European firms afraid of US tech kill switch but haven't made an escape plan

A survey of 1,500 businesses across the UK, France, and Germany reveals that nearly three-quarters of respondents are concerned that the US government could abruptly cut their access to American technology providers. These concerns stem from geopolitical tensions and export control directives, such as the one preventing non-US citizens from accessing certain AI models.

Despite over 74% of publicly listed European companies depending on US-based tech services, many businesses have not yet developed an escape plan. More than half of respondents believe they could only operate for a single business day without access to cloud and digital services, with large businesses estimating the cost of a day offline to exceed €100,000 ($115,000) for some.

While open source solutions are suggested as a remedy, identity and access management systems are largely controlled by US vendors, leaving a loophole in potential alternatives. Proton, a Swiss company, found that 67.8% of respondents would switch providers if access was cut off and only 44% have a documented business continuity plan tested regularly.

Proton's COO, Raphaël Auphan, emphasizes that the "kill switch" is not a mere abstract worry but a significant business continuity crisis for European companies.