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European Digital Sovereignty Shifts
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An effort to compile entities (including companies, public bodies, and agencies) who are shifting away from reliance upon US Big Tech.
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Here's a Proton Sheets version of the document: https://drive.proton.me/urls/EG60KWHEDG#7P2AL5m6PPzT
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Document created by Matt Burgess, London-based security reporter at WIRED. Please let me know if there are more efforts that I have missed. (matt_burgess@wired.com | Signal: mattburgess.20) Mastodon. Bluesky).
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DateTypeCountryOrganizationDescriptionSourceSource URL
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January 2025SwitchGermanyIAGO GmbHConsulting company moved from using an Exchange server and Microsoft Outlook to using European company Tuta for email. "We wanted a system that guaranteed both the privacy and security of users and whose servers were located in Germany," the company says in statements.Tuta (press statement) https://tuta.com/pt-br/blog/iago-switched-from-exchange-to-tuta-mail
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April 2025SwitchInternationalFreeSewingThe group FreeSewing, which provides open source software to create sewing patterns, moved its infrastructure to European services. Including email, social media, backend services, and software repositories. “People trust us with their data, and we feel a moral obligation to safeguard that data even from a potential adversarial administration in the US.”FreeSewinghttps://freesewing.eu/blog/us-and-eu/
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June 2025SwitchFranceCity of Lyon"To no longer be dependent on American software solutions and acquire true digital sovereignty, the City of Lyon has embarked on a major transformation of its digital tools," according to the city's announcement. The city says it is creating a free, interoperable collaborative suite, called Open Digital Territory, and is replacing Microsoft software with open-source OnlyOffice, as well as Linux, and PostgreSQL.Lyon Governmenthttps://www.lyon.fr/actualite/action-municipale/la-ville-de-lyon-renforce-sa-souverainete-numerique
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June 2025SwitchDenmarkMinistry of DigitizationHalf of the Danish tech modernization ministry was planning to move from Microsoft products to open-source LibreOffice during the summer of 2025, with plans to move the whole department by the end of the year. IT Watchhttps://itwatch.dk/ITNyt/Politik/article18259493.ece
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September 2025SwitchAustriaAustrian Armed ForcesThe Austrian military completed a move from Microsoft Office to open-source LibreOffice. "It was very important for us to show that we are doing this primarily (...) to strengthen our digital sovereignty, to maintain our independence in terms of ICT infrastructure and (...) to ensure that data is only processed in-house," Michael Hillebrand from the armed forces said. The decision-making process started in 2020, reports say. More than 16,000 systems have been moved to LibreOffice on Linux desktops, according to reports. Heisehttps://www.heise.de/en/news/Austria-s-armed-forces-switch-to-LibreOffice-10660761.html
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September 2025SwitchGermanySchleswig-HolsteinThe German state of Schleswig-Holstein is progressing with its long-held plans to move away from using Microsoft technology. Work started some time ago, but in September 2025, it announced the switch to open source email has been completed (using Open-Xchange and Thunderbird), it is also migrating to LibreOffice, planning to use NextCloud instead of Sharepoint, and looking at migrating its phone system to an open source alternative.Financial Times / Schleswig-Holsteinhttps://www.ft.com/content/95bd87c8-a112-49a5-9b80-c280a6bb4283 / https://www.schleswig-holstein.de/DE/landesregierung/ministerien-behoerden/I/_startseite/Artikel2025/IV/251006_ox-umstellung-abschluss
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September 2025SwitchNetherlandsUniversity GroningenThe University, following pressure from staff, has allocated budget to move away from US Big Tech by 2030. It has also started multiple pilots, per local news reporting, to find alternatives: it is using Mistral’s AI instead of US alternatives and a wider coalition of Dutch education orgs, known as SURF, is also involved testing Nextcloud.Ukranthttps://ukrant.nl/magazine/we-can-do-without-them-how-the-ug-is-cutting-ties-with-big-tech/?lang=en
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September 2025PoliticsNetherlandsDutch Government"Digitalization is now also politically high on the agenda,” according to the Dutch government’s digitization strategy published in 2025. The government says it is working towards a “government-wide sovereign cloud service,” as it also aims to create its own technological independence and be “less dependent on too limited a number of suppliers.”Dutch governmenthttps://www.digitaleoverheid.nl/nederlandse-digitaliseringsstrategie-nds/
