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A watchdog rings the alarm

Wojciech Wiewiórowski, the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS), has consistently criticised the Commission’s dependence on Microsoft. Running for a second term, he voices a concern shared by many EU officials: relying on a single foreign provider threatens both data protection and Europe’s ability to shape its own digital future.

While the Commission officially claims that Microsoft 365 has no viable alternatives, internal documents suggest growing interest in national initiatives aiming to build independent digital tools.

At the center of this shift is a clear message: Europe needs open-source solutions to regain digital control. But for that to happen, political commitment – and not just technical capability – is essential.

The open-source alternative: ready, but waiting

The Commission’s digital services unit (DG DIGIT) is already exploring alternatives in collaboration with key partners:

  • OpenDesk – A German-led initiative by ZenDis offering a Microsoft365-style suite of collaborative tools.
  • La Suite – Developed by France’s DINUM, this modular platform connects various digital tools through a unified login.

Together, these efforts are paving the way for a European Digital Infrastructure Consortium (EDIC), which could offer the legal and logistical framework to speed up the roll-out of sovereign IT systems. Other member states – including the Netherlands, Belgium, Greece, and Denmark – are also on board, having joined a “projectathon” hosted by DG DIGIT in September.

Strength in unity

DG DIGIT emphasises the importance of joint development: by working together, EU countries can build robust, secure alternatives to Big Tech. As DINUM put it:

“The more we cooperate, the more we strengthen Europe’s digital resilience and sovereignty.”

Currently, the Commission is acting cautiously, limiting its actions to internal reviews of tools such as OpenDesk. This cautious approach has caused frustration within the open-source community. Sebastian Raible of the European Open Source Business Association (APELL) has urged the Commission to demonstrate “more courage and enthusiasm” for sovereign technology.

Learning from China and Munich

Global examples show what’s possible – and what can go wrong:

  • China: In 2022, the government launched a plan to replace all foreign software in state-owned firms by 2027. Backed by political will and investment, the country is moving rapidly toward open-source independence.
  • Munich: The German city shifted to open-source software between 2006 and 2013, only to switch back to Windows in 2017 due to high costs and technical setbacks. Still, Munich is now working with ZenDis on open-source projects – showing the story isn’t over.

Lesson learned? Moving away from tech giants isn’t easy, but it is possible – with smart planning and the right alliances.

The Commission’s key challenges

Switching to open-source is more than a technical upgrade – it’s a strategic decision. Here’s what the Commission needs to succeed:

  • Political leadership: Europe’s digital future depends on leaders like Henna Virkkunen, the new EU tech chief, who has already signaled support for open-source tools.
  • Pan-European partnerships: Initiatives like EDIC and national projects could serve as building blocks for shared European systems.
  • Cost management: As Munich’s experience showed, going open-source can be expensive at first – but it may pay off in the long run with greater independence and flexibility.

The European Commission has the tools, the partners, and the public interest to start this transformation. Open-source isn’t just about software – it’s about collaboration, transparency, and empowerment. These are the very values Europe stands for.

A city official from Munich put it simply:

“The more contributors we have, the better the software.”

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