Europe and Middle East information technology (IT)

Read the latest European and Middle East information technology (IT) news and articles covering IT management topics, including information security, data storage, networking, data centre, cloud computing, mobile applications, virtualisation, big data and more.

E-Zine 09 Nov 2023
Heineken lets the data flow

In this month’s CW EMEA ezine, we find out about Heineken’s mission to make the most out of the data it holds through an enterprise-wide data ecosystem. We also look at how the UK has turned its back on the German government-funded Gaia-X data platform, why cyber experts are urging the EU to rethink vulnerability disclosure plans, and how the IT industry is responding to the software developer skills shortfall. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
Feature 31 Oct 2023
The world's most advanced Arabic LLM is now available on open source

On 30 August 2023, Abu Dhabi-based Inception, a subsidiary of G42, announced the release of an Arabic large language model to open source Continue Reading

News 29 Apr 2019

Danske Bank and IBM bring AI to banking IT

Artificial intelligence partnership is designed to reduce the risk of major IT outages and keep the bank’s customers happy Continue Reading
News 26 Apr 2019

Facebook faces fresh privacy actions from regulators

Facebook faces legal action from Canada after it dismissed regulators’ findings that it failed to protect customer privacy. The firm has set aside $5bn to settle a privacy action in the US and faces a new investigation in Ireland Continue Reading
News 26 Apr 2019

GDPR cases drive bigger budgets for Nordic regulators

High-profile General Data Protection Regulation cases in Finland and Sweden have increased the workload for regulators, which are to receive an increase in funding Continue Reading
Feature 24 Apr 2019

Mobile phones and health: is 5G being rolled out too fast?

European countries are rolling out 5G mobile communications at breakneck speed as they seek to gain a competitive edge over the US and Asia. But some scientists have raised questions about the effects of 5G mobile phone radiation on public health and are calling for a precautionary approach Continue Reading
News 23 Apr 2019

Stockholm prospers as tech hub as perceptions of entrepreneurs changes

Stockholm has thrived as a tech startup hub after out-of-date attitudes to entrepreneurs changed Continue Reading
News 23 Apr 2019

Egypt aims to develop coding skills earlier in education system

An Egyptian government initiative will see thousands of teenagers trained to code in HTML, CSS and Python Continue Reading
News 18 Apr 2019

Etihad Airways automates customer and luggage journey monitoring

National airline of United Arab Emirates, Etihad Airways, will improve passenger journeys through automated monitoring Continue Reading
News 17 Apr 2019

Construction halted at Apple datacentre in Denmark over alleged contractor dispute, report suggests

A local media report suggests construction of Apple's first non-US datacentre has halted in Denmark over a dispute over missed deadlines by the contractor tasked with delivering the build Continue Reading
News 17 Apr 2019

Middle East CIOs optimistic as budgets increase and digital transformations expand

Cyber security and risk management will see the biggest increase in spending, but digital transformation of businesses is a major driver of investment, survey shows Continue Reading
News 16 Apr 2019

Sweden to take up Finnish AI challenge

Following Finland’s example, Swedish companies are starting to use a training programme to bring staff up to speed with artificial intelligence Continue Reading
News 15 Apr 2019

Facebook takes extraordinary legal steps to contain document leak

Facebook targets journalists and news organisations for computer searches Continue Reading
E-Zine 11 Apr 2019

CW Middle East: Visibility and security of networks are top IT priorities

The 2019 Computer Weekly/TechTarget IT Priorities survey shows that enterprise buyers in the Middle East, like those in the UK and Europe, are looking to lock down their networks in the face of an almost constant barrage of threats and malicious actors. Also read how Facebook planned to use its Android app to track the location of its customers and to allow advertisers to send political advertising, and what further details operator O2 has revealed about how it is planning for the advent of 5G. Continue Reading
News 10 Apr 2019

Malmo: Sweden’s small but sturdy tech ecosystem

While Stockholm is a recognised hub for tech startups, Malmo, in Sweden's south, is attracting increasing numbers of digital entrepreneurs Continue Reading
News 10 Apr 2019

Skype blocked in UAE will hit businesses as well as people

Skype has been blocked to users in the United Arab Emirates, and its effects will be felt by businesses as well as citizens Continue Reading
News 09 Apr 2019

Sweden chosen by Amazon Web Services as renewable energy project location

Amazon Web Services has chosen a wind farm in Sweden as part of a project to source renewable energy for its global infrastructure Continue Reading
News 05 Apr 2019

Dutch government to make AI national priority

The Dutch government wants to increase its focus on the artificial intelligence sector, as other countries gain an advantage Continue Reading
News 02 Apr 2019

