The EU Open Source Strategy is a cornerstone of the Tech Sovereignty package, supporting open source ecosystems across the EU - encouraging the development and uptake of European alternatives.
Despite being home to a community of over three million open source contributors, Europe depends heavily on non-EU digital providers across software, cloud, AI and infrastructure. Open source provides sovereignty tools to overcome these dependencies – more control, less lock-in, stronger security, and reusable building blocks.
Why open source?
Freedom
Avoid lock-in and keep control of data.
Security
Code is open to inspection.
A global community can fix issues.
Choice
Lower barriers for users, especially public administration, SMEs and start-ups.
What is the potential of open source for Europe?
Greater control of digital building blocks
Europe is highly dependent on non-EU digital technologies and services. Switching to open source solutions strengthens the autonomy of users, giving them the ability to reuse and control digital tech in a transparent way.
Lower costs
Europe spends more than €260 bn each year on digital technologies from third countries. Less dependency on proprietary systems and reusable solutions will save resources.
Greater competitiveness
EU companies, especially SMEs, can benefit from increased choice, accelerate innovation and develop new business models by integrating open source in their solutions. Businesses in traditional sectors can use open source to speed up their digital transition and innovate collaboratively.
European Alternatives
Developing European open source solutions supports greater choice for businesses, public authorities and citizens while respecting EU values. There are already over 500 for profit open source companies in Europe working in key sectors including cloud, software defined industrial systems, cybersecurity and data.
EU intervention
Open source facilitates the implementation of EU legislation and policy, including the AI Continent Action Plan, the Interoperable Europe Act and the Cloud and AI Development Act (CADA). Open source underpins secure and sovereign EU technologies such as the EU Digital Identity (EUDI) framework.
Four key objectives of the EU Open Source Strategy
Open Source for tech sovereignty
Boost the development and adoption of open source alternatives in line with EU values.
A vibrant Open Source ecosystem
Developed through businesses, communities, governance, security and maintenance, skills.
Open Source in public administration
- Provide guidelines and best practices for procurement.
- Strengthen the Commission’s own use of open source.
Reinforced standards and international outreach
- EU Tech Business Offer: promoting open source solutions internationally.
- Better integration of open source into standardisation processes.
More on the EU Open Source strategy
The EU Open Source Strategy places open source at the centre of the EU’s technological sovereignty...