What if digital sovereignty came down to… choosing a file format?

A few weeks ago, we discussed a very specific case in which judges at the International Criminal Court were subject to US sanctions. In this context, Microsoft, in particular, restricted their access to certain services. This situation clearly demonstrates that dependence on digital infrastructure can undermine the sovereignty of institutions.

🇩🇪 In response, Germany is sending a very clear signal with the Deutschland-Stack: eventually, its public authorities will use only open formats such as ODF and PDF/UA. All new projects must comply with this by 2028, marking a gradual phase-out of formats supported by Microsoft.

In making this choice, the German government is establishing a simple principle: data must remain independent of the tools that process it. The ability to switch providers, software or infrastructure without constraint thus becomes a fundamental rule.

This approach is part of a long-term vision aimed at avoiding invisible dependencies that lock public authorities into closed ecosystems dominated by players such as Microsoft.

🇫🇷 France, for its part, has taken a different path.

Since 2016, ODF has been included in the General Interoperability Framework. But in practice, usage remains largely dominated by proprietary solutions, including Microsoft Office. This reflects a fairly clear difference in approach: recommending does not produce the same effects as imposing.

🌍This type of decision could have repercussions far beyond its borders. If several European states follow suit, the entire balance of the public software market could shift. Software publishers will then have to guarantee native compatibility with open standards… or risk being excluded from certain tenders.

One question remains, more political than technical: who in Europe is prepared to turn its principles of interoperability into actual obligations?

Image: ChatGPT