Huawei reports record numbers despite tumultuous year

Huawei has become one of the world’s largest technology companies by revenue, suggesting the accusations over its ties to the Chinese government are failing to have much impact Continue Reading
News 01 Apr 2019

Fidor founder leaves as parent bank plots future

The founder of digital challenger bank Fidor leaves company as traditional banking parent company tries to sell business Continue Reading
News 01 Apr 2019

Consumers still important as Dutch satnav pioneer maps B2B future

TomTom is focusing on the business-to-business sector, but its consumer base is an important part of its strategy Continue Reading
News 29 Mar 2019

Middle East countries accelerate quantum computing research

Gulf countries must invest in quantum computing research to ensure they continue to to remain digital pioneers Continue Reading
News 28 Mar 2019

Norway datacentre strategy producing dividend

Norway's strategy to become a favourable location for Nordic datacentres is gathering steam Continue Reading
News 28 Mar 2019

Swedish companies increasingly using private networks to communicate with ecosystem

Swedish IT leaders are increasingly turning to private networks to communicate with other businesses in their ecosystem Continue Reading
News 27 Mar 2019

Oslo car-free plan builds on micro-mobility trend

Norway’s capital steers away from reliance on cars as political agenda is aided by technological innovation to realise social goals Continue Reading
News 27 Mar 2019

Norsk Hydro cyber attack cost estimates up to $41m

Initial estimates have put the financial impact of last week’s ransomware attack on the Norwegian aluminium producer of up to nearly $41m, raising questions about cyber insurance coverage Continue Reading
News 25 Mar 2019

Artificial intelligence making major inroads into Russian banking

Russian banks are identifying use cases for artificial intelligence, but the gradual adoption of the technology will require access to a deeper skills pool if it is to accelerate Continue Reading
News 21 Mar 2019

Norway’s IT sector and government to tackle skills shortage

Norway's IT sector is getting much-needed government support to help improve access to talent Continue Reading
News 18 Mar 2019

EU law enforcement agencies prepare for major cyber attacks

Law enforcement agencies across the European Union are preparing for major cross-border cyber attacks, says Europol Continue Reading
News 15 Mar 2019

Venture capitalists driving Nordic tech enterprise growth

The vibrant tech sector in the Nordic region is attracting increasing attention from venture capitalists Continue Reading
News 14 Mar 2019

Met Police collaborated with US prosecutors in WikiLeaks investigation

The Metropolitan Police has confirmed it exchanged information on WikiLeaks staff in the UK with the US Department of Justice, which is conducting criminal investigations into the organisation Continue Reading
News 13 Mar 2019

Revolutionising patient booking in the Gulf

Startup in the Gulf region is applying digital technology to solve the inefficiencies in medical appointment booking processes Continue Reading
08 Mar 2019

Oslo: A hub for the social startup scene

The Norwegian capital is thriving from a unique combination of business agility, a cultural receptiveness to technology, and a social desire to do good Continue Reading
E-Zine 08 Mar 2019

CW Europe: Robots deliver savings for Dutch postal service

In this issue we look at how Dutch delivery company PostNL is reaping huge efficiency savings by using robotic technology to automate time-consuming administrative tasks, Facebook’s opposition to the referral of questions about the legality of data transfers between Europe and the US to the European Court of Justice, and how Oslo is thriving from a unique combination of business agility, a cultural receptiveness to technology, and a social desire to do good. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
News 04 Mar 2019

UK among most expensive countries for mobile data

The UK ranks 136th in the world for the average cost of 1GB of mobile data, according to new statistics Continue Reading
News 04 Mar 2019

Danske Bank builds on machine learning to predict IT failures

Danish bank is using artificial intelligence to help it prevent IT outages that could damage its reputation with customers Continue Reading
News 02 Mar 2019

Facebook asked George Osborne to influence EU data protection law

Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg invited one of the chancellor’s children to Facebook’s office as part of a intensive lobbying programme to influence European data protection legislation Continue Reading
News 01 Mar 2019

IBM deal to drive Nordea’s IT-led transformation

Nordea is expanding its relationship with IBM through a deal that will give it access to the skills and resources required to keep pace with the digital revolution in banking Continue Reading
News 27 Feb 2019

Dutch companies lack knowledge of IoT’s benefits

Many organisations in the Netherlands are missing out on the benefits of the internet of things because they lack awareness of its potential Continue Reading
News 25 Feb 2019

Nordic tech is increasing diversity but more needs to be done

The shortage of women in the boardroom is a problem in the Nordics, like other regions, but work in its tech sector means the future could be more promising Continue Reading
News 22 Feb 2019

