Avalik konsultatsioon

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Open Public consultation questionnaire on the proposal for a Cloud and AI Development Act

Fields marked with * are mandatory.

Introduction

This consultation on the Cloud and AI Development Act is structured along three sections:

Section 1: General questions for all respondents This section includes a set of general questions applicable to all respondents. Your responses here will guide which subsequent questions you receive in Section 2, based on your stakeholder category.

Section 2: Stakeholder-Specific Questions To tailor the consultation to your area of expertise, please begin by selecting "I am giving my contribution as" to identify your stakeholder category.

To begin, please choose "I am giving my contribution as" to select your specific stakeholder category. You can choose from the following:

Public Administrations Citizens NGOs Academic/Research Institutions Business Associations Consumer Organisations Environmental Organisations Trade Unions Company/Business

If you select "Company/Business," please specify further as follows:

Data Centre Operators Cloud / Telco / Edge Providers AI Developers and Providers Cloud / Edge / AI Users Financial Institution, Investor, Fund

Your selection will help us direct you to the relevant questions for your category, ensuring a more focused and effective consultation.

Section 3: EU Policy 

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In the final section, all participants are asked to share their views on potential policies to be adopted on cloud policy.

About you

First name

Surname

Email (this won't be published)

Language of my contribution Bulgarian Croatian Czech Danish Dutch English Estonian Finnish French German Greek Hungarian Irish Italian Latvian Lithuanian Maltese Polish Portuguese Romanian Slovak

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Slovenian Spanish Swedish

I am giving my contribution as Academic/research institution Business association Company/business Consumer organisation EU citizen Environmental organisation Non-EU citizen Non-governmental organisation (NGO) Public authority Trade union Other

Please choose the type of stakeholder you represent [multiple options possible] Minimum 1 selection(s)

a) data centre operator, including co-location providers (i.e. the entities involved in the building and operation of data centre facilities) b) cloud/ Telco / Edge provider, including cloud service providers offering cloud services, irrespective of whether such services are operated on self- owned or leased data centres c) AI developers or AI deployers irrespective of the delivered AI service (training, fine-tuning, inference) and whether these services are delivered on owned or leased data centres and cloud infrastructure. d) cloud/ Edge / AI users, organisations that use any cloud and edge service offering or use any AI application e) Financial institution, investor, fund, etc., that finance any type respondents described under a. b. c.

Organisation name 255 character(s) maximum

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Organisation size Micro (1 to 9 employees) Small (10 to 49 employees) Medium (50 to 249 employees) Large (250 or more)

Transparency register number Check if your organisation is on the transparency register. It's a voluntary database for organisations seeking to influence EU decision-making.

Country of origin Please add your country of origin, or that of your organisation.   This list does not represent the official position of the European institutions with regard to the legal status or policy of the entities mentioned. It is a harmonisation of often divergent lists and practices.

Afghanistan Djibouti Libya Saint Martin Åland Islands Dominica Liechtenstein Saint Pierre and

Miquelon Albania Dominican

Republic Lithuania Saint Vincent

and the Grenadines

Algeria Ecuador Luxembourg Samoa American Samoa Egypt Macau San Marino Andorra El Salvador Madagascar São Tomé and

Príncipe Angola Equatorial Guinea Malawi Saudi Arabia Anguilla Eritrea Malaysia Senegal Antarctica Estonia Maldives Serbia Antigua and Barbuda

Eswatini Mali Seychelles

Argentina Ethiopia Malta Sierra Leone Armenia Falkland Islands Marshall Islands Singapore Aruba Faroe Islands Martinique Sint Maarten Australia Fiji Mauritania Slovakia Austria Finland Mauritius Slovenia Azerbaijan France Mayotte Solomon Islands

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Bahamas French Guiana Mexico Somalia Bahrain French Polynesia Micronesia South Africa Bangladesh French Southern

and Antarctic Lands

Moldova South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Barbados Gabon Monaco South Korea Belarus Georgia Mongolia South Sudan Belgium Germany Montenegro Spain Belize Ghana Montserrat Sri Lanka Benin Gibraltar Morocco Sudan Bermuda Greece Mozambique Suriname Bhutan Greenland Myanmar/Burma Svalbard and

Jan Mayen Bolivia Grenada Namibia Sweden Bonaire Saint Eustatius and Saba

Guadeloupe Nauru Switzerland

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Guam Nepal Syria

Botswana Guatemala Netherlands Taiwan Bouvet Island Guernsey New Caledonia Tajikistan Brazil Guinea New Zealand Tanzania British Indian Ocean Territory

Guinea-Bissau Nicaragua Thailand

British Virgin Islands

Guyana Niger The Gambia

Brunei Haiti Nigeria Timor-Leste Bulgaria Heard Island and

McDonald Islands Niue Togo

Burkina Faso Honduras Norfolk Island Tokelau Burundi Hong Kong Northern

Mariana Islands Tonga

Cambodia Hungary North Korea Trinidad and Tobago

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Cameroon Iceland North Macedonia Tunisia Canada India Norway Türkiye Cape Verde Indonesia Oman Turkmenistan Cayman Islands Iran Pakistan Turks and

Caicos Islands Central African Republic

Iraq Palau Tuvalu

Chad Ireland Palestine Uganda Chile Isle of Man Panama Ukraine China Israel Papua New

Guinea United Arab Emirates

Christmas Island Italy Paraguay United Kingdom Clipperton Jamaica Peru United States Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Japan Philippines United States Minor Outlying Islands

Colombia Jersey Pitcairn Islands Uruguay Comoros Jordan Poland US Virgin Islands Congo Kazakhstan Portugal Uzbekistan Cook Islands Kenya Puerto Rico Vanuatu Costa Rica Kiribati Qatar Vatican City Côte d’Ivoire Kosovo Réunion Venezuela Croatia Kuwait Romania Vietnam Cuba Kyrgyzstan Russia Wallis and

Futuna Curaçao Laos Rwanda Western Sahara Cyprus Latvia Saint Barthélemy Yemen Czechia Lebanon Saint Helena

Ascension and Tristan da Cunha

Zambia

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Lesotho Saint Kitts and Nevis

Zimbabwe

Denmark Liberia Saint Lucia

In which sector(s) is your organisation active? Please specify*

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EUR

Text of 1 to 500 characters will be accepted

Type of organization private company  (SME) private company (start-up) private company (other) research organization other

Is your organization headquartered in the EU? Yes No Other (e.g. multiple organizations)

Is your parent company headquartered in the EU? Yes No

Do you have an office or other kind of representation in the EU? Yes, we have a subsidiary, branch office or similar in the EU Yes, other No

Do you have a research and development department? Yes No

What is the amount (in EUR) that you invest in R&D on cloud / edge in a yearly basis?

How many employees does your R&D department have?

Scope International

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Local National Regional

Level of governance Local Authority Local Agency

Level of governance Parliament Authority Agency

- We may wish to contact you for Availability for a follow-up conversation clarification or further discussion if your submission prompts additional interest.

Do you agree to be contacted by the Commission for clarification or discussion further to your submission?

Yes No

The Commission will publish all contributions to this public consultation. You can choose whether you would prefer to have your details published or to remain anonymous when your contribution is published. Fo r the purpose of transparency, the type of respondent (for example, ‘business association, ‘consumer association’, ‘EU citizen’) country of origin, organisation name and size, and its

transparency register number, are always published. Your e-mail address will never be published. Opt in to select the privacy option that best suits you. Privacy options default based on the type of respondent selected

Contribution publication privacy settings The Commission will publish the responses to this public consultation. You can choose whether you would like your details to be made public or to remain anonymous.

Anonymous The type of respondent that you responded to this consultation as, your country of origin and your contribution will be published as received. Your name will not be published. Please do not include any personal data in the contribution itself.

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Public Your name, the type of respondent that you responded to this consultation as, your country of origin and your contribution will be published.

Contribution publication privacy settings The Commission will publish the responses to this public consultation. You can choose whether you would like your details to be made public or to remain anonymous.

Anonymous Only organisation details are published: The type of respondent that you responded to this consultation as, the name of the organisation on whose behalf you reply as well as its transparency number, its size, its country of origin and your contribution will be published as received. Your name will not be published. Please do not include any personal data in the contribution itself if you want to remain anonymous. Public Organisation details and respondent details are published: The type of respondent that you responded to this consultation as, the name of the organisation on whose behalf you reply as well as its transparency number, its size, its country of origin and your contribution will be published. Your name will also be published.

I agree with the personal data protection provisions

Section 2: Questions for specific target groups

The EU's digital competitiveness in AI and cloud computing is significantly hindered by the gap between the computing resources available in the EU and the needs to satisfy the growing demand for AI-driven services and applications. Current projections indicate that the EU needs to triple its capacity of AI- optimised data and computing infrastructures designed to accommodate data processing and storage needs across the AI value chain (training, inference, fine-tuning). Your response to this section of the survey will help the Commission to assess the scale of this problem as well as to qualitatively analyse its drivers.

Section 2.1 Questions for data centre operators

2.1.1 Data centre operators: Current situation

What type of data centre operator is your organisation? Minimum 1 selection(s)

Co-location data centre

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Edge data centre Enterprise data centre Hyperscale data centre Other

Please specify Text of 1 to 1000 characters will be accepted

What is the geographic scope of your operations? regional national EU level global

How many data centres do you operate and what percentage of your capacity is physically located in the EU?

4000 character(s) maximum

What is your overall data centre capacity? Less than 1 MW 1 MW - 30 MW 30 MW - 50 MW 50 MW - 200 MW 200 MW - 1 GW More than 1 GW

What is the average capacity of the data centres that you operate? Less than 1 MW 1 MW - 10 MW 11 MW - 30 MW

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31 MW - 50 MW More than 50 MW

What is the approximate composition of your total installed compute capacity? Please indicate the distribution which best resembles your installed capacity (CPU: central processing unit. GPU: graphics processing unit).

100% CPUs 75% CPUs - 25% GPUs 50% CPUs - 50% GPUs 25% GPUs - 75% CPUs 100% GPUs I don't know

Please specify the models of the GPUs that you are using Text of 1 to 4000 characters will be accepted

If a colocation data centre, what percentage of your business is leased to hyperscale cloud providers?

Less than 25% 26% - 50% 51% - 75% More than 75%

How long do you currently need on average to build a data centre from the moment the real estate is identified to the entry in operation?

1 - 2 years 3 - 5 years 5 - 7 years More than 7 years

2.1.2 Specific needs and challenges

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Is your organisation planning to build new facilities or expanding existing ones in the EU?

Yes No I don't know

(you may select more than one option):Will these facilities be for Minimum 1 selection(s)

general purpose computation general purpose edge computation Edge AI AI computation for training models AI computation for the inference of models Other

Please, specify Text of 1 to 1000 characters will be accepted

What will be the approximate planned capacity? Amount of MW I don't know

Amount of MW Only values of at least 1 are allowed

When expanding or building your infrastructure in the EU, what are the main problems your organisation has encountered?

Rank each answer on a scale from 1 to 5, where 1 = not very important and 5 = very important

Problem 1 2 3 4 5 Not applicable / I

don't know

Access to land

Access to energy resources

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Access to water resources

Access to state-of-the-art location facilities

Difficulty navigating applicable planning regulations

Permitting procedures (too complex or too long)

Access to capital

High operational costs

Access to connectivity

Access to skilled workforce

Other

Please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

On the selection of the facility’s location in the EU: which are the main factors that drive or  have driven your decision to select a location? Rank each answer on a scale from 1 to 5, where 1 = not very important and 5 = very important.

