As Cloud–Edge–IoT (CEI) systems continue to expand across sectors, the ability to securely share and process data along the edge–cloud continuum is becoming a defining challenge for Europe’s digital transformation. From industrial platforms to smart infrastructures, data-driven applications increasingly depend on collaboration across multiple actors and environments. This shift creates new opportunities for innovation, but also raises critical questions around data protection, sovereignty, and trust.
While processing data locally at the edge can already enhance confidentiality, it is often not sufficient to unlock the full value of these systems. Many applications still require data to be aggregated, analysed, or shared across partners to generate meaningful insights or ensure operational integrity. This inherent tension between data utilisation and data protection is where Privacy-Enhancing Technologies (PETs) play a central role.
PETs introduce mechanisms that embed data protection, information security, and data sovereignty directly into system design. Rather than treating security as an external layer, they enable a “by design” approach, allowing organisations to collaborate and innovate while maintaining control over sensitive data. However, the practical implementation of PETs remains complex. Selecting the right combination of tools and approaches requires a careful alignment between technical possibilities, regulatory requirements, and the specific needs of each application domain.
This webinar brings together research and real-world experience to address this challenge. It will feature the presentation of a recent study developed by Fraunhofer ISST, which provides a structured framework to support practitioners in designing and implementing PET strategies for edge-cloud applications. The study offers insights into how to identify relevant risks, select appropriate technologies, and integrate them into system architectures in a way that ensures both compliance and business value.
Building on this foundation, the session will also highlight perspectives from Europe’s Large-Scale Pilots, O-CEI and COP-PILOT, which are actively developing and deploying CEI solutions across multiple sectors. Their experience will provide a concrete view of how data protection challenges are addressed in practice, and how secure, scalable solutions can be implemented in complex, real-world environments.
The agenda will be shared soon. Meanwhile, register for the event here: