EU Switches to OpenDocument Format After LibreOffice Criticizes Excel XLSX Use

LibreOffice and Microsoft Office have long maintained a strong rivalry. In the past, the LibreOffice community openly criticized Microsoft’s Ribbon interface design, and the tension has surfaced again, this time involving the European Commission and its consultation process for the Cyber Resilience Act.

LibreOffice group challenges the Excel format used by EU

The Document Foundation (TDF) recently criticized the European Commission for publishing a feedback form for the Cyber Resilience Act using the Excel XLSX format.

According to TDF, using XLSX conflicted with the goals of the Cyber Resilience Act, which aims to promote open standards and reduce dependency on proprietary software platforms.

TDF argued that requiring citizens to use a format closely associated with Microsoft’s software ecosystem could create unnecessary barriers for people who rely on open-source office tools.

The organization also reiterated long-standing criticism of Office Open XML (OOXML), the format used for files such as XLSX. While OOXML was approved as an ISO standard, TDF maintains that relying heavily on it still contributes to vendor lock-in.

European Commission responds within 24 hours

Following the complaint, the European Commission quickly updated the consultation materials.

The EC’s technology department, Directorate‑General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology, published an additional version of the form using the OpenDocument Spreadsheet format.

The change reportedly occurred within 24 hours of the issue being raised.

TDF described the move as a positive step toward interoperability and open standards, noting that the ODS format aligns with open document initiatives supported by the open-source community.

The foundation is now encouraging European citizens to submit their Cyber Resilience Act feedback using the ODS version of the form.

Ongoing debate around document standards

The situation highlights an ongoing debate about the use of proprietary versus open document formats in public institutions.

Advocates of open standards argue that formats like ODS improve accessibility, ensure long-term compatibility, and reduce reliance on a single vendor’s software ecosystem.

Supporters of Microsoft’s formats, however, often point out that OOXML remains widely adopted across businesses and governments.

Meanwhile, Microsoft continues expanding its productivity ecosystem. The company recently announced new agent-driven AI capabilities across Office apps as part of the latest Microsoft 365 Copilot Wave 3 update.

Microsoft Office was also highlighted in the recent MacBook Neo promotional campaign, reflecting the suite’s continued prominence across different platforms.

Via Neowin