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October 2025SwitchInternationalInternational Criminal CourtThe International Criminal Court is moving its work systems away from Microsoft Office to Open Desk, which is developed by the German Centre for Digital Sovereignty of the Public Administration. The move follows United States sanctions against multiple ICC officials in February 2025. Handelsblatthttps://www.handelsblatt.com/technik/it-internet/software-strafgerichtshof-ersetzt-microsoft-durch-deutsche-loesung/100166382.html
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October 2025SwitchAustriaMinistry for Economy, Energy and TourismAround 1,200 employees are using Nextcloud's systems to move away from Microsoft products. The moves started in 2024 but are based on concerns about data security and control. "That’s why we view it critically to rely on cloud solutions from non-European corporations for processing this information,” the government department's CISO says in publicity materials from Nextcloud.NextCloud (press statement)https://nextcloud.com/blog/austrias-ministry-of-economy-takes-decisive-steps-toward-digital-sovereignty/
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October 2025PoliticsFranceÉcole PolytechniqueThe University suspended its move to Microsoft 365 following backlash by the National Free Software Council (CNLL) over threats to extraterritorial US laws. The CNLL was planning to launch legal action to challenge the decisionCNLL (press statement) https://cnll.fr/news/suspension-microsoft-polytechnique/
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December 2025SwitchNetherlandsAirbusAirbus is planning to move some of its systems to a digitally sovereign European cloud, according to an executive interview with The Register. "I need a sovereign cloud because part of the information is extremely sensitive from a national and European perspective," Catherine Jestin said. "We want to ensure this information remains under European control."The Registerhttps://www.theregister.com/2025/12/19/airbus_sovereign_cloud/
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December 2025SwitchBelgiumDNS BelgiumThe domain administrator for .be, .vlaanderen and .brussels, is moving its infrastructure from Amazon Web Services. "The organisation wants to set an example for others to no longer be dependent on non-European service providers in geopolitically turbulent times," DNS Belgium said in an announcement. Philip Du Bois, the general manager of the organization said the benefits of using US tech don't "outweigh" the risks if "the US suddenly imposes restrictions or tariffs on cloud usage"DNS Belgiumhttps://www.dnsbelgium.be/en/news/dns-belgium-leaves-aws
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January 2026SwitchFranceCivil Service and State Reform MinistryAll French government services will start using video conferencing tool Visio by the start of 2027, it has already been used by 40,000 government members of staff. Visio is a video call platform, as part of the wider French open source digital soverignty effort La Suite, which also offers transcription, and data is stored in FranceFrench Civil Service and State Reform Ministry https://presse.economie.gouv.fr/souverainete-numerique-letat-generalise-visio-sa-solution-de-visioconference-securisee-et-souveraine-a-destination-des-agents-publics/
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January 2026SwitchNetherlandsSURFSURF, a cooperative group of 120 Dutch education and research institutions, is using Nextcloud as part of a pilot to create a working environment with “digital autonomy and freedom of choice in office software.” The pilot started in January 2026 but due to popularity is being expanded in June 2026.SURFhttps://www.surf.nl/en/news/due-to-high-demand-additional-opportunity-to-join-the-nextcloud-pilot
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January 2026PoliticsGermanyBerlinOfficials in the Berlin Senate have published their plan to move to open source technology and reduce dependencies on US systems. Reporting says that 70 percent of the workplace software will be switched to open source by 2032.Heisehttps://www.heise.de/news/Digitale-Unabhaengigkeit-Berlins-vorsichtiger-Abschied-von-Microsoft-Co-11148087.html
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January 2026SwitchNetherlandsMunicipality of Amsterdam“This proposal calls for making the municipality less dependent on large technology companies for digital services and products,” the city’s plan says. The aims include replacing around 30 percent of cloud services with European alternatives by 2030. It warns of “foreign cloud” services being made inaccessible; possible government access to Dutch data; and being locked-in to specific company services.Gemeente Amsterdamhttps://openresearch.amsterdam/image/2026/2/16/meerjarenstrategie_digitale_autonomie_2026_2035-406471946.pdf