Factor 1 2 3 4 5 Not

applicable / I don't know

Saturation of the market

Access to transport networks (e.g. airport, or, high- speed railway)

Availability of a utility provider’s infrastructure nearby

Distance from an electrical substation

Availability and affordability of energy

Availability and affordability of low carbon energy

Possibility to conclude long term energy contracts

Access to long term guaranteed water supply and/or fixed water rates

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Possibility for waste heat re-use

Environmental regulations (e.g. air quality or noise levels)

Local climate conditions

Network connectivity and capacity

Availability of incentives (e.g. tax incentives)

Geopolitical stability

Other

Please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

How relevant were the following factors for your organisation for the buildout of a new data centre or expansion of existing infrastructure in the EU? This question covers all the steps from the inception of the project until the data centre comes into operation.

(Rank each answer on a scale from 1 to 5, where 1 = not very relevant and 5 = very relevant)

Bottleneck 1 2 3 4 5 Not applicable / I don't know

Land use / availability

Compliance with environmental or zoning requirements

Energy availability

Energy cost

Water-stress and poor water governance in the areas of operations

Construction

Long approval times

Complexity of regulation

Permitting / Approval procedures

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Access to finance

Digital skills

Other

Please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

On access to finance/incentives: what are the most significant factors that your organisation is encountering from the financial point of view when expanding capacity or building new capacity in the EU? Rank each answer on a scale from 1 to 5, where 1 = not very important and 5 = very important.

Factor 1 2 3 4 5

Not applicable

/ I don't know

High interest rates charged by banks and other financial institutions

Financial institutions are low risk averse to fund long term data centre projects

Limited upside (e.g. due to high upfront costs and long payback periods, market uncertainty, high operating costs, etc)

High taxes

Other

Please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

How significant is energy efficiency in your expansion plans in the EU? Critical Important, but not a priority

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Important, but energy efficiency is already a mature design feature Not significant I don't know

What are the main problems that you face in becoming more energy efficient? 4000 character(s) maximum

What are your main energy efficiency challenges? (Rank each answer on a scale from 1 to 5, where 1 = not very important and 5 = very important)

Challenge 1 2 3 4 5 Not applicable / I

don't know

Cooling efficiency

Server utilisation

Inefficient hardware

Energy losses

Integration of renewable energy

Compliance with existing regulation

Lack of real time monitoring tools for energy usage

Other

Please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

What are the main factors preventing you from building new facilities or expanding existing facilities?  (Rank each answer on a scale from 1 to 5, where 1 = not very relevant and 5 = very relevant)

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Factor 1 2 3 4 5 Not applicable / I don't know

Not a business priority

Land use / availability

Compliance with environmental or zoning requirement

Energy availability

Energy cost

Water-stress and poor water governance in the areas of operations

Construction

Long approval times

Complexity of regulation

Permitting / approval procedures

Access to finance

Digital skills

Other

Please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

Please upload your file(s), if you would like to provide additional information Only files of the type pdf,txt,doc,docx,odt,rtf are allowed

2.2 Questions for cloud / Telco / Edge providers

2.2.1 Current situation in the provisioning of cloud / Telco / Edge services for general purpose and AI services

(multiple choice)What are your customers using your service offer for? Minimum 1 selection(s)

general purpose computation storage

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general purpose edge computation Edge AI AI computation for training models AI computation for the inference of models AI Computation for fine tuning Other

Please specify 1000 character(s) maximum

What percentage of your compute capacity is currently dedicated to AI workloads (including AI model training, AI model inference and AI fine tuning)?

Less than 10% 10 - 25% 26 - 50% 51 - 75% 76 - 100% I don't know

What is the approximate composition of your total installed compute capacity? (please indicate the distribution which best resembles your installed capacity)

100% CPUs 75% CPUs and 25% GPUs 50% CPUs and 50% GPUs 25% CPUs and 75% GPUs 100% GPUs I don’t know

Please specify the models of the GPUs that you are using 4000 character(s) maximum

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Do you have difficulties in getting funding to develop your capacities? Yes No

Please give details 4000 character(s) maximum

Do you have problems in accessing non-hardware technologies to develop your capacities and propose new services to your customers?

Yes No

Please give details 4000 character(s) maximum

Do you have difficulties in hiring/attracting talents to develop your capacities?

Yes No

Which talents' profiles? 4000 character(s) maximum

Do you have difficulties in developing your activities within other EU Member States?

Yes

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No

Which main barriers are you facing? 4000 character(s) maximum

What progress have you made in expanding to markets beyond the European Union?

4000 character(s) maximum

2.2.2 Specific needs and challenges in the provisioning of cloud / Telco / Edge services for general purpose and AI services

Have you experienced any limitation to the access to GPUs that is slowing down your expansion in computation capacity?

Yes No I don't know

(rank each answer on a scale from 1 to 5, where 1 = not Is this limitation due to  very important and 5 = very important)

Factor 1 2 3 4 5

Not applicable

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Restrictive market practices applied by GPUs providers when selling to customers in specific countries or relating to the volume of pucharses

bargaining power of GPU providers (e.g. setting prices based on their dominant position, exclusive deals, etc.)

access to finance and/or high interest rates when procuring next generation GPUs

scarcity of supply of GPUs

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supply chain disruptions

export control restrictions applied by third countries that prohibit you from purchasing GPUs

export control procedures applied by third countries that slow down your access to GPUs, due to the procedures’ complexity

Other

Please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

How are you solving the issues that affect you? 4000 character(s) maximum

Is your organisation planning to expand its computing capacity? Yes No I don't know

 Will this capacity be for (you may select more than one option): general purpose computation storage general purpose edge computation Edge AI AI computation for training models AI computation for the inference of models AI computation for fine tuning Other

To what extent do you rely on colocation data centres? To a large extent

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To some extent To a small extent To no extent

Are you planning to expand the space that you rent in colocation data centres?

Yes No I don't know

What is the decisive factor when choosing a colocation facility in the EU? Minimum 1 selection(s)

cost of the co-location facility location accessibility of connected services downstream and upstream (connectivity) cybersecurity measures in place physical infrastructure security latency innovation of the facility technical support of the facility sustainability of the facility geopolitical stability of the location of the facility Other

Please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

Rank each answer on a  What are your main energy-efficiency challenges? scale from 1 to 5 where 1 = not very important and 5 = very important.

Challenge 1 2 3 4 5 Not applicable / I

don't know

Cooling efficiency

Server utilisation

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Inefficient hardware

Energy losses

Integration of renewable energy

Compliance with existing regulations

Lack of real time monitoring tools for energy usage

Other

Please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

On access to finance/incentives: what are the main challenges that your organisation is encountering from the financial point of view when expanding

operations? Rank each answer on a scale from 1 to 5 where 1 = not very important and 5 = very important.

Factor 1 2 3 4 5

Not applicable

/ I don’t know

High interest rates by the banks and other financial institutions

Financial institutions are too risk averse to fund long term data centre projects

Limited upside (e.g. due to high upfront costs and long payback periods, market uncertainty, high operating costs, …)

High taxes

Difficulty in accessing capital, such as loans or equity

Other

Please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

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Please include any additional information you would like to share Only files of the type pdf,txt,doc,docx,odt,rtf are allowed

2.3 Questions for AI developers and providers

2.3.1 Current situation

As an AI deployer, on which type of infrastructure is your organisation deploying your AI systems?

on-premise on the cloud hybrid model combining local and cloud-based solutions multi-cloud, combining the services from multiple vendors Edge AI not applicable

If chosen on the cloud, select: Using a hyperscaler cloud provider Using a non-hyperscale cloud provider

What main factors have impacted your organisation’s choice at the moment of deploying your AI services?

Rank each answer on a scale from 1 to 5 where 1 = not very important and 5 = very important.

Factor 1 2 3 4 5

Not applicable

/ I don't know

Price of computational resources (e.g. virtual machines, infrastructure, storage)

Clarity of price structure depending on the activity (e.g. inference/fine tuning/training)

Sufficient capacity during peak times

Access to specialised hardware on Edge devices

Location of the computational resource (EU, non-EU)

Cloud credits (i.e. an offer of free compute capacity)

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Cybersecurity measures in place

High capacity, reliable and affordable connectivity

Managing latency and performance requirements

Integration with other (cloud) services from the same provider

Integration with other services from other providers

Availability of software tools to assist the deployment of your AI service in the cloud

Other

Please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

 When selecting cloud providers, how concerned are you that your organisation’s [sensitive] data are being accessed by authorities [of a third country] in circumvention of applicable EU laws and regulations (e.g. the GDPR and the Data Act)?

Very concerned Somewhat concerned Neutral Not very concerned Not concerned at all I don’t know Not applicable

 When selecting cloud providers, are you concerned that the cloud provider is headquartered in a third country that poses specific cybersecurity threats to the EU?

Very concerned Somewhat concerned Neutral Not very concerned Not concerned at all

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Not applicable

When selecting cloud providers, how concerned are you by risks such as undue influence by a third country on suppliers and service providers (particularly in the case of alternative models of governance); concealed vulnerabilities or backdoors; and potential systemic supply disruptions (particularly in the case of technological lock-in or provider dependency)?

Very concerned Somewhat concerned Neutral Not very concerned Not concerned at all Not applicable

What performance challenges do you face in the inferencing of AI models on cloud and edge platforms? (Rank each answer on a scale from 1 to 5, where 1 = not very important and 5 = very important)

1 2 3 4 5 Not applicable / I don't

know

High latency for real time applications

Inconsistent performance across cloud regions

Limited processing power on edge devices

Other

Please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

Do bundling practices (e.g. infrastructure service offerings, such as computation or storage offered with AI / machine learning (ML) tools) by cloud providers impact your AI workload (ability to deploy and manage AI

Bundling is a commercial strategy where several software applications)? packages are sold together for distribution, deployment or use.

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Significantly To a certain extent No I don't know

Please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

2.3.2 Specific needs and challenges

What is the most significant challenge from the infrastructure and infrastructure provider point of view that your organisation is facing when

deploying and managing your AI services? Rank each answer on a scale from 1 to 5 where 1 = not very important and 5 = very important.

Challenge 1 2 3 4 5

Not applicable

/ I don't know

Limited access to computational capacity in general

Limited access to computational capacity in the EU

Insufficient features of the current capacity offerings (pricing, sustainability, security)

Fear of vendor lock in

Cybersecurity concerns

Limited availability of high capacity, reliable and affordable connectivity

Limited availability of software tools covering the whole development and operations lifecycle, including open source software

Other

Please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

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 For which part of the AI service development lifecycle is the problem of limited capacity most acute?

Rank each answer on a scale from 1 to 5 where 1 = not very acute and 5 = very acute.

1 2 3 4 5 Not applicable / I don't know

Training

Fine-Tuning

Inference

All of the above

Other

Please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

Please include any additional information you would like to share Only files of the type pdf,txt,doc,docx,odt,rtf are allowed

2.4 Questions for cloud / Telco / Edge / AI users

2.4.1 Current situation

What type of infrastructure is your organisation using to fulfil your cloud /Telco/Edge/AI needs?

On-premise On the cloud Hybrid model combining local and cloud-based solutions Multi-cloud, combining the services from multiple vendors Edge AI

What are the main factors that impact your organisation’s choice of Cloud /Edge/AI provider to service your needs?

