AI News Feed
Market watch
Huawei launches Mate 90 series with flagship τ chip and HarmonyOS 7Pet Shop Boys' A Man from the Future to Air on BBC Radio and Stream on BBC SoundsTechRadar Review Finds Belkin Switch 2 Travel Bag Spacious and Comfortable, but Soft Shell Limits ProtectionMusk Confirms Terafab Talks With TSMC as Intel Remains Sole Named PartnerEU Commission's Element Pro Backup Draws Internal CriticismReport: Banking Scams Shift to Mobile as Attempts Rise 35%
Huawei launches Mate 90 series with flagship τ chip and HarmonyOS 7Pet Shop Boys' A Man from the Future to Air on BBC Radio and Stream on BBC SoundsTechRadar Review Finds Belkin Switch 2 Travel Bag Spacious and Comfortable, but Soft Shell Limits ProtectionMusk Confirms Terafab Talks With TSMC as Intel Remains Sole Named PartnerEU Commission's Element Pro Backup Draws Internal CriticismReport: Banking Scams Shift to Mobile as Attempts Rise 35%
Policy & Regulation

EU Commission's Element Pro Backup Draws Internal Criticism

European Commission officials have criticized Element Pro, a sovereign backup to Microsoft Teams, with one calling it "absolute shit," Politico EU reports. Element's CEO says the Commission is still testing it.

AI News Feed · 2026-10-04 17:09

The Commission rolled out Element Pro over the summer, according to an internal staff memo seen by POLITICO. The platform is meant to provide a fallback for Commission communications if U.S.-based Microsoft Teams becomes unavailable.

Three officials raised concerns on an internal staff message board, POLITICO reported. One wrote, “I don't understand the added value here.” Another called the tool “absolute shit.” A third said that, judging by how well Element Pro works compared with Teams, the United States would “instantly win the war” if it ever decided to switch off its technology.

The Commission hosts the Element system on its own infrastructure rather than relying on Microsoft's cloud. That arrangement gives the institution greater control over its communications data and systems.

Element is a U.K. company whose software is used by governments and public-sector organizations in Europe. Element CEO Matthew Hodgson told POLITICO in a call using Element software that the Commission is still trialing the product. “Obviously there are going to be some teething issues,” he said. He added that there will always be “cognitive dissonance” when switching to a new app, if only because the “buttons” are in a different place. Hodgson also noted that the United Nations and NATO use Element Pro.

The criticism comes as several European governments move away from U.S. software. Earlier this year, France announced that millions of civil servants will switch to home-grown alternatives to American video-conferencing tools, including Microsoft Teams and Zoom, by 2027. Austria's military replaced Microsoft Office with the German-made LibreOffice last year.

Editor's Summary

The European Commission has rolled out Element Pro as a sovereign backup to Microsoft Teams, but three officials have criticized its value and performance. Element's CEO says the Commission is still trialing the tool and that early issues are expected. The episode highlights tensions in Europe's push for digital sovereignty while maintaining workable alternatives to U.S. software.