Ecosia launches European search index in France

Ecosia commenced delivering search results from its own European-based search index to users in France on August 7, 2025, marking the first implementation of the European Search Perspective (EUSP) joint venture with Qwant. This development represents a significant step toward digital sovereignty for European search engines currently dependent on American technology providers.

According to the announcement made on August 7, Ecosia aims to serve 50 percent of French search queries through the new infrastructure by the end of 2025. The rollout follows the launch of European Search Perspective last year, which established the foundation for what both companies describe as an independent search ecosystem for Europe.

Technical infrastructure and capabilities

The joint venture has developed Staan (Search Trusted API Access Network), a privacy-focused search infrastructure designed specifically for European markets. According to EUSP documentation, Staan represents a full-scale search engine that handles everything from crawling and indexing to ranking and serving results, rather than functioning as a proxy for existing search providers.

French users now receive a portion of their search results directly from this European index, with plans to expand to other countries following the initial implementation. The infrastructure supports multiple languages, with French and German serving as the primary focus areas during the rollout phase.

Technical specifications indicate that Staan operates through real-time web crawling and indexing systems. The API provides direct access to fresh web content and implements advanced reranking algorithms to optimize result relevance. According to the platform documentation, the system delivers results specifically optimized for AI applications and generative language models.

Market context and competitive landscape

The initiative addresses significant dependencies within the European digital ecosystem. Current data indicates that approximately 99 percent of European search queries are handled by just two American companies, with the remainder supplied by a Russian state-owned entity. This concentration has created substantial technological dependency for European digital businesses and government institutions.

Microsoft's dramatic increase in Bing API pricing during 2023 forced many European search engines to reconsider their reliance on American infrastructure. According to EUSP documentation, this pricing change specifically impacted Qwant's business model and contributed to the decision to develop independent search capabilities.

The French Ministry of Defense began using Qwant as its default search engine in October 2018, followed by aerospace company Safran deploying Qwant across 91,000 users in January 2019. The National Centre for Space Studies implemented Qwant as the default search engine across all four centers in April 2019, including the Guiana Space Centre.

Financial structure and investment model

Unlike Ecosia's steward-owned structure where 99.99 percent of shares belong to a foundation, EUSP is configured to allow external investment for long-term infrastructure scaling. The search index remains available to other technology companies seeking alternatives to American search providers.

Ecosia's 2023 financial reports indicate annual revenue of 35.3 million euros, with the company using 80 percent of profits to support tree-planting initiatives. The partnership with Qwant represents a strategic shift toward infrastructure investment rather than exclusive focus on environmental projects.

Investment details for the joint venture remain undisclosed, though both companies have committed engineering resources and data science expertise to the project. Ecosia is providing cash contributions while Qwant transfers existing search indexing infrastructure and technical personnel.

Regulatory environment and digital sovereignty

The European Union's Digital Markets Act has intensified focus on reducing dependence on American technology platforms. Google's compliance modifications in November 2024 included over 20 changes to search functionality in European markets, affecting how users interact with results for products, hotels, and flights.

The European Commission's preliminary findings in March 2025 suggested that Google may be violating Digital Markets Act provisions through preferential treatment of its own services. This regulatory pressure has created opportunities for alternative search providers to establish market presence.

France's National Commission on Informatics and Liberty issued a legal reminder to Qwant in February 2025, clarifying that data processed by the search engine to Microsoft constituted personal data rather than anonymous information. This ruling highlighted privacy concerns surrounding European search engines' relationships with American technology providers.

User experience and implementation details

Initial users in France will likely notice minimal changes to their search experience, as the European index results integrate seamlessly with existing result sets. The system operates behind the scenes while gradually replacing reliance on American search providers.

According to Christian Kroll, CEO of Ecosia, "Having our own search infrastructure is a critical step towards plurality; a healthy and diverse search market reflecting multiple perspectives, and building Europe's own digital tools."

Technical implementation involves sophisticated content filtering and ranking algorithms designed to provide relevant results across French language queries. The system processes both web content and news sources to deliver comprehensive search capabilities comparable to established providers.

Performance metrics indicate that the European index currently covers substantial portions of French-language web content, with ongoing expansion to include additional European languages and regional content sources.

Industry implications for marketing professionals

The development holds particular significance for digital marketing professionals operating within European markets. Independent European search infrastructure could alter current advertising and optimization strategies that primarily focus on Google and Microsoft properties.

Search engine optimization practices may require adaptation as European search providers implement different ranking algorithms and content evaluation criteria. The emergence of privacy-focused search infrastructure could influence how marketers approach data collection and user targeting within European markets.

According to PPC Land's reported analysis of search market dynamics, alternative search engines face significant challenges competing against Google's 87 percent global market share. However, European regulatory pressure and digital sovereignty initiatives may create opportunities for regional providers to establish meaningful market presence.

The introduction of European search infrastructure represents a fundamental shift in how digital marketing professionals must consider market diversification strategies. Traditional reliance on American search platforms may prove insufficient as European alternatives gain traction among privacy-conscious users and government organizations.

Marketing campaigns targeting European audiences may benefit from understanding how independent search providers prioritize content and evaluate commercial relevance. The emphasis on privacy and data protection within European search infrastructure could influence how businesses approach content optimization and user engagement strategies.

