A group of European technology companies has introduced a new open-source office suite aimed at providing a European-controlled alternative to Microsoft Office. The suite, called Euro-Office, includes four main applications: a document editor, a spreadsheet tool, a presentation maker, and a PDF editor. Built on the open-source OnlyOffice platform, Euro-Office supports popular file formats like DOCX, PPTX, XLSX, as well as Open Document Format files such as ODS, ODT, and ODP.

European Drive for Digital Sovereignty

The project is driven by a desire among European organizations to reduce dependence on US-based tech giants. Companies involved include Nextcloud, a provider of open-source productivity software; Ionos, a cloud hosting company; and Proton, a Swiss SaaS provider focused on privacy and security. Frank Karlitschek, CEO of Nextcloud, explained that there is strong demand for a “complete sovereign, open-source, decentralized solution” among European businesses and government agencies.

This initiative comes amid a broader push across Europe to find alternatives to American technology providers. Experts highlight that many European institutions and companies are unhappy with current offerings and seek a true European option that ensures data sovereignty and aligns with regional values. This movement reflects a growing trend to prioritize open-source solutions that can be controlled locally and offer greater privacy protections.

Development Goals and Challenges

While Euro-Office is still in early stages, a preview version is available on GitHub, with a full 1.0 release expected later in the summer. The main focus now is on developing mobile and desktop versions and fixing compatibility issues with existing document formats. The team behind Euro-Office plans to incorporate features from existing tools like Collabora and address some of their limitations. For instance, Collabora, based on LibreOffice, has usability issues, and Nextcloud’s existing integrations have constraints.

According to Karlitschek, the project has received contributions from a handful of developers from Nextcloud, Proton, and Ionos, with additional support from smaller teams. He also noted that the company plans to introduce a product based on Euro-Office within Nextcloud Hub, although details about pricing and availability are still being finalized. The goal is to offer a fully open-source, European alternative that meets the needs of businesses and governments seeking more control over their data.

Many organizations, especially in the public sector and regulated industries, are considering switching from US-based productivity suites. They want solutions that align with regional privacy laws and reduce reliance on foreign providers. The Euro-Office project aims to fill this gap by providing a secure, customizable, and locally controlled office suite that can serve as a true European alternative in the digital workspace landscape.

Inspired by

• https://www.computerworld.com/article/4152487/euro-office-billed-as-europes-sovereign-alternative-to-microsoft-office.html

Sources

• nextcloud.com
• onlyoffice.com
• github.com
• cio.com
• infoworld.com