Let’s start 2022 by going over the cloud adoption statistics among EU enterprises in 2021. The adoption of cloud computing in Europe has increased 5 percentage points (pp) compared to 2020, according to Eurostat. 41% of EU enterprises used cloud computing in 2021 — which is more than twice the percentage of use from five years ago. Within this percentage of enterprises that are already using cloud computing services, most of them use it for emailing and file storage.
Cloud adoption statistics in the EU by country from 2016 to 2021
Cloud adoption rates vary considerably among countries. As of 2021, on the one hand, Sweden (75%), Finland (75%), Netherlands (65%) and Denmark (65%) lead the adoption of cloud computing among enterprises in the European Union. On the other hand, Bulgaria (13%), Romania (14%) and Greece (22%) are the countries with the lowest cloud adoption rate. In the case of Iceland, as shown in the following graph, there is no data available.
The following table summarizes the evolution of cloud adoption among European enterprises from 2016 to 2021, according to Eurostat’s data.
| Country | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2020 | 2021 |
| EU average | 19% | not available | 24% | 36% | 41% |
| Austria | 17% | 21% | 23% | 38% | 40% |
| Belgium | 28% | 40% | 40% | 53% | 53% |
| Bulgaria | 7% | 8% | 8% | 11% | 13% |
| Croatia | 23% | 31% | 31% | 39% | 39% |
| Cyprus | 15% | 22% | 27% | 35% | 50% |
| Czechia | 18% | 22% | 26% | 29% | 44% |
| Denmark | 42% | 51% | 56% | 67% | 65% |
| Estonia | 23% | not available | 34% | 56% | 58% |
| Finland | 57% | 66% | 65% | 75% | 75% |
| France | 17% | not available | 19% | 27% | 29% |
| Germany | 16% | not available | 22% | 33% | 42% |
| Greece | 9% | 11% | 13% | 17% | 22% |
| Hungary | 12% | 16% | 18% | 25% | 26% |
| Iceland | not available | not available | not available | not available | not available |
| Ireland | 36% | not available | 45% | 51% | 59% |
| Italy | 22% | not available | 23% | 59% | 60% |
| Latvia | 8% | 12% | 15% | 21% | 29% |
| Lithuania | 17% | 23% | 23% | 31% | 34% |
| Luxembourg | 19% | not available | 25% | 29% | 33% |
| Malta | 28% | not available | 37% | 53% | 57% |
| Netherlands | 35% | not available | 48% | 53% | 65% |
| Norway | 40% | 48% | 51% | 64% | 64% |
| Poland | 8% | 10% | 11% | 24% | 29% |
| Portugal | 18% | 23% | 25% | 29% | 35% |
| Romania | 7% | 11% | 10% | 16% | 14% |
| Slovakia | 18% | 22% | 21% | 26% | 36% |
| Slovenia | 22% | 22% | 26% | 39% | 43% |
| Spain | 18% | 24% | 22% | 26% | 31% |
| Sweden | 48% | not available | 57% | 70% | 75% |
Cloud adoption in Austria
Cloud computing adoption among enterprises in Austria has increased 23 percentage points over the past five years, from 17% in 2016 to 40% in 2021.
Cloud adoption in Belgium
Cloud computing adoption among enterprises in Belgium has almost doubled over the past five years, from 28% in 2016 to 53% in 2021.
Cloud adoption in Bulgaria
Cloud computing adoption among enterprises in Bulgaria has almost doubled over the past five years, from 7% in 2016 to 13% in 2021. Bulgaria, as well as Romania and Greece, still holds an adoption rate below 25%.
Cloud adoption in Croatia
Cloud computing adoption among enterprises in Croatia has almost doubled over the past five years, from 23% in 2016 to 39% in 2021. However, as of 2021, the percentage of Croatian enterprises using cloud computing is still far from the cloud adoption rate in other countries like Sweden (75%), Finland (75%) and Netherlands (65%).
Cloud adoption in Cyprus
Cloud computing adoption among enterprises in Cyprus has increased 35 percentage points over the past five years, from 15% in 2016 to 50% in 2021. Cyprus is one of the countries that has experienced a bigger growth in cloud adoption during this period of time, together with Estonia (+35 pp) and Italy (+38 pp).
Cloud adoption in Czechia
Cloud computing adoption among enterprises in Czechia has more than doubled over the past five years, from 18% in 2016 to 44% in 2021.
Cloud adoption in Denmark
Cloud computing adoption among enterprises in Denmark has grown 23 percentage points over the past five years, from 42% in 2016 to 65% in 2021. Together with Finland (75%), Sweden (75%) and Netherlands (65%), Denmark is among the countries leading cloud computing adoption in the EU.
Cloud adoption in Estonia
Cloud computing adoption among enterprises in Estonia has increased 35 percentage points over the past five years, from 23% in 2016 to 58% in 2021. Estonia is one of the countries that has experienced a bigger growth in cloud adoption during this period of time, together with Cyprus (+35 pp) and Italy (+38 pp).
Cloud adoption in Finland
Cloud computing adoption among enterprises in Finland has increased 22 percentage points over the past five years, from 57% in 2016 to 75% in 2021. Together with Sweden (75%), Denmark (65%) and Netherlands (65%), Finland is among the countries leading cloud computing adoption in the EU.
Cloud adoption in France
Cloud computing adoption among enterprises in France has grown significantly over the past five years, from 17% in 2016 to 29% in 2021. However, as of 2021, the percentage of French enterprises using cloud computing is still far from the cloud adoption rate in other countries like Sweden (75%), Finland (75%) and Netherlands (65%).
Cloud adoption in Germany
Cloud computing adoption among enterprises in Germany has almost tripled over the past five years, from 16% in 2016 to 42% in 2021.
Cloud adoption in Greece
Cloud computing adoption among enterprises in Greece has increased 13 percentage points over the past five years, from 9% in 2016 to 22% in 2021. Greece, as well as Bulgaria and Romania, still holds an adoption rate below 25%.
Cloud adoption in Hungary
Cloud computing adoption among enterprises in Hungary has increased 14 percentage points over the past five years, from 12% in 2016 to 26% in 2021. However, as of 2021, the percentage of Hungarian enterprises using cloud computing is still far from the cloud adoption rate in other countries like Sweden (75%), Finland (75%) and Netherlands (65%).
Cloud adoption in Ireland
Cloud computing adoption among enterprises in Ireland has increased 23 percentage points over the past five years, from 36% in 2016 to 59% in 2021.
Cloud adoption in Italy
Cloud computing adoption among enterprises in Italy has almost tripled over the past five years, from 22% in 2016 to 60% in 2021. Italy (+38 pp) is one of the countries that has experienced a bigger growth in cloud adoption during this period of time, together with Cyprus (+35 pp) and Estonia (+35 pp).
Cloud adoption in Latvia
Cloud computing adoption among enterprises in Latvia has more than tripled over the past five years, from 8% in 2016 to 29% in 2021. However, as of 2021, the percentage of Latvian enterprises using cloud computing is still far from the cloud adoption rate in other countries like Sweden (75%), Finland (75%) and Netherlands (65%).
Cloud adoption in Lithuania
Cloud computing adoption among enterprises in Lithuania has doubled over the past five years, from 17% in 2016 to 34% in 2021. However, as of 2021, the percentage of Lithuanian enterprises using cloud computing is still far from the cloud adoption rate in other countries like Sweden (75%), Finland (75%) and Netherlands (65%).
Cloud adoption in Luxembourg
Cloud computing adoption among enterprises in Luxembourg has almost doubled over the past five years, from 19% in 2016 to 33% in 2021. However, as of 2021, the percentage of Luxembourgian enterprises using cloud computing is still far from the cloud adoption rate in other countries like Sweden (75%), Finland (75%) and Netherlands (65%).
Cloud adoption in Malta
Cloud computing adoption among enterprises in Malta has almost doubled over the past five years, from 28% in 2016 to 57% in 2021.
Cloud adoption in the Netherlands
Cloud computing adoption among enterprises in the Netherlands has almost doubled over the past five years, from 35% in 2016 to 65% in 2021. Together with Sweden (75%), Finland (75%) and Denmark (65%), the Netherlands is among the leading countries in the adoption of cloud computing in the EU.
