The European Union must be (…) a fertile business environment where entrepreneurship flourishes, where small idea can grow into big breakthroughs and where the information economy is the growth engine for Europe”

President of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso

Where Europe succeeds, we succeed

Europe matters to Microsoft. We’ve invested in people, products, programmes and partnerships, which have reaped a significant return not only for our own business but also for thousands of new and existing businesses across the continent.

How do we fuel the European Economy?

Innovation is essential to Europe’s ability to recover from the economic crisis and to prosper globally. New ideas and new technologies create new businesses and new jobs, improve productivity and enhance human welfare. In 2010, Microsoft invested 6.54 billion € worldwide and the EU 2011 scoreboard ranks us among the top 3 R&D investors globally.

European governments are facing an unprecedented economic crisis. Cloud computing has the potential to reduce costs while making data accessible to the ever more digital citizens. With cloud computing, we help European governments facing societal challenges in areas such as education, health and efficient e-government.

We also work closely with European start-ups and SMEs, who are the backbone of Europe’s economy.  Entrepreneurial SMEs can now innovate and become more competitive, as cloud offers affordable access to computing resources previously available only to large companies. As a result, these young companies can help extend the reach of technology and create new opportunities for them as well as for us. In Europe, over 146.000 companies partner with Microsoft, employing over 2.5 million people and generating 2011 revenues of 109 billion €. These companies are so diverse and inter-dependent that we refer to as the Microsoft "ecosystem".

In regards to education, we specifically help educators and school leaders connect, collaborate and innovate so that students can benefit from skills like problem solving, critical thinking, and creativity. We also provide comprehensive digital skills training, targeting all ages, from primary schools to lifelong learners. We aim to drive e-inclusion, target industry demand and broaden employment opportunities at all stages of the career. We deliver basic ICT competencies in addition to a portfolio of high-level skills, such as cloud-based skills, relevant across a range of different careers and professions.

Finally, we work with governments, business and other stakeholders towards a European Digital Single Market with a coherent legal framework and a more unified approach. This will enable Europe to reap the full potential of cloud computing, enabling transformative innovation for both the private and the public sector and hence fuel the European economy.