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Risk indicator, not a GDPR compliance verdict. Point-in-time assessment based on public web stack signals.Methodology & LimitationsCorrect listing / submit response
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Hosting

Microsoft Azure : Datenschutz, & EU Alternatives

Microsoft Azure is subject to US law (CLOUD Act / FISA 702). GDPR-compliant use is only possible with a valid DPA, Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) and a Transfer Impact Assessment (TIA). For sensitive data, an EU alternative is the more robust choice.

🇺🇸USAUS-Jurisdiktion

Last checked:

Is Microsoft Azure GDPR compliant?

Microsoft Azure is subject to US law (CLOUD Act / FISA 702). GDPR-compliant use is only possible with a valid DPA, Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) and a Transfer Impact Assessment (TIA). For sensitive data, an EU alternative is the more robust choice.

Vendor Profile

Who is the contractual partner?

Jurisdiction
USA
Hosting
Azure (Global)
Owner
Microsoft Corp.🇺🇸

Sovereignty Level: Level 0 of 4

US-Anbieter, US-Server. Voller CLOUD-Act-Zugriff. Bei jedem Schrems-Urteil fällt das Tool um.

  1. Level0
  2. Level1
  3. Level2
  4. Level3
  5. Level4

The five levels, from US-SaaS (Level 0) to fully sovereign (Level 4), we explain in detail here.

Data Categories

What data does Microsoft Azure process?

In typical use, the following data categories arise. Which ones are relevant for you depends on your setup and scope of use.

  • All application data and logs
  • Database content (if on same infrastructure)
  • Access and audit logs

Data Subjects

Who is affected by the processing?

Under Art. 30 GDPR, you must document the categories of data subjects per processing activity. In typical use, these include:

  • All persons whose data your application processes

Concrete Impact

What does this mean in practice?

All application data and logs are stored with a US provider: the single largest compliance lever, and simultaneously the most expensive to change.

Note: This is a risk description, not a specific incident. Whether access occurred in your case depends on many factors. What can be documented: the risk must be named in your TIA and mitigated with additional measures.

GDPR-compliant providers

EU alternatives to Microsoft Azure

Providers based in the EU or EEA. No third-country transfer, simpler DPA situation, TIA generally not required.

Hetzner-Logo

Hetzner

🇩🇪

Server in Falkenstein und Nürnberg, hochwertig und günstig.

Switch in ~14 days

IONOS-Logo

IONOS

🇩🇪

Deutscher Hoster mit Cloud, Domain und E-Mail aus einer Hand.

Switch in ~14 days

OVHcloud-Logo

OVHcloud

🇫🇷

Französischer Cloud-Anbieter mit eigenen EU-Rechenzentren.

Switch in ~14 days

1984 Hosting-Logo

1984 Hosting

🇮🇸

Green ethical Icelandic hosting provider.

1Gbits-Logo

1Gbits

🇱🇹

Lithuanian-based VPS and dedicated server provider.

Migration Plan

How to migrate away from Microsoft Azure

The following steps are the typical path for this tool category. Order and time required depend on your specific setup.

  1. 1

    Port IaC (Terraform / Pulumi) to European provider

  2. 2

    Migrate data via transfer service

  3. 3

    Greenfield workloads first, migration last

  4. 4

    Final cutover with DNS switch

We help with migration planning at no cost: 30 minutes with a data protection specialist to prioritise and define a migration sprint. Book appointment

Frequently Asked Questions

Microsoft Azure & Privacy: FAQ

Is Microsoft Azure GDPR-compliant?

Microsoft Azure can be used in a GDPR-compliant way if a valid DPA is in place, Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) are signed, and a Transfer Impact Assessment (TIA) has been conducted. However, the provider is headquartered in the US (Microsoft Corp.), so the CLOUD Act and FISA 702 continue to apply. This is true even when data is stored in an EU data centre. For sensitive data or strict oversight (public authorities, healthcare, large corporates), switching to an EU provider is often preferred.

Who is the contractual partner for Microsoft Azure?

The contracting party according to the DPA is Microsoft Corp.. The vendor profile above shows the exact ownership chain including subprocessors.

What EU alternatives are there to Microsoft Azure?

There are several GDPR-compliant EU alternatives. They are listed under "EU Alternatives" on this page. The selection is tailored to the feature set of Microsoft Azure (Hosting / Compute). meetergo covers the core workflow and can fully replace Microsoft Azure in many cases.

Where is Microsoft Azure data stored?

According to provider information: Azure (Global). Note: even an EU data centre does not protect against the CLOUD Act when the parent company is in the US. This is the core finding of the Schrems II decision.

What does the CLOUD Act mean for Microsoft Azure users?

The US CLOUD Act (Clarifying Lawful Overseas Use of Data Act, 2018) allows US authorities to request data from US companies regardless of the physical storage location. If Microsoft Corp. is subject to the CLOUD Act, US law enforcement could theoretically access Microsoft Azure data stored in Frankfurt without involving EU authorities. The EDPB Recommendations 01/2020 therefore require additional safeguards or a switch to an EU provider.

Do I need a TIA for Microsoft Azure?

Yes, in most cases. Since Schrems II (July 2020), a Transfer Impact Assessment is mandatory for US providers when personal data is transferred. The TIA documents US law, practical risks (NSA access, subpoenas) and additional measures (encryption, pseudonymisation). Only a valid TIA makes the use of Microsoft Azure legally defensible.

How much effort is involved in switching away from Microsoft Azure?

Migration effort depends on your specific setup: typically between a few business days (booking, forms) and several weeks (CRM, hosting). The roadmap below shows the typical order.

Related Vendors

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Next Step

Which tools are running on your website?

60 seconds, no login: the Sovereignty Scan shows all detected vendors with jurisdiction, risk, and matching EU alternatives.

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Note

Hinweis

Risiko-Indikator, keine Rechtsberatung.

Der Sovereignty Scan wertet öffentlich erreichbare Signale aus (HTML der Startseite und Rechtsseiten, DNS-, MX-, SPF- und ASN-Daten) und vergleicht sie mit unserer Datenbank von ca. 3.000 Anbietern. Die Zuordnung von Tool zu Eigentümer und Jurisdiktion basiert auf öffentlichen Quellen (Impressum, Datenschutzerklärung, Wappalyzer, RIPE/ARIN-Registrierungen) und ist als Erstindikation zum Stichtag der Auswertung gedacht, nicht als rechtsverbindliche Bewertung.

Die Note A–E ist ein Risiko-Indikator, kein DSGVO-Konformitätsurteil. Für eine konkrete DSGVO-Bewertung, insbesondere für Auftragsverarbeitungsverträge (AVV/DPA), Standardvertragsklauseln (SCC) und Transfer Impact Assessments (TIA), wenden Sie sich bitte an Ihren Datenschutzbeauftragten oder eine externe Rechtsberatung. meetergo trifft keine Aussage darüber, ob ein konkreter Anbieter in einem konkreten Anwendungsfall DSGVO-konform eingesetzt werden kann.

Korrektur & Stellungnahme: Wenn Sie Domain-Inhaber, Datenschutzbeauftragter oder Pressestelle der bewerteten Domain sind und die hier gezeigten Signale nicht Ihrer aktuellen Tool-Konfiguration entsprechen, nehmen wir Korrekturen auf und passen die Anzeige nach Prüfung umgehend an.

Methodik & GrenzenListing korrigieren / Stellungnahme einreichen