CloudWATCH2 supports EU R&D on cloud computing, software, services across the full innovation lifecycle & the move to market, promoting technology advancements, supporting OS software re-usability through clustering, championing standards for interoperability & security, providing a roadmap on the cloud market structure to encourage transparent pricing & offering educational services on risk management & legal issues to lower adoption barriers for SMEs & public administration. CloudWATCH2 focuses on the cloud ecosystem emerging from EU research & innovation projects, where technology & pricing are an equally important part of market equation. It takes a pragmatic approach to market uptake & sustainable competitiveness by clustering projects around common themes & challenges, with deep dive training for wider uptake & commercial exploitation. It analyses the fast evolving standards landscape, new implementations, extensions & protocols focusing on the value creation of interoperable and secure services, identifying gaps & making recommendations to address them. It brings interoperability testing to the forefront supporting Cloud Interoperability Plugfests. It supports market-oriented approaches to new products, services & solutions, including OS developments, where “free” & “profitability” are not mutually exclusive. It introduces a novel activity around cloud pricing analysis, strengthens support of sustainability, to encourage faster time-to-value & commercialisation of innovative products & services. On the demand side, it supports key stakeholders in the EU digital market by providing training on legal aspects addressing increasingly common consumer concerns. Consortium: TRUST-IT, coordination, outreach, a renowned international network & SDO liaisons; CSA a leading, global player in cloud security; UOXF OeRC part of UK eScience programme; StrategicBlue cloud billing & price risk management experts. ICT Legal, represents IT, ISP, SW, CSP, IoT & IT service vendors