Germany pushes the ODF format and reopens the debate about Microsoft in the government

Germany has taken a step that may seem technical but touches on one of the major debates in European public digitalization: who controls the documents that an administration works with. The country has set a goal for the Open Document Format (ODF) to become the standard for document exchange within the Government starting in 2027, as part of a broader digital sovereignty and dependency reduction strategy.

This decision does not mean that Word, Excel, or PowerPoint will disappear from all German public computers tomorrow. Nor is it meant to be a simplistic anti-Microsoft declaration. The key point is: Germany wants document exchange between federal, state, and municipal administrations to rely on open, interoperable formats that are not tied to a specific provider. In practice, this reduces the dominance of proprietary formats as the default for public work.

The move comes at a time when several European governments are revisiting their reliance on office suites, clouds, video conferencing, operating systems, and collaboration tools from large U.S. providers. France has intensified recent discussions on digital sovereignty and reducing dependence on non-European tools. Germany, in contrast, has chosen a very specific approach: starting with the common language of documents.

ODF as a Public Standard: Much More Than an Extension

ODF is not an application but an open format for text documents, spreadsheets, and presentations. It is used by suites such as LibreOffice, OnlyOffice, Collabora Online, and other compatible tools. Its value for an administration is not about being “anti-Microsoft” but about enabling the preservation and exchange of documents without forcing citizens, companies, or public employees to depend on a particular suite.

The German IT Planning Council had already positioned open formats as a requirement for cooperation between administrations. According to the European Commission’s Open Source Observatory, Germany confirmed at its 48th meeting the goal to standardize ODF by 2027, with gradual implementation and an evaluation planned for 2028.

The Document Foundation, which promotes LibreOffice, interprets this decision as a mandate within the Deutschland-Stack, the German architecture for a sovereign digital infrastructure. The political reading is clear: if the public document depends on a format controlled by a provider, the administration has less freedom to switch software, audit its systems, or negotiate conditions.

The difference between using ODF and formats like .docx, .xlsx, or .pptx is not only in daily compatibility. It lies in governance. Microsoft Office can open and save ODF documents, and LibreOffice can work with Microsoft documents, though not always with perfect fidelity on complex files. But when an administration defines the official format, it is essentially stating what is considered neutral, preservable, and acceptable for public exchange.

Schleswig-Holstein, the Laboratory That Provided Arguments

The federal state of Schleswig-Holstein has become the most cited example. Its plan involves migrating around 30,000 public workstations from Microsoft Office to LibreOffice and other open solutions. The process didn’t start overnight; it’s part of a strategy initiated years ago to reduce technological dependence and increase control over administrative systems.

According to Heise, Schleswig-Holstein estimates annual savings of about 15 million euros in license costs as it advances its migration to free software. Other sector sources indicate that the implementation of LibreOffice covers around 80% of those 30,000 positions, although full transition involves more components than the office suite: operating system, email, collaboration, and related services.

This case is noteworthy because it addresses a common objection: migrating is expensive. Yes, migration costs money. There is training, template adaptation, macro review, compatibility with legacy documents, user support, and process changes. But Schleswig-Holstein is attempting to demonstrate that the initial cost can be offset by reductions in ongoing license expenses and long-term control gains.

Public migration is not only measured in euros. It also relates to the ability to audit, maintain data under own rules, prevent changes imposed by a vendor, and ensure that an administrative record can be opened in ten or twenty years without reliance on a specific subscription. In this sense, the document format is almost as important as the software itself.

Germany Is Not Alone, but Its Action Carries More Weight

The German decision carries weight because it does not come from a minor body. Germany is the largest economy in the European Union and one of the most significant public markets on the continent. Should its administrations start demanding real support for ODF, vendors aiming at the German public sector will need to adapt.

France is also moving in that direction, albeit with a broader approach and still with details to be carefully considered. Recent months have seen reports about plans to reduce dependence on Windows and U.S. tools in millions of public posts, along with initiatives such as sovereign video conferencing and collaboration platforms. Several tech outlets associate these plans with DINUM, the French inter-ministerial digital agency, and a broader strategy for tech sovereignty.

The trend does not mean Europe will eliminate Microsoft from its administrations in the short term. Microsoft will remain present in many public environments, often still the preferred option due to compatibility, integration, support, or operational inertia. But the debate has shifted: it’s no longer just about which tool is more convenient today but also about what dependencies it creates, what data it controls, what format it imposes, and what room for change the administration retains for tomorrow.

The Deutschland-Stack adds another layer to this conversation. According to Heise, the IT Planning Council has defined open standards for Germany’s administrative infrastructure, including elements of the Sovereign Cloud Stack and over 50 standards or specifications across various layers. The goal is to build a common foundation for interoperable, verifiable digital public services less exposed to vendor lock-in.

Spain Watches the Debate from the Sidelines

Spain does not start from zero in free software or open standards. There are regional experiences, educational projects, e-government initiatives, and open solutions in different levels of government. But, at least compared to the clarity of Germany, there is no equivalent national decision that mandates ODF as the obligatory format for document exchange across the entire administration.

The Spanish challenge is not only technological but organizational. The General State Administration, autonomous communities, local governments, public agencies, and vendors operate with different rhythms and contracts. Changing the official document format requires coordination, training, dependency inventories, template reviews, application adaptation, and sustained political will. Installing LibreOffice on devices alone is not enough.

Nevertheless, the German debate leaves an uncomfortable question: if two major European economies are seriously reviewing their dependence on closed suites, foreign clouds, and dominant formats, will Spain have to decide whether to just buy technology or also define its own interoperability rules?

The starting point may be less radical than it seems: requiring ODF as the standard for public document exchange, ensuring real compatibility in processing systems, reviewing contracts where proprietary formats act as hidden dependencies, and encouraging tools that work with open standards. This does not mean turning off Microsoft Office overnight but it prevents the public document from being captive to a single suite.

Digital sovereignty is not won with grand speeches. It’s achieved through mundane and concrete decisions: formats, identities, APIs, repositories, clouds, encryption, documentation, licenses, and contracts. Germany has chosen to start with one of the least glamorous yet most critical pieces: the document. And that may have a greater impact than many digital plans full of headlines.

Frequently Asked Questions

Has Germany banned Microsoft Office in the Administration?
Not exactly. What Germany has promoted is the standardization of ODF as an open format for public document exchange. That reduces reliance on proprietary formats but does not automatically mean removing Microsoft Office from all devices.

What is ODF?
ODF, Open Document Format, is an open standard for documents, spreadsheets, and presentations. It enables working with office files without dependency on a single suite or vendor.

Why does the format of public documents matter?
Because administrative documents need to be accessible, preservable, and exchangeable for years. Relying on a format controlled by a vendor can limit the administration’s options.

Could Spain do something similar?
Yes, but it would require a coordinated strategy among administrations, dependency inventories, training, system adaptation, and a clear open standards policy.