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Feb 2026TechInternationalEuropean Defence AgencyEU officials are looking to create a military data and intelligence sharing system that does not have American involvement, according to a report by Euractiv. There are also plans to develop a soverign military cloud. "Dubbed the European Defence Artificial Intelligence Data Space (DAIDS), the initiative aims to enable EU countries to share sensitive defence-related information securely through a dedicated platform." It is said the aim is to develop the platform by 2030.Euractivhttps://www.euractiv.com/news/exclusive-eu-wants-defence-data-secured-without-us-tech/
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February 2026SwitchInternationalFollow the Money and De CorrespondentThe media outlets have committed to phasing out US tech and using Europe based alternatives instead. Follow the Money says its app and website are already operating on European severs and has published a breakdown of the tech it currently uses. "Washington can force U.S. tech companies to share data—even if it’s stored in Europe," its post says.Follow the Moneyhttps://www.ftm.eu/articles/follow-the-money-is-phasing-out-us-tech?share=JpX2PKoO%2F3xSfbULARWQYfiBTE8F%2BkwJLzY8GZuChi5z4YzqJBtO7p0pU2JZ3xM%3D#popup-form
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February 2026TechUKMultiple Financial organizationsLeaders of UK-based banks held their first meeting to develop a national alternative to Visa and Mastercard, the Guardian reported. Multiple British organizations are involved in the effort—including Barclay’s, Santander UK, NatWest, Nationwide, Lloyds Banking Group, Link, and Coventry Building Society. Although, Visa and Mastercard are also involved in the initiative, per reports. The Guardianhttps://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/feb/16/uk-bank-bosses-plan-visa-mastercard-alternative
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March 2026PoliticsFinlandJustice MinistryFinland will not move its election platform onto Amazon Web Services, reports say. The country had decided to move to AWS in 2025 but officials said the "international political situation has changed and the Justice Ministry decided to review the question on how to host the election platform."Bloomberghttps://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-03-24/finland-shelves-plan-to-move-election-platform-to-amazon-servers
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April 2026SwitchNetherlandsHertogenbosch, Zaanstad, Ede, AmsterdamAs part of the Dutch Digitalization Strategy, four towns and cities, are starting to pilot a Linux-based workplace. They are also testing software as part of MijnBureau, a government effort to increase digital soverignty that includes multiple pieces of open-source software.Association of Dutch Municipalities (VNG)https://vng.nl/nieuws/gemeenten-testen-autonome-digitale-werkplek
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April 2026SwitchFranceInterministerial Directorate for Digital Affairs (DINUM)France's digital agency DINUM announced it would stop using Windows and transition to Linux operating systems. "The State can no longer simply acknowledge its dependence; it must break free. We must become less reliant on American tools and regain control of our digital destiny," French minister David Amiel said.DINUMhttps://www.numerique.gouv.fr/sinformer/espace-presse/souverainete-numerique-reduction-dependances-extra-europeennes/
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April 2026SwitchFranceNational Health Insurance FundThe National Health Insurance fund will move 80,000 of its workers onto the office technology suite designed by France's digital transformation ministry DINUM, the tech platform is called LaSuiteDINUMhttps://www.numerique.gouv.fr/sinformer/espace-presse/lassurance-maladie-va-deployer-la-suite-numerique-collaborative-de-letat-aupres-de-ses-80-000-agents/
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April 2026SwitchNetherlandsDutch Central BankThe De Nederlandsche Bank is reportedly signing a cloud contract with Schwarz Digits, part of the Schwarz Group which owns the Lidl chain of supermarkets. The bank previously warned that the Dutch financial center had become too dependent on American tech services. Telegraafhttps://www.telegraaf.nl/video/financieel/dnb-gaat-naar-de-lidl-voor-clouddiensten-duitse-bedrijf-moet-ons-minder-afhankelijk-maken-van-amerikaanse-techgiganten/146710334.html
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April 2026SwitchNetherlandsCentral GovernmentThe Dutch government has launched a pilot to move its open source code to code.overheid.nl, instead of being on Microsoft-owned Github. The website is self-hosted Forgejo instance. “Hosting source code is a critical component of infrastructure for the Dutch government,” it has said in announcements about the initiative. “The government cannot afford that there could be messed with code or binaries in repositories that people be able to execute immediately.”developer.overheid.nlhttps://developer.overheid.nl/blog/2026/04/24/we-gaan-samen-code-overheid-bouwen
