GettyImages © Khanchit Khirisutchalual
Boosting European technological sovereignty is a key priority for the Commission with the open source sector considered particularly important to European ambitions. The Commission plans to set out a strategic approach to the open source sector in the EU and present a review of the 2020-2023 open source software strategy.
While across the EU there are thriving communities of open source developers whose work is aligned with EU digital rights and principles, European governments and companies are heavily dependent on non-EU digital technologies, hampering choice, competitiveness and creating challenges for cybersecurity. Open source software underpins 70-90% of all code in the digital economy, yet of the value generated by European open-source communities flows outside the EU, often benefiting tech giants elsewhere. With the importance of open source only growing, such as in key sectors such as high-performance computing and edge computing, a strategic approach is critical.
However, EU stakeholders face significant barriers including limited access to growth capital, and essential infrastructure. Supporting communities through research programmes alone has proven insufficient for successful scaling of open source solutions.
The forthcoming strategy will complement the forthcoming Cloud and AI Development Act and builds on successful EU initiatives such as the Next Generation Internet programme and the recently launched Digital Commons European Digital Infrastructure Consortium (EDIC).
The Commission invites input from open source communities, developers, companies, public administrations, industry, and research institutions. Stakeholders are specifically asked to identify barriers to open source adoption, demonstrate the added value of open source and share suggestions for concrete EU level measures to strengthen the ecosystem.
The final strategy, expected in Q1 2026, will establish a comprehensive framework supporting the entire open source lifecycle from development to market integration.
The consultation will close on 3 February 2026. Feedback can be submitted on the Commission Have Your Say platform.