ICC Switches From Microsoft Teams to LibreOffice

European public institutions and government bodies are increasingly migrating away from United States-based technology services in favor of open-source and domestic alternatives. This shift is driven by a pursuit of digital sovereignty and concerns regarding the security and confidentiality of public electronic communications.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) announced on October 31, 2025, that It’s replacing Microsoft Office with openDesk. OpenDesk is an open-source office and collaboration suite provided by the Center for Digital Sovereignty (ZenDiS) on behalf of the German Federal Ministry of the Interior.

Drivers of the ICC Migration

The ICC’s decision follows heightened European concerns about reliance on American technology companies, particularly in light of punitive measures taken by the Trump administration against perceived adversaries.

In February, President Trump signed an executive order to sanction ICC officials following arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu related to alleged war crimes in Gaza. Following these sanctions, reports indicated that ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan lost access to his Microsoft email account.

Microsoft President Brad Smith denied that the company suspended services to the ICC, stating at no point did Microsoft cease or suspend its services to the ICC.

Wider European Trends in Digital Sovereignty

The ICC is not the only entity pivoting away from US Big Tech. The French government announced that 2.5 million civil servants will stop using video conferencing tools from US providers by 2027. This includes the abandonment of Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Webex, and GoTo Meeting.

France will transition these users to a homegrown service called Visio. David Amiel, a civil service minister, stated that the government cannot risk having sensitive data, strategic innovations, and scientific exchanges exposed to non-European actors.

Other regional shifts include:

• The government of the German state of Schleswig-Holstein announced plans to switch from Microsoft Teams to LibreOffice, an open-source alternative.
• The French city of Lyon is moving toward open-source office and collaboration tools.
• Austrian soldiers are adopting open-source office software.
• German bureaucrats are utilizing free programs for administrative tasks.

These movements reflect a broader trend where governments seek to eliminate the risk of a kill switch that Big Tech companies could potentially use to cut off access to critical services.

Technical Context and Previous Efforts

The transition to open-source software is not a new phenomenon in Europe. The German city of Munich previously adopted Linux on its PCs and servers and replaced Microsoft Office with LibreOffice, though the city reverted to Windows in 2020.

The current wave of migrations focuses on replacing proprietary productivity suites and communication tools with sovereign alternatives. By utilizing open-source software, institutions aim to guarantee the security and confidentiality of their data by relying on tools that are not controlled by foreign corporations.

In response to the French government’s announcement, Microsoft stated its commitment to partner with the French government and respect the importance of digital trust, security, and privacy for public institutions.