Cloud-computing is a good thing for small and medium-sized businesses
The
launch of the European cloud-computing strategy last week was a good
day for European small and medium-sized businesses for a number of
reasons (“Kroes unveils cloud computing plan”, 27 September-3 October).
The use of cloud-computing services will
lower start-up and running costs for nearly every SME. In practical
terms, ICT entrepreneurs will benefit from far lower costs for software
(eg, software as a service) and hardware (flexible processing
capacity). For some businesses, we believe that the Commission's
10%-20% savings estimate is on the low side. Indeed, for certain online
products and services, particularly cyclical ones with activity spikes,
savings could be as high as 80%.
As such, the
strategy, viewed by many as a ‘game-changer' for the European economy,
is a very encouraging step. The onus for the European Commission is now
to make sure that regulatory creep does not restrict the benefits of
cloud computing. Any legislation that stands in the way of harmonising
Europe's digital single market, that makes privacy compliance too
complicated or too expensive, or that fails to break down artificial
national barriers to the cloud will certainly need to be addressed.
In
this debate, there is no room for national differences. What matters
for SMEs is having access to cloud computing, so that they can tap the
potential for growth that it offers. 
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