EU governments are turning to Nextcloud to provide an alternative to Microsoft SharePoint and Google Workspace.

Nextcloud is the open source cloud platform that provides powerful alternatives to commercial products. EU governments, ever eager to reduce reliance on Big Tech, are increasingly looking to the platform as an option. In fact, the European Data Protection Supervisor recently migrated to Nextcloud:

Open Source Software offers data protection-friendly alternatives to commonly used large-scale cloud service providers that often imply the transfer of individuals’ personal data to non-EU countries. Solutions like this may therefore minimise reliance on monopoly providers and detrimental vendor lock-in. By negotiating a contract with an EU-based provider of cloud services, the EDPS is delivering on its commitments, as set out in its 2020-2024 Strategy, to support EUIs in leading by example to safeguard digital rights and process data responsibly.”

Wojciech Wiewiórowski, EDPS

The upcoming end of SharePoint Server support has created a situation where governments are eager to avoid vendor lock-in, making Nextcloud an even more appealing proposition.

As a result, Nextcloud has received a significant increase in interest from EU governments, with German state Schleswig-Holstein already making the switch from SharePoint to Nextcloud, and many others beginning to follow suit.

Nextcloud’s initiative to offer a digitally sovereign, open-source alternative to Microsoft Sharepoint is to be welcomed. That’s why we work together with Nextcloud to optimize Nextcloud Tables.

Ralf Sutorius, Leitender IT-Architekt, Stadt Köln

It’s a refreshing turn of events to see a powerful, open source alternative gain more widespread use.