When the U.S. government imposed sanctions on the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands, it prevented the ICC’s chief prosecutor from accessing Microsoft services, including email. This prompted the Dutch government to launch a strategic initiative to reduce dependency on US-based software and services.
The resulting project is called DAWO, or Digitaal Autonome Werkomgeving Overheid (Digital Autonomous Work Environment for Government). According to Tom’s Hardware, the program aims to refresh government technologies so the Netherlands cannot lose access to critical systems due to foreign policy decisions.
The new system is built around NixOS, an operating system based on the Nix package manager. Each software package is installed in its own immutable and signed directory, making configurations easy to reproduce across multiple machines—a significant advantage for managing systems across different government departments. According to the reporting, up to 90% of a configuration can be carried over from one deployment to another. Additionally, NixOS can run on older computers that would not meet Windows 11 requirements, reducing infrastructure costs.
Three service providers—SSC-ICT, DICTU, and DUO-ICT—are overseeing the technical implementation, with oversight from the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations. Eight Dutch municipalities are currently running trial programs. The first stable version of the platform is expected to be ready by the end of 2027.
The Netherlands is not alone in this shift. According to Tom’s Hardware, Germany has already moved away from Microsoft-based systems, while Denmark and France are similarly reassessing their technology stacks. This reflects broader European concerns about US government capacity to restrict access to critical software and services.
Key facts
- US sanctions on the International Criminal Court blocked Dutch government access to Microsoft services, including email
- DAWO is a multi-year initiative to build a sovereign, NixOS-based software ecosystem for Dutch government use
- NixOS enables reproducible configurations with immutable packages, with up to 90% of setup transferable between deployments
- Eight municipalities are currently running trial programs; first stable release expected by end of 2027
- Germany has already shifted away from Microsoft systems; Denmark and France are also reconsidering their tech stacks