The European Parliament has officially replaced Google with Qwant as its default search engine on Firefox and Edge browsers. This shift affects the 720 lawmakers and thousands of staff who now see Qwant’s results by default when entering queries, signaling a notable departure from Google’s dominant 90 percent share of Europe’s search market.
- Qwant becomes the European Parliament’s default search engine on Firefox and Edge
- The move supports the EU’s push for digital sovereignty amid reliance on US tech giants
- Qwant is a French search engine focusing on user privacy and no personal data tracking
- Qwant is developing its own index called Staan alongside Ecosia to reduce dependence on Bing
Why the European Parliament chose Qwant over Google
The Parliament’s decision to adopt Qwant reflects a strategic commitment to digital sovereignty. While Google has long dominated European search, the EU institutions are looking to reduce dependence on American technology providers. Qwant’s promise to avoid tracking users or collecting personal data aligns with increasing European concerns over privacy and data protection.
Qwant’s current capabilities and future prospects
Qwant currently leverages Microsoft Bing’s index to deliver search results. However, it is actively co-developing its own search index named Staan in collaboration with another European search engine, Ecosia. This move towards building homegrown search infrastructure likely influenced the Parliament’s choice, viewing Qwant as a bet on European technological independence rather than a mere rebranded interface.
Context within the broader EU technology landscape
The timing of this change coincides with the European Commission unveiling new proposals aimed at reducing the bloc’s reliance on American tech giants. Despite this switch, many dependencies remain, such as the continued use of Windows, Microsoft Office, and foreign-built phones and email clients within EU institutions. The change to Qwant is a symbolic yet meaningful step in the EU’s broader digital strategy.
Importantly, the switch does not force users offline from Google. Members of the European Parliament and staff retain the option to revert their default search engine back to Google or select alternatives according to personal preference.
Via: Notebookcheck