Facebook planned to spy on Android phone users, internal emails reveal

Facebook planned to use its Android app to track the location of its customers and to allow advertisers to send political advertising and invites to dating sites to ‘single’ people, confidential documents show Continue Reading
News 21 Feb 2019

MWC 2019: O2 to launch 5G by Christmas

Ahead of Mobile World Congress, operator O2 has revealed further details of how it is planning for the advent of 5G Continue Reading
21 Feb 2019

Oslo: A hub for the social startup scene

Continue Reading
E-Zine 21 Feb 2019

CW Nordics: Sweden to test e-krona and plans cashless society

Sweden’s vision of a cashless society has gained traction after the Riksbank (central bank) rolled out plans to test a digital currency, the e-krona. Also read how the Nordic region’s longer-established companies are playing a forceful role to advance digital transformation, and how Finland’s IT sector has rebounded strongly after Microsoft’s takeover of Nokia’s mobile phones and smart devices business units in 2014. Continue Reading
News 20 Feb 2019

MWC 2019: 5G smartphones go live on Vodafone network

Vodafone has connected three 5G-enabled smartphones to a live network during trials in Spain Continue Reading
News 20 Feb 2019

Huawei faces battle to win Nordic trust

Nordic countries are investigating the spying allegations made against Chinese networking supplier Huiawei Continue Reading
News 20 Feb 2019

Estonia redoubles efforts to attract global IT talent

IT professionals from all over the world are being lured to Estonia through a government recruitment campaign Continue Reading
News 15 Feb 2019

CaixaBank customers can use their faces to withdraw money at ATMs

Spanish bank begins roll-out of ATMs equipped with facial recognition technology, but customers can still use card and PIN Continue Reading
News 12 Feb 2019

Dutch developer offers businesses nuclear security option for communications

Startup that created the secure platform for communication between world leaders at the 2014 Nuclear Security Summit in the Netherlands seeks to revolutionise business mail Continue Reading
News 07 Feb 2019

Nordic region primed to pioneer 5G

The Nordic region could pioneer the commercial use of 5G, with Finland and Sweden hotbeds for the technology Continue Reading
News 07 Feb 2019

Government legislates to bring back roaming charges in no-deal Brexit

All four UK operators have said they have no plans to reintroduce roaming charges, but EE, O2 and Vodafone have not committed themselves not to do so Continue Reading
E-Zine 07 Feb 2019

CW Benelux: Google helps Dutch schools to teach computer skills

A programme in the Netherlands to help primary schools provide computational thinking and programming, developed with financial support from Google, is well on schedule. Also read about four Russians’ attempted hack into the networks of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons in The Hague, and how Dutch delivery company PostNL is making savings by using robotic technology to automate administrative tasks. Continue Reading
News 04 Feb 2019

Swiss bank moves away from file with Cloudian object storage

PostFinance opts for Cloudian object storage as it migrates 100 million files away from NetApp and builds S3-compatible archives for Hadoop and Apache Spark Continue Reading
News 29 Jan 2019

Nordic green energy IT strategy gains momentum

The Nordic countries are building strong IT sectors around their green-powered datacentre infrastructures Continue Reading
News 23 Jan 2019

Facebook’s objections to court concerns over privacy more about ‘optics’ than facts

Facebook’s challenge to a High Court ruling that raises serious concerns about data transfers between Europe and the US is more about appearance than facts, lawyers for the Irish Data Protection Commission told Dublin's Supreme Court Continue Reading
News 23 Jan 2019

Finnish banks to share core banking platform and supplier

Three banks in Finland have hired an IT services supplier to build a shareable core banking platform Continue Reading
News 22 Jan 2019

Young Dutch cyber criminals get re-education rather than jail time

Young hackers in the Netherlands are being rehabilitated through punishments that educate rather than incarcerate Continue Reading
News 22 Jan 2019

Facebook: US government does not engage in mass and indiscriminate surveillance

Social media giant challenges a ruling by Dublin’s High Court over a judgment that it says made ‘extraordinary and incorrect’ findings about the US legal system Continue Reading
News 21 Jan 2019

Bahrain plans to create a world-leading tech ecosystem

Bahrain is building a technology ecosystem that will help the country further reduce its economic reliance on the oil and gas industry Continue Reading
Opinion 16 Jan 2019

Facebook’s high-stakes privacy gamble goes to Dublin court

A high-wire gamble with billions in compensation at stake for European internet users – part of a complex case between Facebook and the Irish information commissioner – hides challenge to the unlawfulness of US state internet surveillance Continue Reading
News 14 Jan 2019

