| SOV-1 Strategic Sovereignty | SEAL-3 | |
| SOV-2 Legal & Jurisdictional Sovereignty | SEAL-2 | |
| SOV-3 Data & AI Sovereignty | SEAL-1 | |
| SOV-4 Operational Sovereignty | SEAL-3 | |
| SOV-5 Supply Chain Sovereignty | SEAL-1 | |
| SOV-6 Technology Sovereignty | SEAL-3 | |
| SOV-7 Security & Compliance Sovereignty | SEAL-1 | |
| SOV-8 Environmental Sustainability | SEAL-2 |
| ID | Factor | Value | Score | SEAL | Conf. | Justification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SOV-1.1 | EU/EEA legal entity control | 4. Entirely within the EU | 125/125 | SEAL-4 | high | eu_entity (Dutch B.V., Amsterdam HQ, founder + EU impact investor The Sharing Group holding a minority stake, no non-EU parent) -> entirely within the EU, opt4. (src: https://press.thesharinggroup.com/246202-the-sharing-group-and-leafcloud-join-forces-for-sustainable-european-cloud-services/) |
| SOV-1.2 | Change of control risk | 4. Unlikely takeover/transfer to non-EU sovereign entity | 94/125 | SEAL-4 | medium | Founder-led Dutch company with an EU (Amsterdam) impact investor holding a minority stake; no signals of non-EU takeover intent, though as a small startup acquisition cannot be fully excluded. (all-seal-4 factor, choice kept) |
| SOV-1.3 | Control over roadmap | 3. Governance bodies exist with EU actors participation | 83/125 | SEAL-3 | low | Core platform is community-governed open-source (OpenStack/Gardener) with EU actor participation in those governance bodies; EU-controlled provider with some external influence -> opt3. |
| SOV-1.4 | Financial independence from non-EU capital | 4. Majority of funding is EU-based | 94/125 | SEAL-4 | medium | Funding from the Dutch founder and Amsterdam-based The Sharing Group (EU impact investor); no disclosed non-EU capital -> majority/entirely EU-based, opt4. (all-seal-4 factor, choice kept) |
| SOV-1.5 | EU economic contribution | 5. Fully in the EU | 125/125 | SEAL-4 | high | All infrastructure, staff, datacentres and heat-reuse operations are in the Netherlands; economic contribution fully in the EU. (all-seal-4 factor, choice kept) |
| SOV-1.6 | Participation in EU strategic programs | 2. Limited participation | 31/125 | SEAL-4 | low | Aligned with Gaia-X/EU sovereignty goals and in the EuroStack directory, but no documented active role in IPCEI-CIS or other EU strategic programs; limited participation. (all-seal-4 factor, choice kept) |
| SOV-1.7 | Alignment with EU industrial strategies | 2. Existing action plan | 42/125 | SEAL-4 | low | Clear positioning as a European, open, sustainable alternative to US hyperscalers (an action plan), but no measured achievement framework or dedicated sovereignty governance published. (all-seal-4 factor, choice kept) |
| SOV-1.8 | Resilience to cut-off | 5. Full autonomy and continuity | 125/125 | SEAL-4 | medium | own_stack: own NL datacentres + open-source OpenStack/Gardener (EU-maintained integration), continuity depends on no non-EU vendor with only residual foreign chips as hardware -> Full autonomy and continuity, opt5 (judgment call per key #1). |
| ID | Factor | Value | Score | SEAL | Conf. | Justification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SOV-2.1 | Primary legal jurisdiction | 3. Exclusively EU law | 167/167 | SEAL-4 | high | Dutch B.V. operating exclusively under Dutch/EU law with all data in the Netherlands -> exclusively EU law, opt3. (src: https://leaf.cloud/products/virtual-machines/) |
| SOV-2.2 | Extraterritorial laws exposure | 4. Legal structures shielding from foreign law | 125/167 | SEAL-2 | medium | eu_entity with structural separation (no non-EU parent/subsidiary for foreign authorities to compel) but no certified immunity (no SecNumCloud/EUCS-High) -> Legal structures shielding from foreign law, opt4 (seal 2). This is the SEAL-2 ceiling. |
