Business & Technology
Euro-Office launches as Europe’s open-source Office rival
IONOS and Nextcloud have launched Euro-Office, a European open-source office suite backed by a coalition of more than a dozen organisations across Europe.
The software is positioned as a sovereign alternative to Microsoft Office for editing documents, spreadsheets and presentations. A public tech preview is available now, with the first stable release planned for summer.
Euro-Office is being developed under a shared governance framework that brings together commercial open-source companies, independent developers and civil society groups. Participants include IONOS, Nextcloud, EuroStack, XWiki, OpenProject, Soverin, Abilian, OpenXchange and bTactic.
The initiative comes as European organisations reassess their dependence on non-European workplace software. It also follows the closure of ONLYOFFICE’s cloud offering, which has prompted some users to reconsider their current office software arrangements.
Euro-Office is built on ONLYOFFICE. The coalition says it is opening the code base under open-source licensing and removing trademark constraints. Its stated aim is to create a sustainable office suite under European stewardship that can be integrated into different platforms
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Market shift
Backers argue that many existing alternatives involve trade-offs in compatibility, usability or governance. They also cite legal and licensing concerns, particularly for public bodies and organisations handling sensitive information.
The argument reflects a broader European debate over digital sovereignty, as governments and businesses seek more control over software, infrastructure and data. Office productivity tools have become part of that discussion because they remain central to day-to-day work across public administration, education and business.
Achim Weiss, Chief Executive Officer of IONOS, said the political backdrop had increased demand for European options.
“With the geo-political developments we have seen in the last year, there is a clear need for a reliable, fully Microsoft-compatible and easy to use sovereign office solution in Europe,” Weiss said. “Our joint initiative delivers a suite with an extremely familiar interface and capable of working with documents, presentations and spreadsheets.”
Frank Karlitschek, Chief Executive Officer of Nextcloud, said the sector already had many of the underlying components needed to assemble such a product.
“Europe has had the technical building blocks for years. What was missing until now was an initiative to bring them together into a meaningful, comprehensive solution,” Karlitschek said. “With Euro-Office, we’re not starting from scratch; instead, we’re taking responsibility for a vital piece of digital infrastructure. This finally gives organizations tools they can trust: transparent, durable, and managed in Europe.”
Coalition model
The organisers say the project is intended to be more than a single software launch. They describe it as an effort to build a longer-term ecosystem around an office suite maintained by a broader European community rather than controlled by a single vendor.
According to the coalition, participants have committed staff and other resources to the effort. The code is being developed through a process that backers say is open to public scrutiny and outside contribution.
That structure may prove important if Euro-Office is to win support from public sector buyers and regulated industries, where procurement decisions often take governance, licensing terms and long-term maintenance into account. It may also appeal to organisations looking to reduce reliance on a narrow group of overseas software suppliers.
The immediate test will be whether the tech preview shows enough compatibility with widely used Microsoft document formats to persuade organisations to evaluate it seriously. Ease of migration and user familiarity are likely to be central issues, especially in large administrations and businesses with established workflows.
IONOS says it serves around 6.6 million customers and operates in 17 markets across Europe and North America. Nextcloud says its software is used by tens of thousands of private and public organisations and by tens of millions of individuals.
The coalition is inviting other companies, public bodies and community contributors to join the project and help shape the suite’s development.
The Original Factory Shop which sells discounted homewares, furniture, electrical goods and toys, shut its store in Carterton yesterday (Saturday, March 28).
On the business’ Facebook page, last-minute discounts were being offered with clothing down to £2 an item.
READ MORE: Store closure fears as UK discount brand in administration
On Thursday, March 26, a spokesperson for the store said: “Everything in store is now up to 85 per cent off as we prepare to close our doors this weekend.
“This is your last chance to grab a bargain – once it’s gone, it’s gone.”
Following that announcement, prices were subsequently lowered and lowered.
Other branches around the UK also shut yesterday including in Cromer, Gorleston and Bungay in Norfolk and Suffolk with major sales also being implemented at other locations.
This comes after the business fell into administration in January, with further closures also expected imminently in Snettisham, according to The Sun, and around the country.
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Administrators said The Original Factory Shop’s troubles have been driven by challenging trading conditions, linked to high-cost inflation, fragile consumer confidence and rising labour costs caused by government policies.
Problems were then exacerbated by issues linked to its third-party warehouse and logistics operator, weakening sales further.
It only has one store in Oxfordshire, its Carterton shop, although Claire’s – which is also owned by investment firm Modella Capital and is in administration – has one in the Oxford Westgate shopping centre.
The fashion retailer this month closed down its store in the Oxford city centre shopping centre having opened in October 2017 as part of the £440m revamp.
It was one of the original retailers as part of the shopping centre’s new phase of life, along with John Lewis, Primark and Next.
A spokeswoman from Hugo Boss said: “Hugo Boss optimises its global store portfolio as part of its long-term strategy, which also affects the Boss Oxford Westgate Centre store.
“Hugo Boss will maintain a strong presence in the UK, and we will also continue to serve our customers via our online flagship store at hugoboss.com.”
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The company did not say whether any redundancies had been made from closing the store.
The spokeswoman said: “Wherever possible, we reallocate employees through transfers or other internal opportunities.”
There are indeed other branches not too far, including at Bicester Village, Swindon and Reading.
A spokeswoman for the Westgate said: “We remain committed to making Westgate Oxford a vibrant and varied retail destination for our guests, welcoming exciting new arrivals such as Sephora, The Beefy Boys, and the opening of Lego later this spring, as well as recently upsized stores for Oliver Bonas, Goldsmiths, and Superdrug.
“We look forward to sharing more details about new brands joining the centre soon.”
Henley Business Buzz hosted its first event at Henley Rugby Club, drawing more than 30 businesses and decision-makers from the local area.
The group is part of the wider Business Buzz network, offering informal, no-membership, pay-as-you-go networking that focuses on building professional relationships in a relaxed setting.
Orinta Gaucyte, host of Henley Business Buzz, said: “It was fantastic to see so many local businesses come together for our first Henley Buzz.
“There’s something really special about building a supportive community where people feel comfortable, included and able to make genuine connections.
“A huge thank you to everyone who came along and helped make the launch such a success.”
The launch was attended by Business Buzz co-founders Katrina Sargent and Simon George, who officially opened the event.
The Henley meetings are supported by sponsors Logic Financial Services and Logic Mortgages.
Lee Humphrey, of Logic Financial Services, said: “It’s brilliant to see an event like Business Buzz arrive in Henley.
“Creating opportunities for local businesses to connect in a relaxed and approachable way is incredibly valuable for the town, and we’re proud to support something that brings the business community closer together.”
Henley Business Buzz will take place on the fourth Thursday of each month, with the next event scheduled for Thursday, April 23.
All businesses, entrepreneurs, and professionals in the area are welcome to attend.
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