Tech usage in school more likely in UK than Germany

Most students in UK schools use technology as part of their learning – the same of which cannot be said about some German schools Continue Reading
News 11 Jan 2019

Norway's government gives green light to fintech sandbox

The government in Norway is launching a regulatory sandbox, which it hopes will help the country's fintech sector catch up on those in other Nordic countries Continue Reading
News 11 Jan 2019

Microsoft takes community approach to artificial intelligence in Sweden

Microsoft is making increasing use of artificial intelligence in Sweden as it shares experiences with the development community Continue Reading
E-Zine 10 Jan 2019

CW Middle East: Bahrain aims to be fintech hub

Bahrain’s government wants to make the country the go-to place in the Middle East for financial technology companies. It hopes to capitalise on its banking know-how to establish an ambitious fintech “ecosystem”. Also read about Dubai’s plans for the Smart Data platform and the UAE Pass, a digital ID and signature, and how Shell is using AI to amplify the human impact of its workforce. Continue Reading
News 10 Jan 2019

BT faces tussle to keep EU contracts after Brexit

The European Union will likely re-evaluate its telecoms contracts with BT following Brexit, and cancelling them altogether is a real risk in a no-deal scenario, according to leaked documents Continue Reading
News 02 Jan 2019

Nordic digital transformation driven by traditional businesses

More traditional Nordic businesses are fuelling the region's digital transformation, finds report Continue Reading
Opinion 31 Dec 2018

Can we live without passwords?

Can you imagine a future in which we can be secure online without having to remember an unwieldly list of passwords? Solutions are emerging that could make passwords redundant, but there will be other security problems to resolve Continue Reading
News 27 Dec 2018

Top 10 Middle East stories of 2018

Here are Computer Weekly’s top 10 Middle East enterprise IT stories of 2018 Continue Reading
News 19 Dec 2018

Top 10 Benelux IT stories of 2018

From cyber security planning to smart city initiatives, here is a selection of articles about IT developments in the Benelux countries Continue Reading
News 18 Dec 2018

Top 10 Nordic IT stories for 2018

Here are Computer Weekly's top 10 Nordic articles for 2018, with a look back at CIO interviews and the effect of AI on the region Continue Reading
News 17 Dec 2018

Financial services giant transforms application delivery through HCL

Dutch financial services firm Aegon is outsourcing the management of its fintech supplier network Continue Reading
News 14 Dec 2018

Paris latest city to join Tech Global Advocates

The city of Paris is the latest to join the Tech Global Advocates network, offering a life raft to fintechs in the UK that want to retain customers across Europe Continue Reading
E-Zine 13 Dec 2018

CW Europe: Russia banks on electronic payments

A recent study by Sberbank, Russia’s largest state-run lender, shows the country has experienced a cashless payment boom over the past decade. Also read about the attempt by four Russians to break into the networks of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons in The Hague, and why the Estonian government is directly targeting IT professionals in the UK. Continue Reading
News 13 Dec 2018

Sberbank partners US accelerator for startup programme

Russian state-run bank links up with San Francisco-based accelerator 500 Startups to provide expert advice to startups in a variety of tech fields Continue Reading
News 12 Dec 2018

Finland’s IT sector recovers after break-up of Nokia

Finnish government plays vital role in helping IT sector recover from the shock of Microsoft taking over the country’s biggest company Continue Reading
News 11 Dec 2018

Tibco’s Orchestra acquisition will mean ‘faster IT integration’

Tibco’s strategic acquisition of Paris-based Orchestra networks will ‘benefit customers of both companies’ Continue Reading
News 10 Dec 2018

Port of Rotterdam uses floating lab to learn about automation in harbour

A ship will soon be converted to a floating laboratory to test automation technologies at the Netherlands port Continue Reading
News 07 Dec 2018

Finnish government announces research and development ecosystem

Finland has launched an innovation ecosystem that will support IoT and AI developers amongst others Continue Reading
Opinion 06 Dec 2018

Douglas Engelbart, the forgotten hero of modern computing

Half a century ago, Douglas Engelbart demonstrated an experimental computer that laid the foundations for modern computing. His vision to use computing power to solve complex problems in all areas of human activity has become reality, but not in the way that he imagined Continue Reading
News 29 Nov 2018

Danish government launches wide-ranging digital services project

Denmark's government has launched an ambitious project to digitise and automate public services Continue Reading
Opinion 28 Nov 2018

More effective digital transformation through the power of your own people

The old model of escalating decisions up and down the management chain does not work any more. Business leaders need to delegate responsibility for projects to business and technology specialists and eliminate the fear of failure Continue Reading
News 27 Nov 2018

