Dutch tax office ditches Microsoft 365 cloud for on-premises alternative
Email and calendars move in-house in 2027, with European open source tools to follow
The Netherlands Tax and Customs Administration has abandoned its plan to migrate to Microsoft 365 cloud services, opting instead for on-premises solutions and European open source alternatives. Email and calendars will move to on-premises infrastructure in 2027, followed by storage and collaboration services in 2027 and 2028. State Secretary for Finance, Eelco Eerenberg, announced the decision in a letter to parliament, citing concerns over information security, processing, and future-proofing.
The move follows a recommendation from the Dutch Advisory Council on ICT Assessment to halt the rollout of Microsoft 365 services. Eerenberg noted that the design of Microsoft 365 in the public cloud falls short in these areas, and raised concerns about vendor lock-in and reduced flexibility. The administration is reassessing how to replace certain capabilities unavailable on-premises.
Microsoft's presence in the Dutch public sector has been significant, but concerns over data privacy and US government access have fueled the shift towards more sovereign solutions. European governments are increasingly seeking alternatives to reduce reliance on US providers and enhance resilience in an unpredictable geopolitical landscape.
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