Cloud adoption in Norway
Cloud computing adoption among enterprises in Norway has increased 24 percentage points over the past five years, from 40% in 2016 to 64% in 2021.
Cloud adoption in Poland
Cloud computing adoption among enterprises in Poland has increased 21 percentage points over the past five years, from 8% in 2016 to 29% in 2021. However, as of 2021, the percentage of Polish enterprises using cloud computing is still far from the cloud adoption rate in other countries like Sweden (75%), Finland (75%) and Netherlands (65%).
Cloud adoption in Portugal
Cloud computing adoption among enterprises in Portugal has almost doubled over the past five years, from 18% in 2016 to 35% in 2021. However, as of 2021, the percentage of Portuguese enterprises using cloud computing is still far from the cloud adoption rate in other countries like Sweden (75%), Finland (75%) and Netherlands (65%).
Cloud adoption in Romania
Cloud computing adoption among enterprises in Romania has doubled over the past five years, from 7% in 2016 to 14% in 2021. Romania, as well as Bulgaria and Greece, still holds an adoption rate below 25%.
Cloud adoption in Slovakia
Cloud computing adoption among enterprises in Slovakia has doubled over the past five years, from 18% in 2016 to 36% in 2021. However, as of 2021, the percentage of Slovakian enterprises using cloud computing is still far from the cloud adoption rate in other countries like Sweden (75%), Finland (75%) and Netherlands (65%).
Cloud adoption in Slovenia
Cloud computing adoption among enterprises in Slovenia has almost doubled over the past five years, from 22% in 2016 to 43% in 2021.
Cloud adoption in Spain
Cloud computing adoption among enterprises in Spain has almost doubled over the past five years, from 18% in 2016 to 31% in 2021. However, as of 2021, the percentage of Spanish enterprises using cloud computing is still far from the cloud adoption rate in other countries like Sweden (75%), Finland (75%) and Netherlands (65%).
Cloud adoption in Sweden
Cloud computing adoption among enterprises in Sweden has increased 27 percentage points over the past five years, from 48% in 2016 to 75% in 2021. Together with Finland (75%), Denmark (65%) and Netherlands (65%), Sweden is among the countries leading cloud computing adoption in the EU.
Cloud computing adoption in the EU by economic activity
Regarding cloud adoption rates by economic activity, the information and communication sector leads the statistics with an adoption rate of 76%; followed by the professional, scientific and technical activities sector (56%). The adoption rate in all other sectors is below 50%. However, as shown in the graph below, the use of cloud computing has increased in all sectors from 2020 to 2021. The construction sector is the economic activity where cloud adoption has been the slowest.
Cloud computing adoption in the EU by enterprise size
Furthermore, cloud adoption rates also vary among enterprises of different sizes. As shown in the graph below, the adoption rate increases proportionally to the company’s size. The use of cloud computing is higher among large enterprises, with an adoption rate of 72%; followed by medium enterprises, with an adoption rate of 53% and small enterprises, with an adoption rate of 38%. Besides, from 2020 to 2021, the increase in the use of cloud computing in large and medium companies is also higher compared to small businesses.
Moreover, regarding the main cloud service models, SaaS is the most popular model, with 94% of enterprises of all sizes using SaaS solutions. It is followed by IaaS, with an adoption rate of 74%, and PaaS, with an adoption rate of 21%.
Cloud computing adoption and data sovereignty
When talking about cloud adoption in the EU, it is also worth mentioning that the cloud market is led by overseas companies — even though there are numerous European cloud providers that offer truly competitive cloud solutions. This can have a negative impact on the medium and long term, in terms of data sovereignty, privacy, vendor lock-in issues, etc. That is why the European Commission has been working on developing a strong regulatory framework for data protection and sovereignty in Europe. Besides, projects like Gaia-X are also contributing to boost European cloud sovereignty by building a federated and secure data infrastructure.
Digital sovereignty is key. According to the report “European Digital Sovereignty. Syncing values and value” published by the consulting company Oliver Wyman, by 2030, the digital economy is expected to add 1,1 percentage points to the European Union’s annual economic growth and to boost GDP by over 14%. Therefore, it is important for European companies, as well as governments, to work together to promote innovation and digital sovereignty in the European Union.
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Source: Eurostat.
