Germany has mandated Open Document Format (ODF) as the standard for public administration documents in its new Deutschland-Stack sovereign digital infrastructure. The framework, published by Germany's Federal Ministry for Digital and State Modernisation, explicitly requires ODF and PDF/UA formats, excluding proprietary alternatives from official government use.

ODF, an ISO-standardized format used by office suites like LibreOffice, ensures consistent document handling and long-term accessibility. Florian Effenberger, Executive Director of The Document Foundation, calls this decision "fundamental infrastructure for democratic, interoperable and sovereign public administrations." The approach prioritizes local data storage and open source development to reduce vendor lock-in.

Germany's move aligns with broader European efforts promoting digital sovereignty through the European Interoperability Framework and Cyber Resilience Act. The Deutschland-Stack will guide shared digital infrastructure development through 2028, directly shaping procurement, software selection, and document workflows across the country's public sector.