The European Commission has reversed course after The Document Foundation criticized its use of proprietary Excel formats for Cyber Resilience Act feedback. Following a 24-hour turnaround, the Commission now provides both .xlsx and Open Document Format (.ods) versions of the consultation spreadsheet. This change addresses concerns about vendor lock-in and interoperability.

Initially, the Commission published feedback templates exclusively in Microsoft Excel format, contradicting its own policies on open standards and digital sovereignty. The Document Foundation argued this requirement effectively mandated Microsoft software for participation in EU policymaking. The European Interoperability Framework explicitly recommends open formats for public sector services, yet the Commission's approach created barriers for users of open source alternatives like LibreOffice.

The controversy highlights ongoing tensions between EU digital sovereignty goals and entrenched proprietary software dependencies. While the Commission evaluates migrating to open source solutions, this incident demonstrates how procedural choices can undermine stated principles. The Document Foundation's successful intervention shows how civil society can hold EU institutions accountable to their own standards on interoperability and vendor neutrality.