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(Rank each answer on a scale from 1 to 5, where 1 = not very important and 5 = very important)

1 2 3 4 5

Not applicable

/ I don't know

Price of the service offers

Location of the data

Cybersecurity measures in place

High capacity, reliable and affordable connectivity

Latency

Innovation of the solution

Breadth of service offer / Possibility of integration with other services from the same provider (e.g. software tools)

Integration with other services from other providers

Interoperability with other providers

Availability of additional software tools

Integrated offering (bundle)

Availability of additional software tools

Cloud credits

Other

Please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

What type of AI offers do you usually need? Training on the cloud Training on high performance computing Training on premise Fine-tuning on the cloud Inference on the edge

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Inference on the cloud I don’t know Other please specify

Please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

 Who is currently capable of offering these services to you? Hyperscale cloud providers Providers of High-Performance Computing (EuroHPC or national HPC) EU cloud service providers Smaller non-EU cloud service providers Other

Please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

2.4.2 Specific needs and challenges

When selecting a cloud service, what are the most significant factors that affect your decision?

Pricing Data location Limited choice of infrastructure provider (through bundling, restrictive licensing) Financial incentives (cloud credits, committed spend discounts) Data protection, privacy and security vulnerabilities Not enough processing power for training either in the EU or offered by an EU provider Not enough processing power for inference either in the EU or offered by an EU provider

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Fear of vendor lock-in Cybersecurity protection High-capacity, reliable and affordable connectivity infrastructure Limited open-source software and / or AI models Other

Please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

Are there any gaps in the current service offers of cloud computing providers that impact your operations?

4000 character(s) maximum

Are there any gaps in the current offers of AI providers that impact your operations?

4000 character(s) maximum

Please include any additional information you would like to share. Only files of the type pdf,txt,doc,docx,odt,rtf are allowed

2.5 Questions of Public Administrations

On behalf of what type of public administration are you answering? Local Regional National/Federal European

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2.5.1 Current situation

Does your public administration currently use cloud computing and AI services?

Yes No I don't know

What types of cloud services do you use? Infrastructure as a Service - IaaS (e.g. virtual machines, storage, infrastructure) Platform as a Service - PaaS Software as a Service - SaaS Other I don't know

Please specify 1000 character(s) maximum

Do you store data on the cloud? Yes No, only on-premises I don't know

What type of data do you store in the cloud? Sensitive information, such as data related to public security or public safety Special categories of sensitive data such as health records or financial data Other data that my organisation considers sensitive (if so, please specify) Commercially sensitive data, including data subject to intellectual property rights as well as trade secrets Operational data related to functioning of digital public services Public data Open data Trained AI models

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Other

Please specify 1000 character(s) maximum

How do you store this data on the cloud? All encrypted All non-encrypted It depends on the data classification and sensitivity I do not know

Please specify the data classification and sensitivity 4000 character(s) maximum

When selecting cloud providers for your organisation how concerned are you with respect to the following:  

(Rank each answer on a scale from 1 to 5, where 1 = not concerned at all and 5 = very concerned)

1 2 3 4 5

Not applicable

/ I don't know

Sensitive data of your organisation is accessed by authorities of a third country in circumvention of applicable EU laws and regulations (e.g. GDRP, Data Act)

Cloud provider is headquartered in a third country that poses specific cyber-security threats to the Union

Risks such as undue influence by a third country on suppliers and service providers, in particular in the case of alternative models of governance; concealed vulnerabilities or backdoors; and potential systemic supply disruptions, in particular in the case of technological lock-in or provider dependency

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Other

Please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

Which cloud deployment model(s) does your public administration rely on? Government private cloud Public cloud Hybrid cloud Other I don’t know

Please specify 1000 character(s) maximum

Are any of your procured providers subject to non-EU jurisdictions including laws with extraterritorial effect (e.g. US or Chinese providers)?

Yes No I don't know

What are the main factors driving the decision of which cloud service will be procured in your administration?

Rank each answer on a scale from 1 to 5 where 1 = not very important and 5 = very important.

Factor 1 2 3 4 5

Not applicable

/ I don't know

Level of assurance and protection (i.e. the security mechanisms put in place depending on the sensitivity of the data)

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Price

Made in the EU

Provenance of the provider

Integration with other services from the same provider (e. g. software tools)

Integration with other services from other providers

Interoperability with other providers

Integrated offerings (bundle)

Sustainability

Latency

Reliability

Scalability

Other

Please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

 What are the main reasons for your administration not using cloud computing?

Rank each answer on a scale from 1 to 5 where 1 = not very important and 5 = very important.

Reason 1 2 3 4 5

Not applicable

/ I don't know

Total Cost of Ownership

Not enough knowledge to select the most appropriate service for different data sensitivities

Cybersecurity

Data protection concerns

Limited knowledge or lack of expertise in operation and management of cloud services (e.g. in terms of technical and administrative capabilities)

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Limited offering from EU providers

Compliance with EU regulations (e.g. the GDPR and Data Act)

Risk of unlawful access to data from third countries legislation with extra territorial reach

Fear of vendor lock in

Fear of interoperability issues

High operational cost of migration from on-premise solutions

Sustainability concerns

Preference/ no need

Other

Please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

Is the software developed in your public administrations released as open source software?

Yes No I don't know

Is there an established public repository where the code can be accessed and contributed to?

Yes No I don't know

Is there a community governance mechanism put in place for the code released as open source?

Yes No I don't know

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2.5.2 Specific needs and challenges

What are your administration’s top priorities when using cloud computing? (Rank each answer on a scale from 1 to 5 where 1 = not very important and 5 = very important)

Priority 1 2 3 4 5

Not applicable

/ I don't know

Scalability

Cost efficiency

Risk of unlawful access to data from actors subject to non-EU legislation with extraterritorial reach

Security mechanisms in place

Data protection measures

Availability / uptime

Performance

Integration with other services from the same provider, for instance, software tools

Integration with other services from other providers

Interoperability with other providers

Integrated offering (bundle)

Made in Europe

Environmental sustainability

Protection from cybersecurity risks posed by certain countries

Other

Please specify

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What challenges have you encountered with the adoption of cloud by your administration? (Rank each answer on a scale from 1 to 5, where 1 = not very important and 5 = very important)

Challenge 1 2 3 4 5

Not applicable

/ I don't know

Limited knowledge on how to technically evaluate, assess and procure the existing cloud service offerings

Security risks

Vendor lock in

Limited technical expertise

Limited or lack of interoperability

Regulatory, including public procurement requirements

Other

Please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

Are there any gaps in the current offerings of cloud computing providers that impact your operations?

4000 character(s) maximum

How can the EU support public administrations in increasing their use of cloud computing? 

(Rank each answer on a scale from 1 to 5, where 1 = not very important and 5 = very important)

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Factor 1 2 3 4 5 Not applicable

/ I don't know

Funding

EU-wide uniform guidance on how to procure

Mechanisms to allow federation of cloud services across public administrations within and across Member States

Standards, open specifications and mechanisms to ensure interoperability of cloud solutions

Cybersecurity guidelines

Technical support, training and capacity building support

Other

Please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

Does your administration release the code procured for the delivery of digital services as open source?

Always In some cases Never I don't know Not applicable

Is any licensing schema preferred? 4000 character(s) maximum

What is preventing you from this? Licenses Cybersecurity vulnerabilities

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Maintenance Sustainability Accountability Other

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Are there any specific policy measures you would recommend to improve public administrations’ access to and use of cloud services?

4000 character(s) maximum

Are there any specific policy measures you would recommend for the provision of the security of cloud services for public administrations?

4000 character(s) maximum

Please include any additional information you would like to share Only files of the type pdf,txt,doc,docx,odt,rtf are allowed

2.6. Questions for financial institutions

2.6.1 Current situation

What are the main activities that your financing institution is investing in related to AI / cloud computation?

Computing infrastructure development, mainly real estate (e.g. data centres) Computation processors such as GPUs (Graphic Processing Unit) AI services

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Other I don’t know

Please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

How would you describe your current level of investment in computing infrastructure development?

significant – computing infrastructures are a key part of our portfolio moderate – we have some investments in the sector minimal – we are still exploring opportunities none – we currently have no investments in this area

If any, what are the main reasons for your interest in investing in computing infrastructures? (Rank each answer on a scale from 1 to 5, where 1 = not very important and 5 = very important)

Reason 1 2 3 4 5 Not applicable / I

don't know

the sector’s high growth potential (return on investment)

Diversification of the investment portfolio

Alignment with existing policies

Strategic interest (resilient infrastructure for critical services)

Other

Please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

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Which are the main factors preventing your organisation from investing in new computing infrastructures capacity? (Rank each answer on a scale from 1 to 5, where 1 = not very important and 5 = very important)

Factor 1 2 3 4 5 Not

applicable / I don’t know

High upfront capital requirements

High risk aversion to funding long-term computing infrastructure projects

Lack of access to tax incentives

Lack of access to tax breaks

Lack of access to additional funds

Uncertainty about long term demand

Lack of technical expertise to evaluate projects

Insufficient market data or performance benchmarks

Low liquidity or exit options for data centre investments

Competing resources

Regulatory obstacles

Environmental or social impact concerns

Other

Please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

What expectations do you have for computing infrastructure projects in terms of return on investment (ROI)?

Above 15% annually Between 10% and 15% annually Below 10% annually but stable Other

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What factors limit the ROI of your computing infrastructure investments? (Rank each answer on a scale from 1 to 5, where 1 = not very important and 5 = very important)

Factor 1 2 3 4 5 Not applicable / I

don’t know

High initial capital expenditure delaying the return

High operational costs (e.g. energy and maintenance)

Limited scalability

Future proofing of the technology and the facility

Competition driving down margins

Cybersecurity risks

Other

Please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

When you expect to break even the investment realized in computing infrastructure projects?

1-3 years 4 -7 years 8 – 10 years More than 10 years I don't know

2.6.2 Specific needs and challenges

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What is the biggest challenge for investors in the computing infrastructures market? (Rank each answer on a scale from 1 to 5, where 1 = not very important and 5 = very important)

Challenge 1 2 3 4 5 Not applicable / I don't

know

Lack of market transparency or data

Insufficient policy support or incentives

Only a few available firms able to build facilities

Other

Please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

 What policy measures could help mitigate investment risks in this sector? Rank each answer on a scale from 1 to 5 where 1 = not very important and 5 = very important.

Policy measure 1 2 3 4 5

Not applicable

/ I don’t know

EU- or Member-State-backed guarantees or risk sharing mechanisms

Clearer regulatory frameworks

Tax incentives for computing infrastructures investments

Establish standardised metrics and benchmarks for computing infrastructures performance

Simplify regulatory procedures (e.g. for permitting)

Create liquidity mechanisms for long term investors

Reduced energy costs for data centres through subsidies

Streamlined regulatory approval processes

Other, please specify

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 What policy measures could make computing infrastructures investments more attractive for investment?

Rank each answer on a scale from 1 to 5 where 1 = not very important and 5 = very important.

Policy measure 1 2 3 4 5 Not applicable / I don’t know

Co-investment opportunities with public or private partners

Development of specialized funds or instruments for data centres

Enhanced transparency on sector performance metrics.

Other

Please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

Please include any additional information you would like to share Only files of the type pdf,txt,doc,docx,odt,rtf are allowed

2.7 Questions for organisations other than the ones above

2.7.1 Current situation

What is your profile? Business organization Consumers organization NGO

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Academia Other

 What is your main reason for participating in this survey? Rank each answer on a scale from 1 to 5 where 1 = not very important and 5 = very important.

