem & Growth, STACKIT.

"Together, we are enabling multinational corporations to access our sovereign STACKIT Cloud directly from locations outside the EU via a private sovereign connection," said Banerjee.

"This integration not only strengthens our customers' operational resilience but also guarantees full compliance with European data protection standards, while ensuring that data remains securely within EU borders," added Banerjee.

"Sovereignty is top of mind for our customers, data sovereignty and both operational and technical sovereignty too," said Joris van Oers, Managing Director, Sales & Commercial, BT International.

"CIOs want resilient networks and IT systems to keep their businesses running, regardless of trade policy changes, global outages or natural disasters," said van Oers.

"We're partnering with STACKIT to provide customers operating in Europe with trusted access to sovereign and resilient cloud services," added van Oers.

"It's a powerful example of why BT is the global leader in secure multi-cloud connectivity," added van Oers.