Commission adopts Element as backup if US firms cut off services
The European Commission is deploying Element Pro, an open-source alternative to Microsoft Teams, as a backup communication system for its staff. This is not a replacement for Teams but a safeguard against potential disruption if US technology providers cut off services to EU institutions, whether by corporate choice or government order. The initiative addresses legitimate concerns about digital sovereignty, particularly given the unpredictability of US foreign policy.
Element will run on the Commission's own infrastructure using Matrix, an open standard for real-time communications that supports end-to-end encryption and decentralised operation. Teams will remain the principal platform, whilst Element provides a fallback for internal messaging, audio and video calls, file transfers and project discussions. The move reflects real-world risks: Canadian ICC judge Kimberly Prost lost access to multiple US tech services, including Amazon and Google, highlighting how easily US administrations can weaponise technology access. Staff resistance to the change is expected, the author suggests, but will likely diminish within six months as users adapt.
- European Commission deploys Element backup to Microsoft Teams for digital sovereignty
- Protects against potential US sanctions or tech access restrictions
- Staff resistance expected but likely temporary, author argues
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The European Commission is preparing Element, an alternative to Microsoft Teams, as a backup communication system for its staff. This is a precaution in case major US technology companies cut off access to their services, whether due to corporate decisions or government pressure.
The move reflects concerns about digital sovereignty: the ability to keep essential services running even when relying on foreign companies. Both governments and technology firms have shown they can restrict access to their platforms when they choose to, creating real risks for organisations that depend entirely on them.
Element will operate on computer systems owned and controlled by the Commission itself. Teams will remain the primary tool, but Element provides a fallback for messaging, calls and file sharing if other platforms become unavailable.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The Commission faces genuine geopolitical risks in an era of unpredictable US policy. The case of the Canadian ICC judge demonstrates that access to essential US services can be weaponised without warning. Maintaining Teams as the primary system whilst developing a resilient backup using open standards and EU infrastructure is prudent governance—it protects critical EU operations without abandoning proven tools, and invests in the technological sovereignty necessary for institutional independence.
The case against
Whilst digital sovereignty concerns merit consideration, maintaining parallel systems introduces complexity, cost and security fragmentation that may outweigh hypothetical risks. The Commission's operations depend on seamless, reliable communication with Teams' maturity and integration, and diverting resources to a backup system—especially one that will face inevitable user resistance and productivity friction—may be an inefficient response to a risk that, for EU institutions specifically, remains speculative rather than demonstrated.
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Originally published by The Register as “EC users should be afraid of a US kill switch – not some new software”.