Interest 1 2 3 4 5

Not applicable

/ I don't know

I am concerned about how secure my personal or professional data are when stored in the cloud

I am concerned that non-EU tech companies have too much influence over our data and digital infrastructure

I want fair competition and support for EU businesses and start-ups in the digital space

I would like the EU to invest in and prioritise EU cloud infrastructure and services

I believe there should be stronger rules and enforcement for how cloud and AI services operate in the EU

I am concerned about the environmental impact of building large-scale data centres and digital technologies

I am concerned that some people or communities may be left behind in the shift to digital and cloud-based services (e.g. due to the lack of access to digital tools, poor internet, lack of training, etc.)

I want to know how governments and public institutions use cloud services and how they protect our data

I work in tech, policy, education or a related field and want to contribute with my perspective

I believe citizens should have a voice in digital governance aspects

Other

Please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

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2.7.2 Specific needs and challenges

Are there any specific needs to be addressed for building new computational resources?

4000 character(s) maximum

Are there any specific factors affecting your access to cloud services? 4000 character(s) maximum

Are there any specific obstacles to the consumption of secure cloud services?

4000 character(s) maximum

Have you identified any gaps in the current offerings of cloud computing providers that impact your day-to-day activities?

4000 character(s) maximum

Please include any additional information you would like to share 4000 character(s) maximum

Please upload your file(s) Only files of the type pdf,txt,doc,docx,odt,rtf are allowed

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2.8 Questions for individual citizens

2.8.1 Specific interests and concerns

 What are your main reasons for participating in this consultation? Rank each answer on a scale from 1 to 5 where 1 = not very important and 5 = very important.

Interest 1 2 3 4 5

Not applicable

/ I don't know

I am concerned that my personal or professional data may not be secure when stored in the cloud

I am concerned that non-EU tech companies have too much influence over our data and digital infrastructure

I want fair competition and support for EU businesses and start-ups in the digital space

I would like the EU to invest in and prioritise EU cloud infrastructure and services

I believe there should be stronger rules and enforcement for how cloud and AI services operate in the EU

I am concerned by the environmental impact of building large-scale data centres and digital technologies

I am worried that some people or communities may be left behind in the shift to digital and cloud-based services (e.g. due to the lack of access to digital tools, poor internet, lack of training)

I want to know how governments and public institutions use cloud services and how they protect our data

I work in tech, policy, education or a related field and want to contribute with my perspective

I believe citizens should have a voice in digital governance aspects

Other

Please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

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 How familiar are you with the current state of cloud computing services available in the EU?

Very familiar Somewhat familiar Not very familiar Not familiar at all

How much do you trust the following types of cloud providers to keep your personal or business data private and protected — even when it is stored in the EU? (Note: some non-EU providers may still be required to share data with their home country’s government under foreign laws, even if the data are stored in the EU)

Provider Very low

trust Low trust

Moderate trust

High trust

Very high trust

EU-based providers

US-based providers (e.g. AWS and Microsoft)

Providers based outside the EU and US

If possible, please explain your answer above and provide examples 4000 character(s) maximum

 How well do you think the EU is equipped in terms of cloud computing resources for both basic and AI-related services?

Very well equipped (i.e. the EU is fully prepared and competitive on a global level) Well equipped (i.e. the EU is mostly keeping up with cloud and AI infrastructure demands) Moderately equipped (i.e. the EU has some capacity but there is room for improvement) Poorly equipped (i.e. some infrastructure exists, but it is not enough to meet current needs)

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Very poorly equipped (i.e. the EU lacks sufficient infrastructure and is falling behind) I don’t know

Do you believe cloud service providers based in the EU can compete fairly with global tech giants?

Yes, definitely Yes, but only with strong EU support Not really No, the market is already dominated and hard to disrupt I don’t know Other

Please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

 How important is it for you for the EU to reduce its dependency on non-EU cloud providers?

Very important Somewhat important Not important I don’t know

 Do you believe citizens should have the right to know which cloud services are used by public institutions (e.g. governments, hospitals and schools)?

Yes, always Yes, but only for highly critical services No, this information does not need to be public I don’t know Other

Please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

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If possible, please explain your answer above and provide examples 4000 character(s) maximum

 Do you think public services in the EU (e.g. healthcare or education) should be allowed to store citizen data with non-EU cloud providers (e.g. US-based companies)?

Yes, without restrictions Yes, but only if strong safeguards are in place No, citizen data from public services should only be stored with EU-based providers It depends on the type of data or service I don’t know Other

Please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

If possible, please explain your answer above and provide examples 4000 character(s) maximum

 Who do you think are most at risk of being excluded from the cloud and AI transition? 

People in rural or remote areas Older adults

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Low-income individuals Small businesses Students without digital access No one – I believe access is fair I don’t know

 Do you believe investing in EU cloud infrastructure could help create jobs and economic opportunities in the EU?

Yes, definitely Possibly, especially in digital or tech sectors Not really No I don’t know

What benefits do you expect from stronger EU cloud infrastructure? Better protection of personal data and privacy More reliable and secure public digital services Job creation in tech, infrastructure or support roles Increased trust in public institutions More fairness and transparency in cloud and AI use I don’t know Other

Please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

What role should the EU play in shaping the future of cloud services? 4000 character(s) maximum

Please include any additional information you would like to share 4000 character(s) maximum

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Please upload your file(s) Only files of the type pdf,txt,doc,docx,odt,rtf are allowed

3. EU Policies

Faced with the current gap in the EU’s cloud and AI computing capacity, preliminary policy levers and possible areas of action have been identified to drive the development and deployment of the required computing resources and to stimulate their uptake in line with the EU’s rules and broader policy objectives. Your response to this section of the consultation will help the Commission to design the most impactful and efficient policy options as well as identify possible missing elements.

3.1 Computing Capacities

This section collects input on the prioritisation of the activities in order to foster different types of computation facilities in the EU, while taking environmental aspects into consideration.

What type of EU action should be prioritised for boosting the availability of sufficient and adequate cloud capacity for AI workloads?

(Rank each answer on a scale from 1 to 5, where 1 = not very relevant and 5 = very relevant).

Facilitation of investment

Policy action 1 2 3 4 5 Not

applicable / I don't know

Increasing public investment in private-public infrastructures

Creating public-private partnerships for large-scale data centres

Incentives for building computing infrastructure in underserved regions

Other

Please specify

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Simplification of infrastructure permitting procedures

Policy action 1 2 3 4 5

Not applicable

/ I don't know

Have a one stop shop service or a similar mechanism where the different permits at the different administrative levels can be requested and managed

Reduce the amount of time needed to obtain the different permits and environmental authorisations

Create expedited approval mechanisms and clear conditions for critical / strategic projects

Other

Other, please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

Simplification of regulations for the building of computing infrastructure with energy efficiency

Policy action 1 2 3 4 5

Not applicable

/ I don't know

Unified guidelines at national level for all aspects including energy efficiency

Unified guidelines at EU level

Other

Please specify

Environmental aspects

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Policy action 1 2 3 4 5 Not applicable / I don't

know

Clear environmental compliance requirements

Addressing energy availability for data centres

Addressing land availability for data centres

Other

Please specify

Energy efficiency

Policy action 1 2 3 4 5

Not applicable

/ I don't know

Tax incentives for using sustainable technologies

Funding for research and development of energy- efficient technologies.

Standardised energy efficiency benchmarks

Investments in the development of more efficient software to manage and monitor the energy efficiency and metrics of the data centre

Other

Other, please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

Cross-cutting issues

Policy action 1 2 3 4 5 Not applicable / I

don't know

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Supporting an open source software ecosystem

Collaborative programmes for R&D and innovation

Other

Please specify

At EU policy level, is it appropriate to distinguish between capacity for training, for fine-tuning, and for inference of AI models and solutions?

Yes No I don't know

Why not?

3.2 Public Sector actions

The following set of questions aim at gathering information mainly on the procurement rules of public administrations, and on policy actions to address the challenges faced by the public sector on procuring cloud services.

 Which EU policy actions would best address the current issues faced by (multiple public administrations when procuring cloud and AI services?

options possible) Guidelines with standard criteria to procure cloud services Guidelines with standard award criteria Standardized tender vocabulary and requirements I don't know Other

Please specify

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1000 character(s) maximum

Which EU policy actions would address the issues currently faced by public (multiple options possible)administrations as regards cloud and AI services?

Include a criterion ensuring sovereignty, autonomy, resilience and availability in the procurement of narrowly defined highly critical and strategic use cases Include a criterion for highly innovative solutions Include a criterion for solutions with added value and innovation Improvement of skills and capabilities, including training and certifications Marketplace of cloud services, AI services, and other software applications for the Public sector. Other I don't know

Please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

3.3. Open source in the public sector

The following set of questions are intended to gain input to help address policy options on the release of code developed with public money as open-source code.

What EU policies would alleviate the challenges of releasing the code funded by public money as open-source* code?

(*released under a license in which the copyright holder grants users the rights to use, study, change, and distribute the software and its source code to anyone and for any purpose)

A common open-source licensing schema across the EU Guidelines to set up the governance mechanisms of the open-source community

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Guidelines to select relevant open-source communities/foundations where the code can be released The setting up of a public-private foundation dedicated to such communities An obligation to release the source code developed with public money onto open-source repositories, except in duly justified cases Other I don't know

Other, please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

3.4  Cross – cutting topics

The following questions are intended to provide the Commission with your input on cross-cutting topics such as market practices, security and research.

Bundling is a commercial What EU policy actions would address bundling? strategy where several software packages are sold together for distributon, deployment or use.

Regulation of bundling practices to ensure fair competition Promoting open licensing models for AI tools and platforms Transparency requirements for cloud provider pricing and licensing I don't know Other

Other, please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

 What EU policy actions would best protect against unlawful access to [sensitive] data [by third-country legislation with extraterritorial reach] and risks associated with supply chain dependencies (and possible disruptions) of cloud and AI services?

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Pursue international cooperation (including international agreement) with third countries that address such risks Develop criteria that could be used to differentiate between third countries depending on whether they pose specific threats to the Union. Develop criteria to narrowly identify highly critical use cases for cloud and AI services Define criteria to narrowly identify highly critical use cases for which public procurers could address specific risks related to third countries’ legislation with extraterritorial reach, aligned with international agreements. Other I don't know

Other, please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

The EU pursues and has concluded with third countries agreements that facilitate trusted cross-border data flows and prohibit unjustified data localisation restrictions (including with Japan, Korea, Singapore and the UK). How important is it in your view that the EU promotes such partnerships with like-minded countries?

Very important Somewhat important Neutral Not very important Not important at all

In order to meet the future demand for AI services and applications while catering for the EU’s environmental policy objectives and technological autonomy, the EU needs to advance its research and innovation in the area of sustainable and resource-efficient AI computing continuum technologies (IoT, Telco, Edge, the cloud and HPC). Your response to this section of the survey will complement a targeted consultation addressing stakeholders involved in research and innovation projects in these fields and will help the Commission to identify priority fields for future support.

If you are a researcher, are there any specific research priorities that you would like to recommend on:

Data centre components (e.g. highly efficient chips, graphene battery walls)?

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4000 character(s) maximum

Optimal data centre operation and use of resources (e.g. AI solutions, optimisation of computing architecture and virtualisation, improved adaptation to user demand)?

4000 character(s) maximum

Cooling innovations (e.g. direct on-chip, liquid & immersive)? 4000 character(s) maximum

Integration of data centres into energy systems? 4000 character(s) maximum

Advanced pilot lines to demonstrate the green data centres of the future? 4000 character(s) maximum

Any other ideas? 4000 character(s) maximum

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1

Open Public consultation questionnaire on the proposal for a Cloud and AI Development Act

Fields marked with * are mandatory.

