Growing reliance of European public services on Microsoft software sparks concern

In a significant move towards digital independence, the French National Railway Company (SNCF) is making strides in reducing costs and decreasing dependence on external suppliers by developing its own free software. This initiative is part of a broader strategy to enhance digital sovereignty across France.

Meanwhile, the Lyon Metropolis has taken a lead in this digital transformation, adopting open source solutions such as Onlyoffice, Firefox, and Linux for its digital tools. This shift is in line with the city's commitment to strengthening its digital sovereignty, with the support of SITIV.

The city of Lyon is also developing an innovative project called "Open Digital Territory", an open source, collaborative suite designed to replace Microsoft services. This suite is expected to contribute significantly to the city's digital independence.

The SNCF, too, has been investing heavily in free software for business, office, and infrastructure needs. In addition to this, the SNCF aims to develop and offer its free software to all European railway actors through the "Open Source Railway Designer" program and the Open Rail association.

Paris and Lyon have also been proactive in reducing their dependence on Microsoft by adopting LibreOffice and OpenOffice as alternative productivity software.

However, it's worth noting that the French state continues to use Microsoft services extensively in its administrations, hospitals, and local authorities. In 2024, the Ministry of National Education awarded a €74 million contract to Microsoft, reflecting this ongoing relationship.

Last year, the CNIL, the French data protection authority, authorised the creation of a health data warehouse hosted by Microsoft. This decision highlights the complexities involved in achieving complete digital independence, even as France continues to push for open source solutions.

The state's digital policy prioritizes cloud services, indicating a potential future direction for France's digital landscape. As these developments unfold, it will be interesting to see how the balance between open source and proprietary solutions evolves in France.