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April 2026SwitchFranceHealth Data PlatformFrance’s health data platform (PDS) will move away from Microsoft to Scaleway. The decision follows a controversy about the awarding of the contract to Microsoft in 2019, including concern about the potential transfer of data outside of France. Scaleway, a subsidiary of Iliad, has won the new contract for the health data system and reports say the system will be operational by late 2026 or early 2027.Health Data Hubhttps://health-data-hub.fr/actualites/la-plateforme-des-donnees-de-sante-engage-sa-migration-vers-un-cloud-souverain-avec
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April 2026FundingInternationalEuropean CommissionOriginally announced in October 2025, the European Commission announced it has awarded an €180 million tender to four companies and consortiums: Post Telecom with its partners CleverCloud and OVHcloud, STACKIT, Scaleway, and finally Proximus, which partners with S3NS (a joint venture of Thales and Google Cloud), Clarence and Mistral. The move will allow "EU institutions, bodies, offices & agencies" to procure European cloud services, officials said. European Commissionhttps://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_26_833
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April 2026Funding
United Kingdom
Department for Science, Innovation and TechnologyThe UK government launched a £500m ($675m) fund to help growth artificial intelligence startups in the country. Dubbed Sovereign AI, startups in its portfolio will be able to access the country’s supercomputers, be provided with free visas for staff, and access to specialist government officials.WIREDhttps://www.wired.com/story/the-uk-launches-its-dollar675-million-sovereign-ai-fund/
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April 2026TechInternationalEuroskyBased in the Netherlands, the non-profit Modal, launched Eurosky—an “independent” initiative to build an open social web in Europe. Based on the AT Protocol, also known as the Atmosphere, Eurosky accounts can be used with Bluesky as well as other applications that use the protocol.Euroskyhttps://eurosky.tech/plan/
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May 2026SwitchGermanyBavarian Ministry of Digital AffairsThe German state of Bavaria’s Ministry of Digital Affairs has announced it will move away from Microsoft’s Office software by March 31, 2027, at the latest. Various “sovereign” offerings will be tested throughout the second half of 2026, officials have said. The efforts “include making our authorities more independent from overseas companies that could pull the proverbial plug on our administration“, Fabian Mehring, Bavaria’s digital minister said.Heise Online / Bavarian State Ministry for Digital Affairs
https://www.heise.de/en/news/Bavarian-Ministry-of-Digital-Affairs-wants-workplaces-without-Microsoft-11308913.html / https://www.stmd.bayern.de/digitalministerium-startet-projekt-fuer-digitale-souveraenitaet-minister-dr-mehring-will-souveraenen-arbeitsplatz/
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June 2026SwitchInternationalEuropean ParliamentOfficials in the European Parliament have switched the default search engine on its computers to French search engine Qwant. The move, which ditches Google search, applies to Firefox and Edge browsers used on European Parliament devices. The move is part of Europe's efforts to increase digital soverignty. Euractivhttps://www.euractiv.com/news/european-parliament-to-ditch-google-for-european-alternative/
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June 2026TechInternationalEuro-OfficeAt least a dozen European companies are behind Euro-Office, a planned alternative to Microsoft Office and Google Docs. The technology is based on the open-source OnlyOffice code. "With Euro-Office you can view, edit and work with others on spreadsheets, documents, presentations and even PDF files," a description of the effort says. "It has a nice web interface and we are also working on mobile and desktop apps."Euro-Officehttps://github.com/Euro-Office
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June 2026PoliticsInternationalEuropean CommissionThe European Commission proposed its European Technological Sovereignty Package, a set of plans designed to encourage the development of more data centers in the EU; increase the demand for locally produced chips; and encourage more open source technology adoption. “This is about protecting our citizens, defending our interests and making our own choices,” European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said.European Commissionhttps://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_26_1187
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