Saed News: European Union lawmakers have taken another step toward reducing dependence on American technology.
According to SAEDNEWS, citing Engadget, reports say the European Parliament will stop using Google as the default search engine on its computers.
According to Politico, from June 4, 2026, web searches through the address bars in Firefox and Edge browsers will, by default, be routed through a French alternative called Qwant. However, staff will still be able to visit other search engines or change their default settings if they wish.
An email sent to employees states that officials are implementing changes aligned with the Parliament’s commitment to digital sovereignty and the protection of users’ personal data. The statement describes Qwant as a “privacy-focused search engine.”
This transition to a French search engine as the default appears to reflect the EU’s effort to reduce reliance on foreign technologies and focus on European-developed alternatives. The European Commission is expected to present a governance package addressing this issue on June 3.
Meanwhile, France is also taking steps toward this goal, planning to replace Windows with Linux on government computers and use a domestic alternative called Visio instead of Zoom and Microsoft Teams for video calls.
