Definition. IT infrastructure operated so that an organisation can at any time decide substantially for itself what runs on it, who has access and where data flows. In practice this means a mix of own hardware or European cloud, a transparent supply chain, open interfaces and prepared exit paths.

Why it matters. At mid-sized companies, sovereign infrastructure rarely means “self-host everything”. It means deliberately chosen locations, less deep lock-in, multiple providers and a realistic plan B. The axis is “controllability”, not “self-sufficiency”.

Related. Digital Sovereignty, European Cloud, Self-hosted Infrastructure, Vendor Lock-in