| SOV-2.3 | Data access pathways for non-EU authorities | 5. Requests always rejected by the provider | 167/167 | SEAL-4 | high | No foreign_parent; not subject to US CLOUD Act/FISA; non-EU requests must go through MLAT with EU judicial oversight, so direct non-EU compelled access is rejected -> Requests always rejected, opt5. (src: https://leaf.cloud/products/virtual-machines/) |
| SOV-2.4 | Export control restrictions | 3. Share of revenues >50% in the EU | 84/167 | SEAL-2 | low | EU-only provider with revenues overwhelmingly in the EU and no foreign-state export-control leverage over the service; no specific shielding mechanism documented -> share of revenues >50% in EU, opt3. |
| SOV-2.5 | Origin of IP | 3. Mixed within/outside the EU | 84/167 | SEAL-4 | medium | Core platform is open-source OpenStack/Gardener (mixed global/EU community IP) with EU-developed integration; underlying hypervisor and GPU/firmware IP originate outside the EU -> mixed, opt3. (all-seal-4 factor, choice kept) |
| SOV-2.6 | IP holder jurisdiction | 3. Mixed law, some EU | 84/167 | SEAL-3 | medium | Open-source stack IP held under mixed jurisdictions (much of OpenStack/NVIDIA stack non-EU) with EU-held integration code; not fully under EU law -> mixed law, some EU, opt3. |
| ID | Factor | Value | Score | SEAL | Conf. | Justification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SOV-3.1 | Customer control over encryption keys | 3. Shared - provider has override keys | 100/200 | SEAL-2 | low | Volumes use LUKS AES-256 by default but as an OpenStack IaaS the provider operates key management and can technically access keys/data; no customer-exclusive HYOK -> shared, provider has override, opt3. |
| SOV-3.2 | Transparent data flows & access logs | 3. Logs exist but not real-time / vendor-controlled | 100/200 | SEAL-2 | low | OpenStack and facility logs exist but no documented real-time customer-controlled independent audit trail of all data access -> logs exist but not real-time, opt3. |
| SOV-3.3 | Secure deletion & proof of erasure | 3. Internal validation per policy, no proof | 100/200 | SEAL-1 | low | DPA covers retention/deletion (internal validation per policy) but no documented cryptographic proof of erasure or independent verification -> internal validation per policy, opt3. |
| SOV-3.4 | Data location strictly in EU/EEA | 5. Exclusively EU, no third-country fallback | 200/200 | SEAL-4 | high | eu_exclusive: all persistent data stored and processed exclusively in Amsterdam/NL, never leaves NL unless the customer transfers it, no third-country fallback -> opt5. (src: https://leaf.cloud/products/virtual-machines/) |
| SOV-3.5 | AI services sovereignty | 4. EU-led AI, foreign accelerators | 150/200 | SEAL-3 | medium | AI/GPU offering runs open-source/EU-controllable model stacks on NVIDIA A100/H100/Blackwell accelerators in NL; EU-led AI on foreign accelerators -> opt4. |
| ID | Factor | Value | Score | SEAL | Conf. | Justification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SOV-4.1 | Portability & interoperability | 5. Already deployed on sovereign infrastructure | 167/167 | SEAL-4 | high | Standard OpenStack APIs with S3-compatible object storage, Terraform/Ansible support, no lock-in; already deployed on sovereign open-standard infrastructure -> opt5. |
| SOV-4.2 | Ability to operate without foreign dependencies | 5. Entire stack managed by fully EU-based team | 167/167 | SEAL-4 | high | eu_ops: entire stack operated by the Amsterdam-based team, all operations in NL with no foreign operational dependency -> entire stack managed by fully EU-based team, opt5. |
| SOV-4.3 | Skill availability in the EU | 4. All EU staff | 125/167 | SEAL-3 | medium | Staff Amsterdam/EU-based; no evidence of formal security clearances -> all EU staff, opt4. |
| SOV-4.4 | Support channels | 4. All support staff in EU | 125/167 | SEAL-3 | high | Support by the Amsterdam-based team; all support staff in EU, no documented clearance regime -> all support staff in EU, opt4. |
