Membership

EuroCloud is a member-driven, grasroots not-for-profit organization of national EuroCloud associations across Europe. EuroCloud provides guidance, knowledge sharing and awareness over new cloud-based business models and opportunities especially for SMEs and fosters the development of a European Digital Single Market.

The MCA - An Overview

In 2015, Government extended the Malta Communications Authority's (MCA) remit to help augment further cloud computing adoption amongst businesses, especially SMEs and micros. The MCA believes that cloud computing is essential for a knowledge-based society, and represents a great opportunity for business organisations of all sizes to gain access to enterprise class IT, increasing competition and innovation in an ever-changing market. It is thus the aim of the MCA to execute this vision by proactively striving to bridge the gap between the cloud computing model and local businesses.

To this end, the MCA consolidated its efforts to take on this responsibility by setting up the Malta Cloud Forum (MCF) in 2016. The MCF is a multi-stakeholder forum of parties interested in the cloud computing eco-system, comprising representatives from consulting companies, civil society, government and academia. The MCF aims to give space to as much cloud computing players as possible, with the aim of inducing a network where cloud service providers and customers can engage and develop successful business relationships. The forum organises various events associated with cloud computing and continuously participates in a number of Cloud, eCommerce, and general IT related third-party events. The MCF also conducts studies of the local market on a regular basis on the use of the Cloud by businesses, together with the issues and challenges that come along with the implementation of Cloud Computing. Subsequently, the MCF aims to take action in order to address the matters identified in these studies.

Objectives

Through the establishment of the MCF, the MCA aspires to reach a number of objectives with the aim of proliferating the use of cloud computing amongst businesses in a sustainable manner. Amongst others, these objectives include:

Carrying out research
Increase cloud awareness among local businesses and consumers, especially with regard to the benefits generated from cloud computing;
Help establish Trust in the Cloud, both on the customer and on the user side;
Facilitate the uptake of cloud computing by businesses
Share information about current cloud computing trends, especially for SMEs and micros; and
Implement targeted awareness-raising campaigns on the benefits brought by cloud computing.

Why Join the ECE

The MCA believes that the objectives of the ECE reflect those of the MCF, whose aim is to increase the use of cloud computing by businesses. Moreover, the MCA trusts that being part of the ECE would enhance its activity in terms of providing guidance and best practice for both businesses and consumers on the Cloud. The MCA believes that this network would strengthen its efforts at bringing businesses, especially SMEs, closer to cloud computing.