The struggle for digital sovereignty is once again centering on file formats. The Document Foundation, which manages LibreOffice, has launched a fresh offensive against Microsoft, claiming the company uses deliberate strategies to trap users within its ecosystem.

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The complexity trap

LibreOffice argues that Microsoft has made the Office XML format "artificially complex." This design choice is allegedly not based on technical necessity but serves as a strategic barrier to discourage the adoption of open-source alternatives. By creating this technical friction, Microsoft implements a classic vendor lock-in, making the cost of migration—both in terms of time and document integrity—prohibitively high for many organizations.

This conflict extends beyond Microsoft. LibreOffice has also criticized Euro-Office, labeling it a "de facto ally" of Microsoft's lock-in practices for favoring standards that do not ensure true technological independence. The debate pits the Open Document Format (ODF) as the only path to digital sovereignty against hybrid formats.

Europe's migration wave

This is no longer just a theoretical debate; it is driving concrete political decisions. In Germany, several public administrations are actively "de-microsoftizing." The state of Bavaria and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern have announced the cancellation of Microsoft contracts in favor of open-source solutions, specifically to avoid licensing fees and vendor lock-in.

A similar trend is emerging in the Netherlands and Denmark, where open standards are viewed as essential for public accountability. Even industrial giants like Airbus are moving data away from US-based reach to enhance strategic autonomy.

The AI era and new challengers

Lock-in risks are evolving with the rise of artificial intelligence. While tools like OfficeCLI attempt to democratize access by allowing AI agents to edit Office files without the proprietary suite, new competitors like Neo are attempting to redefine productivity with AI-native architectures.

Nevertheless, LibreOffice's core challenge remains: until open standards are universally adopted, freedom of choice will remain hostage to technical compatibility. With an estimated 200 million users having already switched from closed programs, the pressure for genuine openness continues to mount.