European Parliament Replaces Google with Qwant Search Engine

The European Parliament replaced Google with the French search engine Qwant as the default search tool on its internal computers on June 4, 2026. The transition automatically applies to Microsoft Edge and Mozilla Firefox browsers used by 720 lawmakers and thousands of administrative staff, though users may still manually select alternative search providers.

This decision is part of a broader strategy to reduce reliance on non-EU digital tools and protect personal data. Officials cited concerns that U.S. intelligence legislation allows the American administration to access European data managed by U.S. companies, a concern amplified by political uncertainty during the second presidential term of Donald Trump. U.S. technology currently accounts for over 80% of the bloc's essential digital infrastructure.

Concurrent with this move, the European Commission launched a "Buy and Use European" initiative and a tech sovereignty package focusing on artificial intelligence, semiconductors, and cloud computing. Similar shifts are occurring at the member-state level; France plans to move 2.5 million civil servants to a domestic videoconferencing app called Visio by 2027, and Germany has mandated open-source document formats to replace Microsoft Word. While supporters view these measures as essential for data protection, critics characterize the strategy as digital protectionism that could fragment the global internet.