Introduction

This consultation on the Cloud and AI Development Act is structured along three sections:

Section 1: General questions for all respondents This section includes a set of general questions applicable to all respondents. Your responses here will guide which subsequent questions you receive in Section 2, based on your stakeholder category.

Section 2: Stakeholder-Specific Questions To tailor the consultation to your area of expertise, please begin by selecting "I am giving my contribution as" to identify your stakeholder category.

To begin, please choose "I am giving my contribution as" to select your specific stakeholder category. You can choose from the following:

Public Administrations Citizens NGOs Academic/Research Institutions Business Associations Consumer Organisations Environmental Organisations Trade Unions Company/Business

If you select "Company/Business," please specify further as follows:

Data Centre Operators Cloud / Telco / Edge Providers AI Developers and Providers Cloud / Edge / AI Users Financial Institution, Investor, Fund

Your selection will help us direct you to the relevant questions for your category, ensuring a more focused and effective consultation.

Section 3: EU Policy 

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In the final section, all participants are asked to share their views on potential policies to be adopted on cloud policy.

About you

First name

Surname

Email (this won't be published)

Language of my contribution Bulgarian Croatian Czech Danish Dutch English Estonian Finnish French German Greek Hungarian Irish Italian Latvian Lithuanian Maltese Polish Portuguese Romanian Slovak

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Slovenian Spanish Swedish

I am giving my contribution as Academic/research institution Business association Company/business Consumer organisation EU citizen Environmental organisation Non-EU citizen Non-governmental organisation (NGO) Public authority Trade union Other

Please choose the type of stakeholder you represent [multiple options possible] Minimum 1 selection(s)

a) data centre operator, including co-location providers (i.e. the entities involved in the building and operation of data centre facilities) b) cloud/ Telco / Edge provider, including cloud service providers offering cloud services, irrespective of whether such services are operated on self- owned or leased data centres c) AI developers or AI deployers irrespective of the delivered AI service (training, fine-tuning, inference) and whether these services are delivered on owned or leased data centres and cloud infrastructure. d) cloud/ Edge / AI users, organisations that use any cloud and edge service offering or use any AI application e) Financial institution, investor, fund, etc., that finance any type respondents described under a. b. c.

Organisation name 255 character(s) maximum

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Organisation size Micro (1 to 9 employees) Small (10 to 49 employees) Medium (50 to 249 employees) Large (250 or more)

Transparency register number Check if your organisation is on the transparency register. It's a voluntary database for organisations seeking to influence EU decision-making.

Country of origin Please add your country of origin, or that of your organisation.   This list does not represent the official position of the European institutions with regard to the legal status or policy of the entities mentioned. It is a harmonisation of often divergent lists and practices.

Afghanistan Djibouti Libya Saint Martin Åland Islands Dominica Liechtenstein Saint Pierre and

Miquelon Albania Dominican

Republic Lithuania Saint Vincent

and the Grenadines

Algeria Ecuador Luxembourg Samoa American Samoa Egypt Macau San Marino Andorra El Salvador Madagascar São Tomé and

Príncipe Angola Equatorial Guinea Malawi Saudi Arabia Anguilla Eritrea Malaysia Senegal Antarctica Estonia Maldives Serbia Antigua and Barbuda

Eswatini Mali Seychelles

Argentina Ethiopia Malta Sierra Leone Armenia Falkland Islands Marshall Islands Singapore Aruba Faroe Islands Martinique Sint Maarten Australia Fiji Mauritania Slovakia Austria Finland Mauritius Slovenia Azerbaijan France Mayotte Solomon Islands

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Bahamas French Guiana Mexico Somalia Bahrain French Polynesia Micronesia South Africa Bangladesh French Southern

and Antarctic Lands

Moldova South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Barbados Gabon Monaco South Korea Belarus Georgia Mongolia South Sudan Belgium Germany Montenegro Spain Belize Ghana Montserrat Sri Lanka Benin Gibraltar Morocco Sudan Bermuda Greece Mozambique Suriname Bhutan Greenland Myanmar/Burma Svalbard and

Jan Mayen Bolivia Grenada Namibia Sweden Bonaire Saint Eustatius and Saba

Guadeloupe Nauru Switzerland

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Guam Nepal Syria

Botswana Guatemala Netherlands Taiwan Bouvet Island Guernsey New Caledonia Tajikistan Brazil Guinea New Zealand Tanzania British Indian Ocean Territory

Guinea-Bissau Nicaragua Thailand

British Virgin Islands

Guyana Niger The Gambia

Brunei Haiti Nigeria Timor-Leste Bulgaria Heard Island and

McDonald Islands Niue Togo

Burkina Faso Honduras Norfolk Island Tokelau Burundi Hong Kong Northern

Mariana Islands Tonga

Cambodia Hungary North Korea Trinidad and Tobago

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Cameroon Iceland North Macedonia Tunisia Canada India Norway Türkiye Cape Verde Indonesia Oman Turkmenistan Cayman Islands Iran Pakistan Turks and

Caicos Islands Central African Republic

Iraq Palau Tuvalu

Chad Ireland Palestine Uganda Chile Isle of Man Panama Ukraine China Israel Papua New

Guinea United Arab Emirates

Christmas Island Italy Paraguay United Kingdom Clipperton Jamaica Peru United States Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Japan Philippines United States Minor Outlying Islands

Colombia Jersey Pitcairn Islands Uruguay Comoros Jordan Poland US Virgin Islands Congo Kazakhstan Portugal Uzbekistan Cook Islands Kenya Puerto Rico Vanuatu Costa Rica Kiribati Qatar Vatican City Côte d’Ivoire Kosovo Réunion Venezuela Croatia Kuwait Romania Vietnam Cuba Kyrgyzstan Russia Wallis and

Futuna Curaçao Laos Rwanda Western Sahara Cyprus Latvia Saint Barthélemy Yemen Czechia Lebanon Saint Helena

Ascension and Tristan da Cunha

Zambia

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Lesotho Saint Kitts and Nevis

Zimbabwe

Denmark Liberia Saint Lucia

In which sector(s) is your organisation active? Please specify*

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EUR

Text of 1 to 500 characters will be accepted

Type of organization private company  (SME) private company (start-up) private company (other) research organization other

Is your organization headquartered in the EU? Yes No Other (e.g. multiple organizations)

Is your parent company headquartered in the EU? Yes No

Do you have an office or other kind of representation in the EU? Yes, we have a subsidiary, branch office or similar in the EU Yes, other No

Do you have a research and development department? Yes No

What is the amount (in EUR) that you invest in R&D on cloud / edge in a yearly basis?

How many employees does your R&D department have?

Scope International

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Local National Regional

Level of governance Local Authority Local Agency

Level of governance Parliament Authority Agency

- We may wish to contact you for Availability for a follow-up conversation clarification or further discussion if your submission prompts additional interest.

Do you agree to be contacted by the Commission for clarification or discussion further to your submission?

Yes No

The Commission will publish all contributions to this public consultation. You can choose whether you would prefer to have your details published or to remain anonymous when your contribution is published. Fo r the purpose of transparency, the type of respondent (for example, ‘business association, ‘consumer association’, ‘EU citizen’) country of origin, organisation name and size, and its

transparency register number, are always published. Your e-mail address will never be published. Opt in to select the privacy option that best suits you. Privacy options default based on the type of respondent selected

Contribution publication privacy settings The Commission will publish the responses to this public consultation. You can choose whether you would like your details to be made public or to remain anonymous.

Anonymous The type of respondent that you responded to this consultation as, your country of origin and your contribution will be published as received. Your name will not be published. Please do not include any personal data in the contribution itself.

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Public Your name, the type of respondent that you responded to this consultation as, your country of origin and your contribution will be published.

Contribution publication privacy settings The Commission will publish the responses to this public consultation. You can choose whether you would like your details to be made public or to remain anonymous.

Anonymous Only organisation details are published: The type of respondent that you responded to this consultation as, the name of the organisation on whose behalf you reply as well as its transparency number, its size, its country of origin and your contribution will be published as received. Your name will not be published. Please do not include any personal data in the contribution itself if you want to remain anonymous. Public Organisation details and respondent details are published: The type of respondent that you responded to this consultation as, the name of the organisation on whose behalf you reply as well as its transparency number, its size, its country of origin and your contribution will be published. Your name will also be published.

I agree with the personal data protection provisions

Section 2: Questions for specific target groups

The EU's digital competitiveness in AI and cloud computing is significantly hindered by the gap between the computing resources available in the EU and the needs to satisfy the growing demand for AI-driven services and applications. Current projections indicate that the EU needs to triple its capacity of AI- optimised data and computing infrastructures designed to accommodate data processing and storage needs across the AI value chain (training, inference, fine-tuning). Your response to this section of the survey will help the Commission to assess the scale of this problem as well as to qualitatively analyse its drivers.

Section 2.1 Questions for data centre operators

2.1.1 Data centre operators: Current situation

What type of data centre operator is your organisation? Minimum 1 selection(s)

Co-location data centre

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Edge data centre Enterprise data centre Hyperscale data centre Other

Please specify Text of 1 to 1000 characters will be accepted

What is the geographic scope of your operations? regional national EU level global

How many data centres do you operate and what percentage of your capacity is physically located in the EU?

4000 character(s) maximum

What is your overall data centre capacity? Less than 1 MW 1 MW - 30 MW 30 MW - 50 MW 50 MW - 200 MW 200 MW - 1 GW More than 1 GW

What is the average capacity of the data centres that you operate? Less than 1 MW 1 MW - 10 MW 11 MW - 30 MW

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31 MW - 50 MW More than 50 MW

What is the approximate composition of your total installed compute capacity? Please indicate the distribution which best resembles your installed capacity (CPU: central processing unit. GPU: graphics processing unit).

100% CPUs 75% CPUs - 25% GPUs 50% CPUs - 50% GPUs 25% GPUs - 75% CPUs 100% GPUs I don't know

Please specify the models of the GPUs that you are using Text of 1 to 4000 characters will be accepted

If a colocation data centre, what percentage of your business is leased to hyperscale cloud providers?

Less than 25% 26% - 50% 51% - 75% More than 75%

How long do you currently need on average to build a data centre from the moment the real estate is identified to the entry in operation?

1 - 2 years 3 - 5 years 5 - 7 years More than 7 years

2.1.2 Specific needs and challenges

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Is your organisation planning to build new facilities or expanding existing ones in the EU?

Yes No I don't know

(you may select more than one option):Will these facilities be for Minimum 1 selection(s)

general purpose computation general purpose edge computation Edge AI AI computation for training models AI computation for the inference of models Other

Please, specify Text of 1 to 1000 characters will be accepted

What will be the approximate planned capacity? Amount of MW I don't know

Amount of MW Only values of at least 1 are allowed

When expanding or building your infrastructure in the EU, what are the main problems your organisation has encountered?

Rank each answer on a scale from 1 to 5, where 1 = not very important and 5 = very important

Problem 1 2 3 4 5 Not applicable / I

don't know

Access to land

Access to energy resources

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Access to water resources

Access to state-of-the-art location facilities

Difficulty navigating applicable planning regulations

Permitting procedures (too complex or too long)

Access to capital

High operational costs

Access to connectivity

Access to skilled workforce

Other

Please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

On the selection of the facility’s location in the EU: which are the main factors that drive or  have driven your decision to select a location? Rank each answer on a scale from 1 to 5, where 1 = not very important and 5 = very important.