Technical architecture and API access

EUSP's Staan API provides programmatic access to the European search index through multiple integration methods. The system supports traditional search queries alongside specialized APIs designed for AI applications and language model integration.

According to technical documentation, the API delivers real-time search results with consistent geographic and temporal scaling. The architecture implements advanced content filtering and source verification to ensure result quality and relevance.

Developer access includes comprehensive documentation and client software development kits optimized for European market requirements. The system provides detailed source attribution and content metadata to support applications requiring transparent information sourcing.

Integration capabilities extend beyond traditional search applications to include data enrichment, AI-powered summarization, and embedded search functionality for third-party platforms. The European infrastructure ensures GDPR compliance and implements privacy-first design principles throughout the technical stack.

Timeline

• May 25, 2011: Qwant founded in Nice by Jean-Manuel Rozan, Éric Léandri, and Patrick Constant
• February 16, 2013: Qwant launches beta version in 15 countries and 35 languages
• December 7, 2009: Ecosia search engine launches to coincide with UN climate talks in Copenhagen
• November 2024: Ecosia and Qwant announce European Search Perspective joint venture
• August 7, 2025: European search index begins serving results to French users through Ecosia
• Additional related developments include Google's ongoing compliance modifications under the Digital Markets Act and the broader context of search market concentration concerns affecting European digital sovereignty initiatives.

Key terms explained

European Search Perspective (EUSP): The 50-50 joint venture between Ecosia and Qwant that serves as the corporate structure behind the European search index initiative. EUSP was established to create independent search infrastructure for European markets, combining Ecosia's cash resources with Qwant's technical expertise and existing indexing capabilities. The joint venture represents a strategic response to increasing costs and dependencies associated with American search providers.

Staan (Search Trusted API Access Network): The technical infrastructure powering the European search index, designed specifically for privacy-first search operations and AI applications. Staan operates as a comprehensive search engine system that handles crawling, indexing, ranking, and result delivery without relying on external American providers. The API provides real-time access to European web content with advanced reranking capabilities optimized for language models and generative AI applications.

Digital sovereignty: The concept of European control over critical digital infrastructure and data flows, reducing dependence on foreign technology providers. Digital sovereignty has become a central policy objective for the European Union, encompassing everything from cloud computing to search engines. This initiative reflects broader concerns about technological dependency and the need for European alternatives to American and Chinese digital platforms.

France: The initial deployment market for the European search index, chosen as the home country of Qwant and representing a strategic starting point for broader European expansion. French users serve as the testing ground for the independent search infrastructure, with Ecosia aiming to serve 50 percent of French queries through the European index by year-end. The French market provides crucial data for refining the system before expansion to other European Union member states.

Search infrastructure: The comprehensive technical systems required to operate an independent search engine, including web crawling, content indexing, query processing, and result ranking algorithms. Search infrastructure represents one of the most complex and resource-intensive technology challenges, requiring substantial investment in servers, bandwidth, and specialized expertise. The European initiative demonstrates the scale of commitment necessary to challenge established American search providers.

API (Application Programming Interface): The technical interface that allows developers and applications to access the European search index programmatically. The Staan API provides structured access to search results, enabling integration with various applications, AI systems, and third-party platforms. API access represents a crucial component for scaling the European search infrastructure beyond direct consumer applications to serve business and development communities.

Privacy-focused: The design philosophy emphasizing user data protection and minimal tracking, distinguishing European search providers from American alternatives. Privacy-focused search represents a core differentiator for European providers, implementing GDPR compliance and avoiding the extensive user profiling associated with traditional search engines. This approach reflects European regulatory requirements and consumer preferences for enhanced data protection.

Microsoft: The American technology company providing Bing search services that many European search engines have historically relied upon for results. Microsoft's dramatic API pricing increases in 2023 forced European providers to reconsider their dependencies and contributed directly to the decision to develop independent infrastructure. The company's role highlights the challenges facing European search engines operating within American-controlled ecosystems.

Joint venture: The corporate structure enabling Ecosia and Qwant to combine resources while maintaining separate organizational identities. The joint venture model allows for shared investment and risk while preserving each company's distinct brand positioning and environmental or privacy commitments. This collaboration represents a strategic approach to competing against much larger American technology companies through European cooperation.

Search index: The massive database containing information about web content that enables search engines to deliver relevant results to user queries. Building an independent search index requires continuous web crawling, content analysis, and sophisticated ranking algorithms to determine result relevance and quality. The European search index represents a multi-million euro investment in challenging the dominance of Google and Microsoft in European markets.

Summary

Who: Ecosia and Qwant through their European Search Perspective joint venture, serving users in France with expansion planned for other European countries.

What: Launch of an independent European search index called Staan that delivers search results without relying on American technology providers, aiming to serve 50 percent of French queries by end of 2025.

When: August 7, 2025, with the European Search Perspective joint venture announced in November 2024 and implementation beginning in France as the initial market.

Where: France serves as the initial deployment market, with plans to expand across European Union member states and support for French and German language queries initially.

Why: To establish digital sovereignty for European search infrastructure, reduce dependency on American technology platforms, and create privacy-focused alternatives responding to regulatory pressure and pricing changes from existing providers.