In 2009, we recorded 409 outsourcing deals in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia (EMEA). This represents a 20% increase on the number recorded in 2008. However, at the same time, we find that total deal volume has not increased to the same extent, signifying that providers came under increased pricing pressure during 2009. Infrastructure services were the most likely service to be outsourced, while the UK remained the key growth engine of outsourcing within EMEA. The preference of buyers for small and short deals was again revealed by the data. While outsourcers had a difficult time in 2009, as the anticyclical growth in outsourcing failed to materialize, we believe outsourcing in the EMEA region is poised for a new wave of growth in 2010.