European Commission Adopted Element as Teams Alternative
Government agencies are moving to self-hosted communication platforms to reclaim control over data systems.
Updated on Oct. 1, 2026 in Remote Work
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The European Commission has implemented U.K.-based Element as an alternative to Microsoft Teams, opting to host the communication software on its own internal infrastructure. This move follows a broader push across Europe to reduce reliance on American cloud services.
Why it matters
Operators face increasing pressure to balance software functionality with data sovereignty, as public institutions prioritize internal hosting to limit dependence on third-party cloud providers. This shift signals a rising strategic preference for platforms that offer greater control over communications data.
The European Commission now manages Element on internal infrastructure, joining NATO and the United Nations in using the service. This follows Austria's 2025 replacement of Microsoft Office with LibreOffice and France's mandated 2027 deadline for switching to domestic video tools.
The players
European Commission
The executive branch of the European Union responsible for policy implementation and administrative infrastructure.
Element
A U.K.-based software company that provides secure, self-hosted communication platforms for enterprise and government clients.
Microsoft
A global technology company and dominant provider of cloud-based office and communication software infrastructure.
The details
By hosting Element locally, the European Commission aims to eliminate reliance on external cloud services for its audio, video, and project communication rooms. While the platform functions similarly to Microsoft Teams, it offers the Commission direct oversight of its data architecture. The transition is part of a larger trend of European states adopting independent software suites to secure their operational communications.
Timeline
2025: Austria replaced Microsoft Office with LibreOffice.
2026: France announced a transition away from American video conferencing tools.
2027: France plans to complete its shift to domestic alternative software.
Market Landscape
The adoption of Element mirrors the broader push to align with European Union data sovereignty requirements. It marks a departure from the long-standing reliance on American cloud-based software suites that previously standardized institutional communication across the continent.
Organizations should prepare for a tightening compliance environment regarding data residency and software vendor dependencies. Owners should audit their current cloud reliance against emerging regional requirements for self-hosted or sovereign-controlled communication tools.
The takeaway
Self-hosting communication infrastructure is becoming a strategic tool for mitigating reliance on major cloud providers. Managers should evaluate their organization's tolerance for cloud-vendor lock-in compared to the operational overhead of managing internal communication software.
Further reading
See more updates on the evolving infrastructure of Remote Work.
Source note: This article includes information reported by POLITICO.
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