Commission opens call for evidence on Open-Source Digital Ecosystems

Open-source technologies are increasingly recognised as a strategic asset for Europe’s digital future. As part of this initiative, the Commission intends to set out a strategic approach to the open-source sector across the EU, alongside a review of the 2020–2023 Open-Source Software Strategy. The strategy will form a key pillar of the EU’s broader digital policy agenda.

Open source and Europe’s digital sovereignty

Boosting technological sovereignty remains a core priority for the European Commission. While the EU is home to vibrant open-source communities whose work aligns closely with EU digital rights and principles, European governments and businesses continue to rely heavily on non-EU digital technologies. This dependency limits strategic autonomy, reduces market choice, and raises concerns related to cybersecurity and resilience.

Open-source software already underpins an estimated 70–90% of all code in the digital economy. Despite this, a significant share of the economic value generated by European open-source communities flows outside the EU, often benefiting large technology companies based 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.

Addressing barriers to growth and adoption

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 European Open Digital Ecosystem Strategy will complement other major EU initiatives, including 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), which seeks to strengthen Europe’s shared digital infrastructure.

Together, these efforts are intended to reinforce Europe’s digital autonomy while fostering innovation, competitiveness, and collaboration across Member States.

Call for stakeholder input

The Commission is inviting feedback from a wide range of stakeholders, including open-source communities, developers, companies, public administrations, industry representatives, and research institutions. Contributors are encouraged to: