European Organizations Abandon US Tech in Dozens of Public Moves

European organizations are accelerating their departure from American technology platforms in a documented wave of digital sovereignty initiatives that extends far beyond political rhetoric.

A WIRED analysis has cataloged dozens of public instances where European governments, companies, NGOs, and educational institutions have moved or announced plans to transition away from US technology firms. The documented cases likely represent only a fraction of the actual migration underway.

The scope of the shift

The transitions span multiple technology categories and geographic regions. The European Parliament switched its default search engine from Google to French alternative Qwant. Thousands of French government workers now use LaSuite, an open-source office software suite designed to reduce dependence on American platforms. Cities across the Netherlands, France, and Germany are abandoning Microsoft Office and Google Docs.

Infrastructure changes run deeper than productivity tools. The Dutch government is relocating its code repositories away from Microsoft-owned GitHub to self-hosted alternatives. Finland reportedly declined to move election data to Amazon Web Services. The organization managing Belgium's .be domain announced plans to exit AWS. A European alternative to Bluesky, called Eurosky, has launched on the AT Protocol.

The European Commission formalized long-term plans last week to reduce reliance on US technology. More than a dozen European tech companies are preparing to launch Euro-Office, an open-source document platform.

Why it matters

This represents a fundamental restructuring of the technology relationships that have defined the internet era. Europe's digital infrastructure has been built almost entirely on American platforms—from cloud computing and AI to cybersecurity and mobile operating systems. The shift creates both opportunity for European technology companies and risk of fragmenting global digital systems. For US tech giants, it threatens a lucrative market and could establish precedents that spread to other regions seeking technology independence.

Drivers behind the exodus

While many digital sovereignty initiatives predated the current US administration, organizations cite several accelerating factors. US sanctions against International Criminal Court officials prompted the court itself to abandon Microsoft technology. European entities express concerns about data control, changing international relationships, concentration of power among few companies, and potential US government access to data under the CLOUD Act and FISA.

Marietje Schaake, a non-resident fellow at Stanford University's Cyber Policy Center and former European Parliament member, told WIRED that aggressive policies attacking international law and democratic principles have triggered wake-up calls. She noted that citizens, companies, and organizations are energized to control their digital future independent of billionaire interests and current US policies.

The challenge ahead

Complete separation from US technology remains improbable. A recent European Parliament report acknowledges that US-based firms dominate nearly every layer of Europe's digital infrastructure. The transitions also risk straining relationships with US officials who have criticized Europe's technology regulations.

Despite these obstacles, momentum is building. A minister in the German state of Bavaria captured the urgency: "We no longer have time to cheaply discuss the importance of digital sovereignty—given the geopolitical situation, we need to get from talking to doing."

The details were first reported by WIRED, which maintains a public timeline of documented transitions.