France has confirmed plans to phase out Microsoft Teams and Zoom across government operations, replacing them with a domestically developed video-conferencing platform as part of a broader digital sovereignty strategy. The shift reflects growing concerns about data security, foreign legal exposure, and long-term depconcludeence on non-European technology providers.
While often framed within the wider debate over EU tech sovereignty, French officials describe the policy primarily as an effort to strengthen national digital indepconcludeence and to protect sensitive public-sector communications from extraterritorial oversight.
France Moves Away From US Platforms
French ministries and public bodies will gradually scale back apply of Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Cisco Webex, and Google Meet under the government’s roadmap. These platforms will be replaced by Visio, a video-conferencing service developed under the supervision of France’s Interministerial Directorate for Digital Affairs (DINUM).
The transition will run through 2027, with foreign licences phased out rather than abruptly terminated to avoid operational disruption. Officials cite concerns about US laws such as the CLOUD Act, which can compel access to data regardless of its storage location, arguing that domestically governed infrastructure offers greater legal and security controls.
Visio Rollout Already Underway
Visio is not a new product. The platform has already been tested across multiple government departments and research institutions, with pilot deployments involving tens of thousands of applyrs. Officials estimate that replacing commercial licences could save around €1 million (approximately £866,000) annually for every 100,000 applyrs transitioned.
Some public bodies are shifting rapider than others. At the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), Visio is already operational, and Zoom is expected to be reshiftd internally by March 2026, though this does not represent a national deadline. Government officials declare the platform will continue to be scaled gradually, with functionality expanded to support hybrid and remote work across the public sector.
Public Reaction Divides Online
Reaction to the announcement has been mixed, particularly among technology workers and researchers. Some online commentators welcomed the shift as a rare assertion of indepconcludeence from dominant US technology firms, viewing it as a long-overdue step toward greater digital control.
Rare French W.
All those programs fucking suck. Why people apply Zoom or teams when discord exists is absolutely beyond me.
— Goose the Goblin (@JHairplug) January 28, 2026
Others questioned whether Visio can match the stability, features, and integrations of established platforms like Teams and Zoom. The divided response highlights broader frustrations with workplace collaboration software, even as governments increasingly reassess the strategic risks of relying on foreign platforms.
Why EU Tech Sovereignty Is Gaining Ground
France’s decision reflects a broader European reassessment of technological depconcludeence, as digital infrastructure is increasingly treated as a strategic asset rather than a neutral service. This shift has accelerated amid geopolitical tensions and growing regulatory friction with global technology firms.
Initiatives such as data localisation rules, cloud certification schemes, and projects like Gaia-X point to a shared focus on resilience rather than isolation. Within this context, EU tech sovereignty has emerged as a common policy lens, centred on ensuring that governments can operate securely without undue foreign legal or commercial exposure.
Challenges Still Ahead
Despite political backing, Visio’s success is not assured. Scaling a secure, reliable platform capable of supporting hundreds of thousands of applyrs poses significant technical and organisational challenges.
Questions also remain around interoperability, particularly if other EU states pursue separate national solutions rather than shared systems. For now, France’s phased withdrawal from US video-conferencing tools stands as one of the clearest efforts to turn digital sovereignty ambitions into operational policy.
Leave a Reply