European Commission Tests Element Pro as a Microsoft Teams Backup

European Commission tests Element Pro as a backup alternative to Microsoft Teams, but early internal feedback has reportedly been far from enthusiastic. Teams will remain the Commission’s main collaboration platform for now.

Element Pro faces criticism during Commission trial

According to Politico, the European Commission is testing Element Pro as an alternative communication platform that officials could use if Microsoft Teams becomes unavailable.

The Commission reportedly wants a backup option for situations involving technical disruptions or wider political concerns. However, internal feedback about Element Pro has been highly critical, with some officials questioning what advantages it offers over Teams.

Microsoft Teams is not being replaced as part of the trial. Instead, Element Pro would give the Commission another option if it could no longer rely on Microsoft’s service.

Element CEO Matthew Hodgson confirmed that the platform is currently undergoing a trial within the European Commission. Element says organizations including the United Nations and NATO already use its technology.

The company plans to continue working with Commission officials and use their feedback to improve the platform during the testing process.

Europe is looking for more technology independence

The Element Pro trial comes as European governments and institutions look for ways to reduce their dependence on US technology companies and strengthen Europe’s digital sovereignty.

That effort extends beyond workplace communication tools. We recently saw that France plans to replace Windows with Linux as part of a wider push toward greater control over government technology infrastructure.

European alternatives are also emerging in productivity software. Euro-Office is coming to Windows, Linux, and macOS, giving organizations another potential alternative to software developed by major US technology companies.

For now, Microsoft Teams remains firmly in place at the European Commission. The Element Pro test shows, however, that European institutions increasingly want backup options that give them more control over critical digital services.