Factor 1 2 3 4 5 Not

applicable / I don't know

Saturation of the market

Access to transport networks (e.g. airport, or, high- speed railway)

Availability of a utility provider’s infrastructure nearby

Distance from an electrical substation

Availability and affordability of energy

Availability and affordability of low carbon energy

Possibility to conclude long term energy contracts

Access to long term guaranteed water supply and/or fixed water rates

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Possibility for waste heat re-use

Environmental regulations (e.g. air quality or noise levels)

Local climate conditions

Network connectivity and capacity

Availability of incentives (e.g. tax incentives)

Geopolitical stability

Other

Please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

How relevant were the following factors for your organisation for the buildout of a new data centre or expansion of existing infrastructure in the EU? This question covers all the steps from the inception of the project until the data centre comes into operation.

(Rank each answer on a scale from 1 to 5, where 1 = not very relevant and 5 = very relevant)

Bottleneck 1 2 3 4 5 Not applicable / I don't know

Land use / availability

Compliance with environmental or zoning requirements

Energy availability

Energy cost

Water-stress and poor water governance in the areas of operations

Construction

Long approval times

Complexity of regulation

Permitting / Approval procedures

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Access to finance

Digital skills

Other

Please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

On access to finance/incentives: what are the most significant factors that your organisation is encountering from the financial point of view when expanding capacity or building new capacity in the EU? Rank each answer on a scale from 1 to 5, where 1 = not very important and 5 = very important.

Factor 1 2 3 4 5

Not applicable

/ I don't know

High interest rates charged by banks and other financial institutions

Financial institutions are low risk averse to fund long term data centre projects

Limited upside (e.g. due to high upfront costs and long payback periods, market uncertainty, high operating costs, etc)

High taxes

Other

Please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

How significant is energy efficiency in your expansion plans in the EU? Critical Important, but not a priority

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Important, but energy efficiency is already a mature design feature Not significant I don't know

What are the main problems that you face in becoming more energy efficient? 4000 character(s) maximum

What are your main energy efficiency challenges? (Rank each answer on a scale from 1 to 5, where 1 = not very important and 5 = very important)

Challenge 1 2 3 4 5 Not applicable / I

don't know

Cooling efficiency

Server utilisation

Inefficient hardware

Energy losses

Integration of renewable energy

Compliance with existing regulation

Lack of real time monitoring tools for energy usage

Other

Please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

What are the main factors preventing you from building new facilities or expanding existing facilities?  (Rank each answer on a scale from 1 to 5, where 1 = not very relevant and 5 = very relevant)

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Factor 1 2 3 4 5 Not applicable / I don't know

Not a business priority

Land use / availability

Compliance with environmental or zoning requirement

Energy availability

Energy cost

Water-stress and poor water governance in the areas of operations

Construction

Long approval times

Complexity of regulation

Permitting / approval procedures

Access to finance

Digital skills

Other

Please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

Please upload your file(s), if you would like to provide additional information Only files of the type pdf,txt,doc,docx,odt,rtf are allowed

2.2 Questions for cloud / Telco / Edge providers

2.2.1 Current situation in the provisioning of cloud / Telco / Edge services for general purpose and AI services

(multiple choice)What are your customers using your service offer for? Minimum 1 selection(s)

general purpose computation storage

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general purpose edge computation Edge AI AI computation for training models AI computation for the inference of models AI Computation for fine tuning Other

Please specify 1000 character(s) maximum

What percentage of your compute capacity is currently dedicated to AI workloads (including AI model training, AI model inference and AI fine tuning)?

Less than 10% 10 - 25% 26 - 50% 51 - 75% 76 - 100% I don't know

What is the approximate composition of your total installed compute capacity? (please indicate the distribution which best resembles your installed capacity)

100% CPUs 75% CPUs and 25% GPUs 50% CPUs and 50% GPUs 25% CPUs and 75% GPUs 100% GPUs I don’t know

Please specify the models of the GPUs that you are using 4000 character(s) maximum

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Do you have difficulties in getting funding to develop your capacities? Yes No

Please give details 4000 character(s) maximum

Do you have problems in accessing non-hardware technologies to develop your capacities and propose new services to your customers?

Yes No

Please give details 4000 character(s) maximum

Do you have difficulties in hiring/attracting talents to develop your capacities?

Yes No

Which talents' profiles? 4000 character(s) maximum

Do you have difficulties in developing your activities within other EU Member States?

Yes

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No

Which main barriers are you facing? 4000 character(s) maximum

What progress have you made in expanding to markets beyond the European Union?

4000 character(s) maximum

2.2.2 Specific needs and challenges in the provisioning of cloud / Telco / Edge services for general purpose and AI services

Have you experienced any limitation to the access to GPUs that is slowing down your expansion in computation capacity?

Yes No I don't know

(rank each answer on a scale from 1 to 5, where 1 = not Is this limitation due to  very important and 5 = very important)

Factor 1 2 3 4 5

Not applicable

/ I don't know

Restrictive market practices applied by GPUs providers when selling to customers in specific countries or relating to the volume of pucharses

bargaining power of GPU providers (e.g. setting prices based on their dominant position, exclusive deals, etc.)

access to finance and/or high interest rates when procuring next generation GPUs

scarcity of supply of GPUs

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supply chain disruptions

export control restrictions applied by third countries that prohibit you from purchasing GPUs

export control procedures applied by third countries that slow down your access to GPUs, due to the procedures’ complexity

Other

Please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

How are you solving the issues that affect you? 4000 character(s) maximum

Is your organisation planning to expand its computing capacity? Yes No I don't know

 Will this capacity be for (you may select more than one option): general purpose computation storage general purpose edge computation Edge AI AI computation for training models AI computation for the inference of models AI computation for fine tuning Other

To what extent do you rely on colocation data centres? To a large extent

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To some extent To a small extent To no extent

Are you planning to expand the space that you rent in colocation data centres?

Yes No I don't know

What is the decisive factor when choosing a colocation facility in the EU? Minimum 1 selection(s)

cost of the co-location facility location accessibility of connected services downstream and upstream (connectivity) cybersecurity measures in place physical infrastructure security latency innovation of the facility technical support of the facility sustainability of the facility geopolitical stability of the location of the facility Other

Please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

Rank each answer on a  What are your main energy-efficiency challenges? scale from 1 to 5 where 1 = not very important and 5 = very important.

Challenge 1 2 3 4 5 Not applicable / I

don't know

Cooling efficiency

Server utilisation

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Inefficient hardware

Energy losses

Integration of renewable energy

Compliance with existing regulations

Lack of real time monitoring tools for energy usage

Other

Please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

On access to finance/incentives: what are the main challenges that your organisation is encountering from the financial point of view when expanding

operations? Rank each answer on a scale from 1 to 5 where 1 = not very important and 5 = very important.

Factor 1 2 3 4 5

Not applicable

/ I don’t know

High interest rates by the banks and other financial institutions

Financial institutions are too risk averse to fund long term data centre projects

Limited upside (e.g. due to high upfront costs and long payback periods, market uncertainty, high operating costs, …)

High taxes

Difficulty in accessing capital, such as loans or equity

Other

Please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

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Please include any additional information you would like to share Only files of the type pdf,txt,doc,docx,odt,rtf are allowed

2.3 Questions for AI developers and providers

2.3.1 Current situation

As an AI deployer, on which type of infrastructure is your organisation deploying your AI systems?

on-premise on the cloud hybrid model combining local and cloud-based solutions multi-cloud, combining the services from multiple vendors Edge AI not applicable

If chosen on the cloud, select: Using a hyperscaler cloud provider Using a non-hyperscale cloud provider

What main factors have impacted your organisation’s choice at the moment of deploying your AI services?

Rank each answer on a scale from 1 to 5 where 1 = not very important and 5 = very important.

Factor 1 2 3 4 5

Not applicable

/ I don't know

Price of computational resources (e.g. virtual machines, infrastructure, storage)

Clarity of price structure depending on the activity (e.g. inference/fine tuning/training)

Sufficient capacity during peak times

Access to specialised hardware on Edge devices

Location of the computational resource (EU, non-EU)

Cloud credits (i.e. an offer of free compute capacity)

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Cybersecurity measures in place

High capacity, reliable and affordable connectivity

Managing latency and performance requirements

Integration with other (cloud) services from the same provider

Integration with other services from other providers

Availability of software tools to assist the deployment of your AI service in the cloud

Other

Please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

 When selecting cloud providers, how concerned are you that your organisation’s [sensitive] data are being accessed by authorities [of a third country] in circumvention of applicable EU laws and regulations (e.g. the GDPR and the Data Act)?

Very concerned Somewhat concerned Neutral Not very concerned Not concerned at all I don’t know Not applicable

 When selecting cloud providers, are you concerned that the cloud provider is headquartered in a third country that poses specific cybersecurity threats to the EU?

Very concerned Somewhat concerned Neutral Not very concerned Not concerned at all

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Not applicable

When selecting cloud providers, how concerned are you by risks such as undue influence by a third country on suppliers and service providers (particularly in the case of alternative models of governance); concealed vulnerabilities or backdoors; and potential systemic supply disruptions (particularly in the case of technological lock-in or provider dependency)?

Very concerned Somewhat concerned Neutral Not very concerned Not concerned at all Not applicable

What performance challenges do you face in the inferencing of AI models on cloud and edge platforms? (Rank each answer on a scale from 1 to 5, where 1 = not very important and 5 = very important)

1 2 3 4 5 Not applicable / I don't

know

High latency for real time applications

Inconsistent performance across cloud regions

Limited processing power on edge devices

Other

Please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

Do bundling practices (e.g. infrastructure service offerings, such as computation or storage offered with AI / machine learning (ML) tools) by cloud providers impact your AI workload (ability to deploy and manage AI

Bundling is a commercial strategy where several software applications)? packages are sold together for distribution, deployment or use.

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Significantly To a certain extent No I don't know

Please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

2.3.2 Specific needs and challenges

What is the most significant challenge from the infrastructure and infrastructure provider point of view that your organisation is facing when

deploying and managing your AI services? Rank each answer on a scale from 1 to 5 where 1 = not very important and 5 = very important.

Challenge 1 2 3 4 5

Not applicable

/ I don't know

Limited access to computational capacity in general

Limited access to computational capacity in the EU

Insufficient features of the current capacity offerings (pricing, sustainability, security)

Fear of vendor lock in

Cybersecurity concerns

Limited availability of high capacity, reliable and affordable connectivity

Limited availability of software tools covering the whole development and operations lifecycle, including open source software

Other

Please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

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 For which part of the AI service development lifecycle is the problem of limited capacity most acute?

Rank each answer on a scale from 1 to 5 where 1 = not very acute and 5 = very acute.

1 2 3 4 5 Not applicable / I don't know

Training

Fine-Tuning

Inference

All of the above

Other

Please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

Please include any additional information you would like to share Only files of the type pdf,txt,doc,docx,odt,rtf are allowed

2.4 Questions for cloud / Telco / Edge / AI users

2.4.1 Current situation

What type of infrastructure is your organisation using to fulfil your cloud /Telco/Edge/AI needs?

On-premise On the cloud Hybrid model combining local and cloud-based solutions Multi-cloud, combining the services from multiple vendors Edge AI

What are the main factors that impact your organisation’s choice of Cloud /Edge/AI provider to service your needs?

