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Axtio
Trends

The EU Data Act and switching tools: what it means for your project data

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Axtio Team
October 4, 2026 ยท 6 min read

For years, switching software meant losing something: history, attachments, the structure of your projects, or simply the weeks it took to migrate. Vendors knew it, and lock-in became part of the business model. European regulators have been pushing back, and the EU Data Act is the most significant step so far.

What the Data Act is

The EU Data Act is a regulation on fair access to and use of data. It entered into force in January 2024 and most of its provisions have applied since 12 September 2025. Among other things, it covers:

  • Access to data generated by connected products
  • Fairness in data-sharing contracts
  • Switching between data processing services, including cloud and SaaS providers

The switching rules are the part most relevant to project and productivity tools.

The switching rules, in plain terms

The Act aims to remove obstacles to moving from one data processing service to another. In broad terms, it requires providers in scope to:

  • Allow customers to switch, with a defined notice and transition period
  • Help customers export their data in a structured, commonly used format
  • Phase out switching charges, with full removal of charges for switching from 12 January 2027

Exactly which services are covered, and how the rules apply in practice, is detailed and still being worked out through guidance and enforcement. This is a summary, not legal advice.

What it means for small teams

Even if you are not in the EU, the direction of travel matters. Regulators increasingly treat data portability as a right, and tools that make leaving hard will face more scrutiny.

When choosing a project tool, ask:

  • Can I export everything? Projects, tasks, comments, attachments, history.
  • In what format? JSON or CSV you can use elsewhere, or a proprietary file?
  • Is export available on every plan, or only paid ones?
  • What happens to my data when I cancel?

Lock-in is not only contractual

Even with perfect export, switching is costly if your workflow is built around one tool's quirks: custom fields, automations, integrations. The simpler your setup, the easier it is to move. See the hidden cost of overcomplicated software.

Local-first is the strongest form of portability

The most portable data is data that already lives with you. Axtio's free version stores your board in your browser's local storage, with no account and no server copy, and can export the whole board as JSON. There is nothing to request and no switching process to negotiate. See JSON export and data freedom and digital sovereignty.

A simple habit

Whatever tool you use, export your data once a quarter and look at the file. If you cannot make sense of it, you do not really own it. See SaaS consolidation in 2026 for the broader clean-up.