The International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague recently confirmed that it will gradually abandon Microsoft Office and use the OpenDesk platform independently developed by the European Union as its main office and collaboration tool in the future. The move underscores the growing divide between EU institutions and U.S. software vendors, especially as digital sovereignty issues become more prominent.
It is reported that this change stems from the EU's growing demand for independent digital technology, and relevant agencies hope to ensure business autonomy and information security through localized software. In recent years, large American technology companies have increased their global influence. As the international situation changes, non-U.S. public institutions such as the ICC have explored alternatives. There are reports that Microsoft deleted the email accounts of Karim Khan, the court's chief prosecutor, and other officials after the Trump administration imposed a new round of sanctions on the ICC. However, Microsoft denied this, emphasizing that its cooperative relationship with the ICC remains "precious" and stating that there are currently no practical obstacles to continuing to provide software and services to the ICC.
OpenDesk is developed under the leadership of the German Center for Digital Sovereignty (ZenDiS) and is billed as a "sovereign" office platform from beginning to end. Tailored for business users and team collaboration, this suite now integrates common tools such as calendar, chat, contacts, email, documents, etc. to provide a secure and efficient digital workspace. ZenDiS was established by the German government in 2022 and is positioned as a public company focused on meeting the needs of the German and EU public sectors for digital autonomy. Currently, we are also working closely with France and other countries to jointly develop localized cloud document solutions to build more independent digital infrastructure.
Recently, ZenDiS announced the launch of a new European cooperation alliance. In the future, it will jointly build the EU's sovereign digital infrastructure with partners such as France, Italy, and the Netherlands, further promoting the technological divide with the United States. Microsoft has called on the ICC to reconsider its decision to replace Office, but the industry generally predicts that disputes and technological battles surrounding digital sovereignty will continue to heat up in the next few years.