Office EU: another doomed Brussels mega-project?
Office EU is a paid product, based on OnlyOffice (of Russian origin) and competes with the free LibreOffice. An analysis of a project that smells like a waste of money.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Office EU: the EU's office suite, born doomed by its price tag and open questions
The European Commission has unveiled Office EU, its alternative to Microsoft 365 built on OnlyOffice. The proposal promised to break the dependence on American technology, but the initial enthusiasm has run into an awkward reality: the product is paid. According to the official FAQ, there will be no free version, and critics point out that the project relies on public funding that, if cut off, would leave the platform without support.
LibreOffice already existed and was free
While the EU reinvents the wheel, LibreOffice has been offering a complete, free package with frequent updates for years. The argument that OpenOffice is dead is shared even among Office EU defenders, who admit that OnlyOffice is superior to the Apache suite. But the question is obvious: why pay for a clone when mature, cost-free alternatives already exist?
Licensing problems and Russian origins
The paradox deepens when you discover that Office EU's technological base comes from OnlyOffice, a company with Russian roots. In March 2026, OnlyOffice reported license abusa in the EU, adding legal uncertainty to the project. The EU wants independence from the US, but relies on software that could be mired in lawsuits.
An uncertain future
With an unattractive business model, entrenched free competition and doubts about its sustainability, Office EU seems destined to become a marginal tool for civil servants and a handful of companies bound by legal requirements. The history of Brussels' flagship projects rarely ends well.
Related discussions in the forum
The European Commission has unveiled Office EU, its alternative to Microsoft 365 built on OnlyOffice. The proposal promised to break the dependence on American technology, but the initial enthusiasm has run into an awkward reality: the product is paid. According to the official FAQ, there will be no free version, and critics point out that the project relies on public funding that, if cut off, would leave the platform without support.
LibreOffice already existed and was free
While the EU reinvents the wheel, LibreOffice has been offering a complete, free package with frequent updates for years. The argument that OpenOffice is dead is shared even among Office EU defenders, who admit that OnlyOffice is superior to the Apache suite. But the question is obvious: why pay for a clone when mature, cost-free alternatives already exist?
Licensing problems and Russian origins
The paradox deepens when you discover that Office EU's technological base comes from OnlyOffice, a company with Russian roots. In March 2026, OnlyOffice reported license abusa in the EU, adding legal uncertainty to the project. The EU wants independence from the US, but relies on software that could be mired in lawsuits.
An uncertain future
With an unattractive business model, entrenched free competition and doubts about its sustainability, Office EU seems destined to become a marginal tool for civil servants and a handful of companies bound by legal requirements. The history of Brussels' flagship projects rarely ends well.
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Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (27 replies).
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