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(Rank each answer on a scale from 1 to 5, where 1 = not very important and 5 = very important)

1 2 3 4 5

Not applicable

/ I don't know

Price of the service offers

Location of the data

Cybersecurity measures in place

High capacity, reliable and affordable connectivity

Latency

Innovation of the solution

Breadth of service offer / Possibility of integration with other services from the same provider (e.g. software tools)

Integration with other services from other providers

Interoperability with other providers

Availability of additional software tools

Integrated offering (bundle)

Availability of additional software tools

Cloud credits

Other

Please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

What type of AI offers do you usually need? Training on the cloud Training on high performance computing Training on premise Fine-tuning on the cloud Inference on the edge

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Inference on the cloud I don’t know Other please specify

Please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

 Who is currently capable of offering these services to you? Hyperscale cloud providers Providers of High-Performance Computing (EuroHPC or national HPC) EU cloud service providers Smaller non-EU cloud service providers Other

Please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

2.4.2 Specific needs and challenges

When selecting a cloud service, what are the most significant factors that affect your decision?

Pricing Data location Limited choice of infrastructure provider (through bundling, restrictive licensing) Financial incentives (cloud credits, committed spend discounts) Data protection, privacy and security vulnerabilities Not enough processing power for training either in the EU or offered by an EU provider Not enough processing power for inference either in the EU or offered by an EU provider

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Fear of vendor lock-in Cybersecurity protection High-capacity, reliable and affordable connectivity infrastructure Limited open-source software and / or AI models Other

Please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

Are there any gaps in the current service offers of cloud computing providers that impact your operations?

4000 character(s) maximum

Are there any gaps in the current offers of AI providers that impact your operations?

4000 character(s) maximum

Please include any additional information you would like to share. Only files of the type pdf,txt,doc,docx,odt,rtf are allowed

2.5 Questions of Public Administrations

On behalf of what type of public administration are you answering? Local Regional National/Federal European

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2.5.1 Current situation

Does your public administration currently use cloud computing and AI services?

Yes No I don't know

What types of cloud services do you use? Infrastructure as a Service - IaaS (e.g. virtual machines, storage, infrastructure) Platform as a Service - PaaS Software as a Service - SaaS Other I don't know

Please specify 1000 character(s) maximum

Do you store data on the cloud? Yes No, only on-premises I don't know

What type of data do you store in the cloud? Sensitive information, such as data related to public security or public safety Special categories of sensitive data such as health records or financial data Other data that my organisation considers sensitive (if so, please specify) Commercially sensitive data, including data subject to intellectual property rights as well as trade secrets Operational data related to functioning of digital public services Public data Open data Trained AI models

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Other

Please specify 1000 character(s) maximum

How do you store this data on the cloud? All encrypted All non-encrypted It depends on the data classification and sensitivity I do not know

Please specify the data classification and sensitivity 4000 character(s) maximum

When selecting cloud providers for your organisation how concerned are you with respect to the following:  

(Rank each answer on a scale from 1 to 5, where 1 = not concerned at all and 5 = very concerned)

1 2 3 4 5

Not applicable

/ I don't know

Sensitive data of your organisation is accessed by authorities of a third country in circumvention of applicable EU laws and regulations (e.g. GDRP, Data Act)

Cloud provider is headquartered in a third country that poses specific cyber-security threats to the Union

Risks such as undue influence by a third country on suppliers and service providers, in particular in the case of alternative models of governance; concealed vulnerabilities or backdoors; and potential systemic supply disruptions, in particular in the case of technological lock-in or provider dependency

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Other

Please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

Which cloud deployment model(s) does your public administration rely on? Government private cloud Public cloud Hybrid cloud Other I don’t know

Please specify 1000 character(s) maximum

Are any of your procured providers subject to non-EU jurisdictions including laws with extraterritorial effect (e.g. US or Chinese providers)?

Yes No I don't know

What are the main factors driving the decision of which cloud service will be procured in your administration?

Rank each answer on a scale from 1 to 5 where 1 = not very important and 5 = very important.

Factor 1 2 3 4 5

Not applicable

/ I don't know

Level of assurance and protection (i.e. the security mechanisms put in place depending on the sensitivity of the data)

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Price

Made in the EU

Provenance of the provider

Integration with other services from the same provider (e. g. software tools)

Integration with other services from other providers

Interoperability with other providers

Integrated offerings (bundle)

Sustainability

Latency

Reliability

Scalability

Other

Please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

 What are the main reasons for your administration not using cloud computing?

Rank each answer on a scale from 1 to 5 where 1 = not very important and 5 = very important.

Reason 1 2 3 4 5

Not applicable

/ I don't know

Total Cost of Ownership

Not enough knowledge to select the most appropriate service for different data sensitivities

Cybersecurity

Data protection concerns

Limited knowledge or lack of expertise in operation and management of cloud services (e.g. in terms of technical and administrative capabilities)

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Limited offering from EU providers

Compliance with EU regulations (e.g. the GDPR and Data Act)

Risk of unlawful access to data from third countries legislation with extra territorial reach

Fear of vendor lock in

Fear of interoperability issues

High operational cost of migration from on-premise solutions

Sustainability concerns

Preference/ no need

Other

Please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

Is the software developed in your public administrations released as open source software?

Yes No I don't know

Is there an established public repository where the code can be accessed and contributed to?

Yes No I don't know

Is there a community governance mechanism put in place for the code released as open source?

Yes No I don't know

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2.5.2 Specific needs and challenges

What are your administration’s top priorities when using cloud computing? (Rank each answer on a scale from 1 to 5 where 1 = not very important and 5 = very important)

Priority 1 2 3 4 5

Not applicable

/ I don't know

Scalability

Cost efficiency

Risk of unlawful access to data from actors subject to non-EU legislation with extraterritorial reach

Security mechanisms in place

Data protection measures

Availability / uptime

Performance

Integration with other services from the same provider, for instance, software tools

Integration with other services from other providers

Interoperability with other providers

Integrated offering (bundle)

Made in Europe

Environmental sustainability

Protection from cybersecurity risks posed by certain countries

Other

Please specify

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What challenges have you encountered with the adoption of cloud by your administration? (Rank each answer on a scale from 1 to 5, where 1 = not very important and 5 = very important)

Challenge 1 2 3 4 5

Not applicable

/ I don't know

Limited knowledge on how to technically evaluate, assess and procure the existing cloud service offerings

Security risks

Vendor lock in

Limited technical expertise

Limited or lack of interoperability

Regulatory, including public procurement requirements

Other

Please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

Are there any gaps in the current offerings of cloud computing providers that impact your operations?

4000 character(s) maximum

How can the EU support public administrations in increasing their use of cloud computing? 

(Rank each answer on a scale from 1 to 5, where 1 = not very important and 5 = very important)

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Factor 1 2 3 4 5 Not applicable

/ I don't know

Funding

EU-wide uniform guidance on how to procure

Mechanisms to allow federation of cloud services across public administrations within and across Member States

Standards, open specifications and mechanisms to ensure interoperability of cloud solutions

Cybersecurity guidelines

Technical support, training and capacity building support

Other

Please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

Does your administration release the code procured for the delivery of digital services as open source?

Always In some cases Never I don't know Not applicable

Is any licensing schema preferred? 4000 character(s) maximum

What is preventing you from this? Licenses Cybersecurity vulnerabilities

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Maintenance Sustainability Accountability Other

Please specify 1000 character(s) maximum

Are there any specific policy measures you would recommend to improve public administrations’ access to and use of cloud services?

4000 character(s) maximum

Are there any specific policy measures you would recommend for the provision of the security of cloud services for public administrations?

4000 character(s) maximum

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2.6. Questions for financial institutions

2.6.1 Current situation

What are the main activities that your financing institution is investing in related to AI / cloud computation?

Computing infrastructure development, mainly real estate (e.g. data centres) Computation processors such as GPUs (Graphic Processing Unit) AI services

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Other I don’t know

Please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

How would you describe your current level of investment in computing infrastructure development?

significant – computing infrastructures are a key part of our portfolio moderate – we have some investments in the sector minimal – we are still exploring opportunities none – we currently have no investments in this area

If any, what are the main reasons for your interest in investing in computing infrastructures? (Rank each answer on a scale from 1 to 5, where 1 = not very important and 5 = very important)

Reason 1 2 3 4 5 Not applicable / I

don't know

the sector’s high growth potential (return on investment)

Diversification of the investment portfolio

Alignment with existing policies

Strategic interest (resilient infrastructure for critical services)

Other

Please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

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Which are the main factors preventing your organisation from investing in new computing infrastructures capacity? (Rank each answer on a scale from 1 to 5, where 1 = not very important and 5 = very important)

Factor 1 2 3 4 5 Not

applicable / I don’t know

High upfront capital requirements

High risk aversion to funding long-term computing infrastructure projects

Lack of access to tax incentives

Lack of access to tax breaks

Lack of access to additional funds

Uncertainty about long term demand

Lack of technical expertise to evaluate projects

Insufficient market data or performance benchmarks

Low liquidity or exit options for data centre investments

Competing resources

Regulatory obstacles

Environmental or social impact concerns

Other

Please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

What expectations do you have for computing infrastructure projects in terms of return on investment (ROI)?

Above 15% annually Between 10% and 15% annually Below 10% annually but stable Other

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What factors limit the ROI of your computing infrastructure investments? (Rank each answer on a scale from 1 to 5, where 1 = not very important and 5 = very important)

Factor 1 2 3 4 5 Not applicable / I

don’t know

High initial capital expenditure delaying the return

High operational costs (e.g. energy and maintenance)

Limited scalability

Future proofing of the technology and the facility

Competition driving down margins

Cybersecurity risks

Other

Please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

When you expect to break even the investment realized in computing infrastructure projects?

1-3 years 4 -7 years 8 – 10 years More than 10 years I don't know

2.6.2 Specific needs and challenges

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What is the biggest challenge for investors in the computing infrastructures market? (Rank each answer on a scale from 1 to 5, where 1 = not very important and 5 = very important)

Challenge 1 2 3 4 5 Not applicable / I don't

know

Lack of market transparency or data

Insufficient policy support or incentives

Only a few available firms able to build facilities

Other

Please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

 What policy measures could help mitigate investment risks in this sector? Rank each answer on a scale from 1 to 5 where 1 = not very important and 5 = very important.

Policy measure 1 2 3 4 5

Not applicable

/ I don’t know

EU- or Member-State-backed guarantees or risk sharing mechanisms

Clearer regulatory frameworks

Tax incentives for computing infrastructures investments

Establish standardised metrics and benchmarks for computing infrastructures performance

Simplify regulatory procedures (e.g. for permitting)

Create liquidity mechanisms for long term investors

Reduced energy costs for data centres through subsidies

Streamlined regulatory approval processes

Other, please specify

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 What policy measures could make computing infrastructures investments more attractive for investment?

Rank each answer on a scale from 1 to 5 where 1 = not very important and 5 = very important.

Policy measure 1 2 3 4 5 Not applicable / I don’t know

Co-investment opportunities with public or private partners

Development of specialized funds or instruments for data centres

Enhanced transparency on sector performance metrics.

Other

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Please include any additional information you would like to share Only files of the type pdf,txt,doc,docx,odt,rtf are allowed

2.7 Questions for organisations other than the ones above

2.7.1 Current situation

What is your profile? Business organization Consumers organization NGO

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Academia Other

 What is your main reason for participating in this survey? Rank each answer on a scale from 1 to 5 where 1 = not very important and 5 = very important.

