EU's Microsoft Teams Alternative Draws Bad Reviews From Officials
European Commission officials have criticized Element Pro, the EU's self-hosted alternative to Microsoft Teams, questioning its usefulness and usability in internal messages reported by Politico.
Several officials aired their complaints on an internal staff message board, according to internal communications seen by Politico. All were granted anonymity to speak freely. "I don't understand the added value here," one official wrote. Another described the tool as "absolute shit." A third said that, judging matters 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.
A fourth official contrasted the Commission-hosted system with Teams. "That is not the case with Teams, where all we have is a guarantee that Microslop will not peek inside," the official wrote, in an apparent reference to Microsoft.
Element is a U.K. company whose software is used by governments and public-sector organizations in Europe. According to a Commission memo, the application works much like Teams, allowing staff to hold audio and video calls with Commission colleagues, send and receive files, and create dedicated "rooms" for projects and conversations, similar to chats and channels in Microsoft 365 Teams.
Element CEO Matthew Hodgson acknowledged that early problems are likely. "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 noted that the United Nations and NATO also use Element Pro. "Change is always painful, particularly if it's a switch from a much-used program like Teams," he said.
Editor's Summary
The European Commission has introduced Element Pro as a self-hosted alternative to Microsoft Teams, aiming to keep communications data on its own infrastructure. Internal messages reported by Politico show officials questioning the tool's value and usability, while Element's CEO described early transition problems as expected. The rollout illustrates the challenge of replacing widely used U.S. software while pursuing digital sovereignty.