The French government will say au revoir to Microsoft Teams — replaced by a “sovereign platform” saving €1 million/year in licensing fees

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When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, many businesses rapidly started using video conferencing platforms such as Microsoft Teams and Zoom. This allowed them to continue operating and support employees working from home or in a hybrid arrangement.

Even though companies like Microsoft are asking employees to return to the office, these tools are still becoming more and more popular. Microsoft plans to require all employees who live within 50 miles of a Microsoft office to work on-site at least three days a week starting next month.

France has announced it will stop using American video conferencing software like Microsoft Teams and switch to its own platform, Visio. The government plans to have Visio implemented throughout all its departments by 2027.

Visio is a productivity tool developed as part of France’s digital initiative, aiming to offer alternatives to popular American services like Teams and Slack. Currently, it’s only accessible to French government employees, and it’s uncertain when it will be released for public use.

As a researcher following this development, it’s clear France is making a deliberate effort to lessen its dependence on technology from other countries and strengthen its control over its own digital infrastructure. Their new platform, Visio, has been undergoing trials for just over a year now, and already has more than 40,000 users testing it out.

We want to stop depending on technology from outside Europe and ensure the privacy and security of all government electronic communications by using a strong, independent system.

David Amiel, Minister for the Civil Service and State Reform

Recently, European officials have expressed worry about major disruptions to American-based online services. France, for example, believes switching from programs like Microsoft Teams to Visio could save a substantial amount of money – around €1 million annually for every 100,000 people who use the software.

According to Amiel, this approach demonstrates France’s dedication to controlling its own digital infrastructure, especially given current global uncertainties and concerns about international spying or interruptions to online services.

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2026-01-27 15:39