Interest 1 2 3 4 5

Not applicable

/ I don't know

I am concerned about how secure my personal or professional data are when stored in the cloud

I am concerned that non-EU tech companies have too much influence over our data and digital infrastructure

I want fair competition and support for EU businesses and start-ups in the digital space

I would like the EU to invest in and prioritise EU cloud infrastructure and services

I believe there should be stronger rules and enforcement for how cloud and AI services operate in the EU

I am concerned about the environmental impact of building large-scale data centres and digital technologies

I am concerned that some people or communities may be left behind in the shift to digital and cloud-based services (e.g. due to the lack of access to digital tools, poor internet, lack of training, etc.)

I want to know how governments and public institutions use cloud services and how they protect our data

I work in tech, policy, education or a related field and want to contribute with my perspective

I believe citizens should have a voice in digital governance aspects

Other

Please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

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2.7.2 Specific needs and challenges

Are there any specific needs to be addressed for building new computational resources?

4000 character(s) maximum

Are there any specific factors affecting your access to cloud services? 4000 character(s) maximum

Are there any specific obstacles to the consumption of secure cloud services?

4000 character(s) maximum

Have you identified any gaps in the current offerings of cloud computing providers that impact your day-to-day activities?

4000 character(s) maximum

Please include any additional information you would like to share 4000 character(s) maximum

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2.8 Questions for individual citizens

2.8.1 Specific interests and concerns

 What are your main reasons for participating in this consultation? Rank each answer on a scale from 1 to 5 where 1 = not very important and 5 = very important.

Interest 1 2 3 4 5

Not applicable

/ I don't know

I am concerned that my personal or professional data may not be secure when stored in the cloud

I am concerned that non-EU tech companies have too much influence over our data and digital infrastructure

I want fair competition and support for EU businesses and start-ups in the digital space

I would like the EU to invest in and prioritise EU cloud infrastructure and services

I believe there should be stronger rules and enforcement for how cloud and AI services operate in the EU

I am concerned by the environmental impact of building large-scale data centres and digital technologies

I am worried that some people or communities may be left behind in the shift to digital and cloud-based services (e.g. due to the lack of access to digital tools, poor internet, lack of training)

I want to know how governments and public institutions use cloud services and how they protect our data

I work in tech, policy, education or a related field and want to contribute with my perspective

I believe citizens should have a voice in digital governance aspects

Other

Please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

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 How familiar are you with the current state of cloud computing services available in the EU?

Very familiar Somewhat familiar Not very familiar Not familiar at all

How much do you trust the following types of cloud providers to keep your personal or business data private and protected — even when it is stored in the EU? (Note: some non-EU providers may still be required to share data with their home country’s government under foreign laws, even if the data are stored in the EU)

Provider Very low

trust Low trust

Moderate trust

High trust

Very high trust

EU-based providers

US-based providers (e.g. AWS and Microsoft)

Providers based outside the EU and US

If possible, please explain your answer above and provide examples 4000 character(s) maximum

 How well do you think the EU is equipped in terms of cloud computing resources for both basic and AI-related services?

Very well equipped (i.e. the EU is fully prepared and competitive on a global level) Well equipped (i.e. the EU is mostly keeping up with cloud and AI infrastructure demands) Moderately equipped (i.e. the EU has some capacity but there is room for improvement) Poorly equipped (i.e. some infrastructure exists, but it is not enough to meet current needs)

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Very poorly equipped (i.e. the EU lacks sufficient infrastructure and is falling behind) I don’t know

Do you believe cloud service providers based in the EU can compete fairly with global tech giants?

Yes, definitely Yes, but only with strong EU support Not really No, the market is already dominated and hard to disrupt I don’t know Other

Please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

 How important is it for you for the EU to reduce its dependency on non-EU cloud providers?

Very important Somewhat important Not important I don’t know

 Do you believe citizens should have the right to know which cloud services are used by public institutions (e.g. governments, hospitals and schools)?

Yes, always Yes, but only for highly critical services No, this information does not need to be public I don’t know Other

Please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

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If possible, please explain your answer above and provide examples 4000 character(s) maximum

 Do you think public services in the EU (e.g. healthcare or education) should be allowed to store citizen data with non-EU cloud providers (e.g. US-based companies)?

Yes, without restrictions Yes, but only if strong safeguards are in place No, citizen data from public services should only be stored with EU-based providers It depends on the type of data or service I don’t know Other

Please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

If possible, please explain your answer above and provide examples 4000 character(s) maximum

 Who do you think are most at risk of being excluded from the cloud and AI transition? 

People in rural or remote areas Older adults

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Low-income individuals Small businesses Students without digital access No one – I believe access is fair I don’t know

 Do you believe investing in EU cloud infrastructure could help create jobs and economic opportunities in the EU?

Yes, definitely Possibly, especially in digital or tech sectors Not really No I don’t know

What benefits do you expect from stronger EU cloud infrastructure? Better protection of personal data and privacy More reliable and secure public digital services Job creation in tech, infrastructure or support roles Increased trust in public institutions More fairness and transparency in cloud and AI use I don’t know Other

Please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

What role should the EU play in shaping the future of cloud services? 4000 character(s) maximum

Please include any additional information you would like to share 4000 character(s) maximum

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Please upload your file(s) Only files of the type pdf,txt,doc,docx,odt,rtf are allowed

3. EU Policies

Faced with the current gap in the EU’s cloud and AI computing capacity, preliminary policy levers and possible areas of action have been identified to drive the development and deployment of the required computing resources and to stimulate their uptake in line with the EU’s rules and broader policy objectives. Your response to this section of the consultation will help the Commission to design the most impactful and efficient policy options as well as identify possible missing elements.

3.1 Computing Capacities

This section collects input on the prioritisation of the activities in order to foster different types of computation facilities in the EU, while taking environmental aspects into consideration.

What type of EU action should be prioritised for boosting the availability of sufficient and adequate cloud capacity for AI workloads?

(Rank each answer on a scale from 1 to 5, where 1 = not very relevant and 5 = very relevant).

Facilitation of investment

Policy action 1 2 3 4 5 Not

applicable / I don't know

Increasing public investment in private-public infrastructures

Creating public-private partnerships for large-scale data centres

Incentives for building computing infrastructure in underserved regions

Other

Please specify

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Simplification of infrastructure permitting procedures

Policy action 1 2 3 4 5

Not applicable

/ I don't know

Have a one stop shop service or a similar mechanism where the different permits at the different administrative levels can be requested and managed

Reduce the amount of time needed to obtain the different permits and environmental authorisations

Create expedited approval mechanisms and clear conditions for critical / strategic projects

Other

Other, please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

Simplification of regulations for the building of computing infrastructure with energy efficiency

Policy action 1 2 3 4 5

Not applicable

/ I don't know

Unified guidelines at national level for all aspects including energy efficiency

Unified guidelines at EU level

Other

Please specify

Environmental aspects

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Policy action 1 2 3 4 5 Not applicable / I don't

know

Clear environmental compliance requirements

Addressing energy availability for data centres

Addressing land availability for data centres

Other

Please specify

Energy efficiency

Policy action 1 2 3 4 5

Not applicable

/ I don't know

Tax incentives for using sustainable technologies

Funding for research and development of energy- efficient technologies.

Standardised energy efficiency benchmarks

Investments in the development of more efficient software to manage and monitor the energy efficiency and metrics of the data centre

Other

Other, please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

Cross-cutting issues

Policy action 1 2 3 4 5 Not applicable / I

don't know

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Supporting an open source software ecosystem

Collaborative programmes for R&D and innovation

Other

Please specify

At EU policy level, is it appropriate to distinguish between capacity for training, for fine-tuning, and for inference of AI models and solutions?

Yes No I don't know

Why not?

3.2 Public Sector actions

The following set of questions aim at gathering information mainly on the procurement rules of public administrations, and on policy actions to address the challenges faced by the public sector on procuring cloud services.

 Which EU policy actions would best address the current issues faced by (multiple public administrations when procuring cloud and AI services?

options possible) Guidelines with standard criteria to procure cloud services Guidelines with standard award criteria Standardized tender vocabulary and requirements I don't know Other

Please specify

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Which EU policy actions would address the issues currently faced by public (multiple options possible)administrations as regards cloud and AI services?

Include a criterion ensuring sovereignty, autonomy, resilience and availability in the procurement of narrowly defined highly critical and strategic use cases Include a criterion for highly innovative solutions Include a criterion for solutions with added value and innovation Improvement of skills and capabilities, including training and certifications Marketplace of cloud services, AI services, and other software applications for the Public sector. Other I don't know

Please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

3.3. Open source in the public sector

The following set of questions are intended to gain input to help address policy options on the release of code developed with public money as open-source code.

What EU policies would alleviate the challenges of releasing the code funded by public money as open-source* code?

(*released under a license in which the copyright holder grants users the rights to use, study, change, and distribute the software and its source code to anyone and for any purpose)

A common open-source licensing schema across the EU Guidelines to set up the governance mechanisms of the open-source community

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Guidelines to select relevant open-source communities/foundations where the code can be released The setting up of a public-private foundation dedicated to such communities An obligation to release the source code developed with public money onto open-source repositories, except in duly justified cases Other I don't know

Other, please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

3.4  Cross – cutting topics

The following questions are intended to provide the Commission with your input on cross-cutting topics such as market practices, security and research.

Bundling is a commercial What EU policy actions would address bundling? strategy where several software packages are sold together for distributon, deployment or use.

Regulation of bundling practices to ensure fair competition Promoting open licensing models for AI tools and platforms Transparency requirements for cloud provider pricing and licensing I don't know Other

Other, please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

 What EU policy actions would best protect against unlawful access to [sensitive] data [by third-country legislation with extraterritorial reach] and risks associated with supply chain dependencies (and possible disruptions) of cloud and AI services?

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Pursue international cooperation (including international agreement) with third countries that address such risks Develop criteria that could be used to differentiate between third countries depending on whether they pose specific threats to the Union. Develop criteria to narrowly identify highly critical use cases for cloud and AI services Define criteria to narrowly identify highly critical use cases for which public procurers could address specific risks related to third countries’ legislation with extraterritorial reach, aligned with international agreements. Other I don't know

Other, please specify 4000 character(s) maximum

The EU pursues and has concluded with third countries agreements that facilitate trusted cross-border data flows and prohibit unjustified data localisation restrictions (including with Japan, Korea, Singapore and the UK). How important is it in your view that the EU promotes such partnerships with like-minded countries?

Very important Somewhat important Neutral Not very important Not important at all

In order to meet the future demand for AI services and applications while catering for the EU’s environmental policy objectives and technological autonomy, the EU needs to advance its research and innovation in the area of sustainable and resource-efficient AI computing continuum technologies (IoT, Telco, Edge, the cloud and HPC). Your response to this section of the survey will complement a targeted consultation addressing stakeholders involved in research and innovation projects in these fields and will help the Commission to identify priority fields for future support.

If you are a researcher, are there any specific research priorities that you would like to recommend on:

Data centre components (e.g. highly efficient chips, graphene battery walls)?

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Optimal data centre operation and use of resources (e.g. AI solutions, optimisation of computing architecture and virtualisation, improved adaptation to user demand)?

4000 character(s) maximum

Cooling innovations (e.g. direct on-chip, liquid & immersive)? 4000 character(s) maximum

Integration of data centres into energy systems? 4000 character(s) maximum

Advanced pilot lines to demonstrate the green data centres of the future? 4000 character(s) maximum

Any other ideas? 4000 character(s) maximum

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