Nordic IT network attracting big brands as well as startups

Tech Nordic Advocates is now seen as the go-to place for access to the Nordic tech startup sector Continue Reading
News 27 Nov 2018

Oslo: A hub for the social startup scene

The Norwegian capital is thriving from a unique combination of business agility, a cultural receptiveness to technology, and a social desire to do good Continue Reading
News 26 Nov 2018

China leapfrogs US in supercomputer deployments

China has more than twice the number of supercomputers than the US, and it is finding a ready market for its Lenovo supercomputers among US tech companies in Ireland, the latest top 500 supercomputer list reveals Continue Reading
News 23 Nov 2018

Hamburg has ambitions to be a virtual reality hub

The German city of Hamburg is setting itself up as a potential hub for virtual reality startups Continue Reading
E-Zine 22 Nov 2018

CW Nordics: Swedish IT sector advises on election security

The security measures assembled and implemented around the 2018 election in Sweden were devised in consultation with leading actors within the country’s private IT sector. Also read about how Denmark’s ambition to become a leading ocation for hyperscale datacentres is gaining momentum, and why Estonia wants to recruit IT professionals from the UK. Continue Reading
News 21 Nov 2018

Finland invests in IT to upgrade electricity network

National electricity transmission grid operator Fingrid’s Datahub system will play key role in retail market’s transition to a centralised information exchange Continue Reading
News 19 Nov 2018

CDO interview: Aidan Millar, DNB

Norwegian bank hires chief data officer to lead its data-driven transformation Continue Reading
News 16 Nov 2018

Russian banks to introduce contactless ATMs

Russian banks have introduced their first contactless ATMs, which customers can link to via smartphones and wearable devices Continue Reading
News 13 Nov 2018

Sweden’s central bank to test digital currency

Riksbank e-krona initiative follows government plan for a cashless society by 2030 Continue Reading
News 12 Nov 2018

Norway’s IT industry must tackle security vulnerabilities

Report reveals growing threat posed by “hostile foreign actors” against Norway’s IT systems and critical national infrastructure Continue Reading
News 12 Nov 2018

Agfa’s move to cloud HR paves the way for healthcare IT spin-off

Agfa-Gevaert is moving HR systems from 40 countries into the cloud as the company prepares to turn its health IT operations into a standalone business Continue Reading
E-Zine 08 Nov 2018

CW Benelux: Bikes face scooter challenge in Netherlands

The concept of rental scooters is perfect for the Netherlands, where bicycles are already the most widely used method of transport. Scooter startups see the potential to apply the latest smart technologies to the concept, but regulations could be a barrier. Also in this issue, read how chatbots are taking off with Dutch organisations, with KLM's chatbot a pioneering example, and find out how Dutch bank ING is getting a financial boost from an employee performance management rethink. Continue Reading
News 06 Nov 2018

Smart Dubai platform is the backbone of the city's transformation

Aisha bin Bishr, director general at Smart Dubai Office, talks about the Smart Data platform and soon-to-be-unveiled UAE Pass, a digital ID and signature which is being touted as one of the foundations a city needs to transform Continue Reading
News 06 Nov 2018

GSMA urges fresh action on 5G mobile spectrum

Mobile industry body says time is running out to ready enough radio frequency spectrum in the appropriate bands to account for the demands of 5G mobile networks Continue Reading
News 05 Nov 2018

Robots deliver savings for Dutch postal service PostNL

Dutch delivery company PostNL is reaping huge efficiency savings by using robotic technology to automate time-consuming administrative tasks Continue Reading
News 02 Nov 2018

BT makes progress with Global Services restructuring

Telco sets out plan to get its troubled Global Services business unit fighting fit Continue Reading
News 01 Nov 2018

How Bahrain plans to become a regional fintech hub

Bahrain is a small island with big plans for its financial technology industry Continue Reading
News 29 Oct 2018

Finnish city Espoo trials artificial intelligence for community support

The authorities for Finnish city Espoo are testing out AI technology to help them target services at the residents who need them most Continue Reading
News 29 Oct 2018

Philips looks to artificial intelligence to train its workforce

Healthcare company is looking to AI, chatbots and learning playlists to help staff learn new skills more quickly as it adapts changing business priorities Continue Reading
News 25 Oct 2018

Belgian startup makes a game of creating secure software code

A global tech startup has placed its research and development centre in Belgium, taking advantage of regional financial support as well as cooperations with local educational organisations Continue Reading
News 25 Oct 2018

Firms will use AI to automate HR processes within two years

Companies are gearing up to automate HR processes with artificial intelligence and machine learning, while at the same time battling with outdated IT systems Continue Reading