The European Commission’s attempt to bolster its “digital sovereignty” and reduce reliance on US technology has fallen flat, with its chosen “backup”internal communications app facing sharp criticism from EU officials, Politico has reported.

Dubbed ‘Element Pro’, the new app was described by the Commission as a “sovereign back-up to Teams” – the body’s main communications tool developed by US software giant Microsoft – according to an internal memo seen by the news site. Element Pro was introduced in July to help “ensure… business continuity” in the event of a potential “disruption.”

“In recent months, digital sovereignty has become increasingly important,” the Commission told staff in the memo. “In practice, this means having greater control over our data and systems so that we can reduce risks and limit disruption to our work, wherever possible.”

The app was developed by UK-based company Element Creations, which also has subsidiaries in France, Germany, and the US. The company, founded about a decade ago, advertises itself as a provider of a “digitally sovereign, secure and interoperable communications platform” that enables “mobile messaging, desktop collaboration, voice and video” communications, as well as email, through an “end-to-end encrypted” system. According to Politico, the Commission also hosts the app on its own infrastructure rather than on Microsoft’s cloud.

EU officials who have tried the new app do not consider it of much use, according to the outlet. “I don’t understand the added value here,” one of them reportedly said in internal communications, with another openly calling it “absolute sh*t.”

A third official contacted by Politico stated that Washington would still “instantly win the war” if it decided to cut off the EU from its digital technologies. Some officials reportedly defended the app, saying that it would “guarantee that Microslop will not peek inside.”

Element CEO Matthew Hodgson brushed off the criticism, saying that the app was still in a trial phase with the European Commission and blaming officials’ difficulties on “cognitive dissonance” linked to switching to a new app.

It comes amid broader EU efforts to develop alternatives to major US technology and social media platforms, in what Brussels’ critics describe as digital protectionism. Earlier this year, France announced plans to replace US videoconferencing platforms such as Teams and Zoom with the homegrown Visio app by 2027. The European Payments Initiative is also urging EU authorities to reduce the bloc’s reliance on Visa and Mastercard.

Swedish company W Social unveiled its Europe-focused social network, W, in early 2026 and plans to open it to the public across the bloc by the end of the year. In June, Politico reported that the European Parliament was planning to replace Google with a Franco-German backed search engine as the default tool on in-house computers.

https://www.rt.com/news/646613-eu-microsoft-teams-alternative/

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