European Alternatives to Microsoft Teams

Why Europe Is Rethinking Microsoft Teams

Europe’s push for digital sovereignty is reshaping how organizations communicate and collaborate. Regulatory scrutiny, data privacy concerns, and the impact of extraterritorial laws like the U.S. CLOUD Act have prompted many to reassess their reliance on U.S.-based collaboration tools.

A key milestone came in 2021 when the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) investigated the European Commission’s use of Microsoft Teams. The audit revealed gaps in contractual safeguards and international data transfers. While Microsoft has since taken corrective steps, including separating Teams from Microsoft 365 and Office 365 in the EEA,  the change highlights a broader issue: compliance does not equal sovereignty.

Even when hosted in Europe, Microsoft’s tools still fall under U.S. jurisdiction, meaning data could be accessed under U.S. law. For privacy-conscious European organizations, the question is no longer whether Microsoft 365 meets EU regulations, but whether it can guarantee digital independence. They need European alternatives to US big tech tools.

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Key Characteristics of a True European Alternative

A genuine European alternative to Microsoft Teams must do more than replicate chat, video, and file-sharing features. It must provide verifiable control, regional data protection, and open governance.
Here’s what that means in practice:

1. EU Data Residency

Data must be stored and processed exclusively within the EU or EEA to comply with GDPR and emerging frameworks like NIS2. Providers must clearly disclose hosting locations and ensure that no data is subject to non-EU jurisdictions. In fact, 37% of organizations prioritize EU data hosting.

2. Open-Source Transparency

Open-source software enables independent verification and prevents vendor lock-in. Organizations can inspect the source code to confirm there are no hidden data flows, a key reason 63% of European IT leaders cite open-source as a critical purchasing factor.

3. End-to-End Encryption

True sovereignty starts with encryption by design. Messages, files, and calls should remain protected at rest and in transit, accessible only to verified participants.
84% of EU organizations list end-to-end encryption as their top collaboration requirement.

4. Zero-Trust Architecture

End-to-end encryption alone is not enough to safeguard information. Platforms should verify every user and device through multi-factor authentication, role-based access, and least-privilege principles. This approach minimizes exposure and ensures resilient data protection.

Top European Alternatives to Microsoft Teams

For decades, US-based hyperscalers dominated the technology landscape within the EU. But concerns over US’s extra-territorial laws like the CLOUD Act continue to grow. The conversation around digital sovereignty has now gone mainstream, fuelled in no small part by regulations like DORA, the NIS2 Directive, and of course, the GDPR. 

Across Europe, a new generation of software providers is building privacy-first collaboration ecosystems that align with EU data protection standards. Here are some of the leading solutions:

Nextcloud (Germany)

Nextcloud is a leading European open source, on premise, and secure content collaboration platform. It ensures end-to-end encryption and zero trust architecture and is compliant with all data privacy regulations. It has become a prominent alternative to US based messaging platforms and is being widely adopted by public sector entities in Germany and France, enterprises and research institutions. 

Tuta (Germany)

Tuta offers an end-to-end encrypted email and calendar platform designed to provide maximum privacy, data protection, and transparency for users worldwide. Tuta is recognized for its strong encryption practices, open-source transparency, and strict compliance with European data protection laws. Tuta’s customers span individuals, businesses of all sizes, non-profits, educational institutions, and privacy-conscious organizations worldwide.

Proton (Switzerland)

Established in 2014 by a team of scientists who met at CERN, Proton aims to make digital freedom a reality. It provides secure and encrypted digital services including email, calendar, file storage, password management, and VPN. All its services are designed with strong encryption, zero-knowledge security, and a privacy-by-default architecture. Proton serves more than 100 million users globally across sectors such as journalism, government, academia, and the private sector.

OnlyOffice (Latvia)

An open-source productivity suite offering document editing, project management, and collaboration tools. It supports both cloud and self-hosted deployments, making it a solid EU alternative to Office 365. It is considered to be an European alternative to Microsoft Office and Google Workspace and is fully compliant with EU data privacy regulations.

Wire (Germany)

Wire is a secure collaboration platform designed for enterprises, governments, and regulated industries. It offers end-to-end encrypted messaging, voice, and video conferencing, file sharing, and federated communication across organizations.
As an open-source, EU-hosted platform built under strict GDPR and NIS2 compliance, Wire gives European organizations complete control over data location and encryption keys making it a trusted alternative to Microsoft Teams.
Its on-premise and hybrid deployment options make it ideal for high-security sectors that require compliance and operational flexibility.

These providers reflect a growing ecosystem of European-built, transparent, and compliant tools that allow organizations to regain control of their digital operations.

The Hybrid Approach: Balancing Productivity and Sovereignty

Replacing U.S. technology giants with EU alternatives overnight is unrealistic for most organizations. Deep integrations, licensing commitments, and user familiarity makes transitions difficult.
Better to adopt a hybrid approach by integrating European alternatives alongside existing tools to gradually reduce dependency.

Platforms like Wire make this shift seamless. Wire can be added to existing Microsoft 365 environments as a secure communication layer, protecting sensitive conversations while maintaining productivity.
For example, teams can continue using familiar Microsoft workflows while relying on Wire for confidential discussions, compliance-sensitive communications, or secure cross-organizational exchanges.

A typical hybrid rollout involves:

• Starting with high-security departments (e.g., compliance or executive teams)

• Testing federated communication between internal and external stakeholders

• Gradually expanding enterprise-wide deployment

This model allows organizations to enhance sovereignty, ensure compliance, and preserve productivity without disruption.

Building Digital Independence, One Step at a Time

Europe’s digital sovereignty movement is here to stay.
By adopting collaboration tools that offer EU data residency, open-source transparency, end-to-end encryption, and zero-trust design, organizations can secure sensitive data while staying compliant with GDPR and NIS2.

Whether through full migration or a hybrid model, choosing European-built platforms like Wire enables enterprises to collaborate securely, protect their data, and advance Europe’s mission of digital autonomy.