| SOV-4.5 | Documentation & knowledge transfer | 4. EU-only primary repositories | 125/167 | SEAL-4 | low | Documentation and operations Amsterdam/EU-centric with no non-EU repositories indicated -> EU-only primary repositories, opt4. |
| SOV-4.6 | Subcontractor & supplier jurisdiction | 4. Ability to source alternatives or internalise | 125/167 | SEAL-3 | low | Subcontractors (datacentre, hardware vendors) largely EU-based or substitutable; on open-source OpenStack it can source alternatives or internalise functions -> ability to source alternatives, opt4. |
| ID | Factor | Value | Score | SEAL | Conf. | Justification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SOV-5.1 | Origin of components (physical parts) | 2. Partial disclosure | 36/143 | SEAL-1 | low | Hardware components (servers, NVIDIA GPUs) foreign-sourced with only partial public disclosure of provenance -> partial disclosure, opt2. |
| SOV-5.2 | Manufacturing location | 2. Foreign origin, partial disclosure | 36/143 | SEAL-1 | low | Server and GPU hardware manufactured outside the EU with partial disclosure; Leafcloud assembles/operates but does not design or build hardware -> foreign origin, partial disclosure, opt2. |
| SOV-5.3 | Embedded code/firmware provenance | 2. Partial disclosure | 36/143 | SEAL-4 | low | Firmware/embedded code (BIOS, NIC, GPU firmware) from foreign vendors with only partial disclosure -> partial disclosure, opt2. (all-seal-4 factor, choice kept) |
| SOV-5.4 | Origin of software | 3. Core/essential parts maintained by EU teams | 72/143 | SEAL-3 | medium | No foreign_core: core platform is open-source OpenStack/Gardener with essential integration maintained by the EU team -> core/essential parts maintained by EU teams, opt3 (seal 3). |
| SOV-5.5 | Software build/release jurisdiction | 4. EU control & execution | 107/143 | SEAL-3 | low | Platform configuration and releases controlled and executed by the Amsterdam-based EU team (EU control and execution), without documented formal EU policy gates -> opt4. |
| SOV-5.6 | Single point of dependency | 3. Few non-EU in critical services / documented | 72/143 | SEAL-2 | medium | Critical hardware (servers, NVIDIA GPUs) is a documented but real non-EU dependency for some critical components; software/ops layer has none -> few non-EU in critical services, documented, opt3. |
| SOV-5.7 | Supply chain transparency | 3. Critical suppliers auditable | 72/143 | SEAL-2 | low | Critical suppliers (datacentre, NVIDIA, server OEMs) identifiable/auditable to a degree via certifications, but not a fully published auditable supplier chain -> critical suppliers auditable, opt3. |
| ID | Factor | Value | Score | SEAL | Conf. | Justification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SOV-6.1 | Interoperability & open interfaces | 5. Open-by-default with portability | 200/200 | SEAL-4 | high | Open-by-default OpenStack and S3-compatible APIs with Terraform/Ansible support and explicit no-lock-in stance -> open-by-default with portability, opt5. |
| SOV-6.2 | Open standards compliance | 5. Policy for all core services | 200/200 | SEAL-4 | high | Built entirely on open standards (OpenStack, Kubernetes/Gardener, S3) across all core services -> policy for all core services, opt5. |
| SOV-6.3 | Open source availability | 3. Open source, centralised governance | 100/200 | SEAL-3 | high | No foreign_core; stack fully built on open-source software (OpenStack, Gardener) but governance centralised in upstream foundations rather than EU/Leafcloud-controlled -> open source, centralised governance, opt3 (seal 3). |
| SOV-6.4 | Service architecture transparency | 4. Large corpus of public insight | 150/200 | SEAL-3 | medium | Open-source OpenStack/Gardener gives a large corpus of public architecture insight; customers cannot directly co-develop Leafcloud's deployment -> large corpus of public insight, opt4. |
