Dutch Government Shifts from Microsoft as Sanctions Bite

The US government's sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague have had an unexpected consequence for the Dutch government. With the chief prosecutor losing access to Microsoft services, including email, the Dutch decided it was time to reduce their reliance on software and services from the United States.

This led to the development of DAWO, or Digitaal Autonome Werkomgeving Overheid (Digital Autonomous Work Environment for Government in English), a new system aimed at refreshing the technologies used by the Dutch government. The goal is to minimize the risk of losing access to critical systems due to foreign interference.

According to reports from Tweakers via It's FOSS, work is underway to bring DAWO to fruition. A NixOS-based software ecosystem is being developed as an alternative to Microsoft services. Trial programs are currently running, and the first release of DAWO is expected at the end of 2027.