‘The EU runs on Microsoft’ – and Uncle Sam could turn it off, claims MEP

Steven

‘The EU runs on Microsoft’ – and Uncle Sam could turn it off, claims MEP

Summary

European policymakers and tech leaders at the Open Source Policy Summit 2026 warned about the EU’s heavy dependence on US technology, especially Microsoft. Finnish MEP Aura Salla bluntly argued that the US could cut off European access to critical services “inside one hour.”

Speakers including Schleswig-Holstein’s digital minister Dirk Schrödter described practical moves away from Microsoft — replacing Exchange/Outlook with Open-Xchange and Thunderbird, and Microsoft Office with LibreOffice — while stressing the transition costs and local economic benefits. Panelists argued public spending on software should favour European suppliers and that public-funded code should be public by default. The UN’s Open Source Principles were also highlighted as bolstering the push for open-source adoption globally.

Key Points

  • MEP Aura Salla warned that the EU’s reliance on Microsoft presents a strategic risk; the US could effectively “turn off” services.
  • Schleswig-Holstein has moved from Microsoft 365 to LibreOffice, Thunderbird (with Open-Xchange), Matrix/Element and Nextcloud, showing a practical path away from Big Tech.
  • Transition costs are real, but spending with European open-source suppliers keeps public money in the EU and supports local industry.
  • Experts stressed that FOSS isn’t necessarily free — investment is required — but it offers sovereignty and economic advantages.
  • Dependencies extend beyond Office 365: GitHub and common package ecosystems are critical supply-chain points for European organisations.
  • The UN Open Source Principles provide international backing for open-by-default, secure-by-design and sustainable public software policies.
  • Speakers urged pragmatic, incremental steps rather than waiting to tackle a large, distant problem.

Context and relevance

This debate sits at the intersection of digital sovereignty, public procurement and cybersecurity. With geopolitical tensions and shifting US policy under a new administration, EU governments and public bodies are re-evaluating risks from reliance on US cloud and productivity platforms. The push for open source and EU-native solutions is framed as both a security and economic strategy: reducing single-vendor lock-in, retaining public spending within Europe, and growing a local software ecosystem.

Why should I read this?

Because it’s basically a wake-up call for anyone who runs public-sector IT or cares about European tech independence. If you work in government IT, procurement, or run services that depend on Microsoft or GitHub, this explains why policy and procurement shifts are coming — and why they matter to budgets, supply chains and security. We’ve read the summit so you don’t have to — but pay attention: this could change how your organisation sources software.

Source

Source: https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2026/02/04/eu_foss_fears/