| SOV-6.5 | HPC sovereignty | 2. EU-hosted, foreign stack | 50/200 | SEAL-3 | medium | GPU/AI compute is EU-hosted (NL) on a foreign hardware/accelerator stack (NVIDIA); no EU-designed HPC silicon -> EU-hosted, foreign stack, opt2 (seal 3). |
| ID | Factor | Value | Score | SEAL | Conf. | Justification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SOV-7.1 | Security certification (EAL) | 3. EAL2 | 72/143 | SEAL-2 | medium | Holds ISO 27001 + SOC2 Type II (independent attestation beyond bare ISO) but no SecNumCloud/EUCS/C5/EAL -> EAL2-equivalent, opt3 (seal 2). Consistent with the SEAL-2 ceiling. (src: https://leaf.cloud/blog/iso-27001-certified/) |
| SOV-7.2 | EU regulatory compliance (GDPR/NIS2/DORA) | 4. Partial compliance to most | 107/143 | SEAL-4 | high | GDPR-compliant with DPA, ISO 27001 and SOC2 Type II, NIS2-aligned and DORA-aware, HAVEN+ in progress; partial compliance to most regimes but not a single independently audited full attestation -> opt4. (all-seal-4 factor, choice kept) |
| SOV-7.3 | EU-based SOC & incident handling | 4. Entire lifecycle by EU teams, EU threat intel | 107/143 | SEAL-3 | low | Incident handling and operations entirely by the Amsterdam-based EU team with EU threat intel; no documented ENISA sharing -> entire lifecycle by EU teams, opt4. |
| SOV-7.4 | Control over security monitoring/logging | 4. Full direct access, logs stored in EU | 107/143 | SEAL-3 | low | OpenStack gives customers direct access to logs/monitoring with all logs stored in NL; no documented immutable tamper-proof guarantee -> full direct access, logs stored in EU, opt4. |
| SOV-7.5 | Disclosure of incidents | 3. Moderate (GDPR/NIS2-aligned) | 72/143 | SEAL-2 | medium | Incident notification aligned to GDPR/NIS2 (24-72h reporting); not documented real-time CSIRT sharing -> moderate (GDPR/NIS2-aligned), opt3. |
| SOV-7.6 | Maintenance autonomy | 3. Moderate autonomy (notice + testing, except zero-day) | 72/143 | SEAL-4 | low | Open-source self-operated stack gives moderate autonomy with notice/testing windows -> moderate autonomy, opt3 (seal 4). |
| SOV-7.7 | Auditability | 2. Limited independent access | 36/143 | SEAL-1 | low | No audit_rights: only ISO 27001 + SOC2 Type II certification-body audits, no SecNumCloud/sovereign-offer contractual full audit right for the contracting authority/independent EU bodies -> limited independent access, opt2 (seal 1). Normalised to match the other pure-EU Benelux providers (none holds tender-grade audit rights). This sets the overall SEAL. (src: https://leaf.cloud/blog/iso-27001-certified/) |
| ID | Factor | Value | Score | SEAL | Conf. | Justification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SOV-8.1 | Energy efficiency (PUE) | 3. PUE < 1.5 + roadmap | 125/250 | SEAL-4 | medium | Distributed heat-reuse Leaf sites and Tier III core in NL; heat-reuse model makes each kWh dual-use and Dutch DC norms target low PUE, but no provider-published verified PUE figure -> PUE<1.5 + roadmap, opt3. (src: https://leaf.cloud/products/virtual-machines/) |
| SOV-8.2 | Hardware reuse & recycling | 3. Documented program | 125/250 | SEAL-3 | low | Reuses existing buildings, avoids new construction, documented sustainability program; no published EU-certified hardware lifecycle/recycling scheme -> documented program, opt3. |
| SOV-8.3 | Environmental impact reporting | 3. Annual report | 125/250 | SEAL-2 | medium | Publishes detailed carbon/heat-displacement metrics and whitepapers; treated as annual/structured reporting but not independently EU-audited -> annual report, opt3. |
| SOV-8.4 | Energy supplies | 5. Only green EU energy supplies | 250/250 | SEAL-4 | medium | Purchases renewable energy in NL and displaces fossil-gas heating via heat reuse; only green EU energy supplies -> opt5. (all-seal-4 factor, choice kept) (src: https://leaf.cloud/products/virtual-machines/) |