The European Commission is actively seeking feedback on new plans to grow and strengthen the region’s open-source ecosystem. The goal is to lessen Europe’s reliance on non-European tech giants, especially in the cloud computing space. This initiative, called “Towards European open digital ecosystems,” aims to make open-source a core part of Europe’s digital future, supporting both public agencies and private companies.

Strengthening Europe’s Open-Source Future

The strategy focuses on increasing the adoption of open-source technologies across various sectors, including government, industry, and startups. The European Union sees open source as essential for boosting competitiveness and innovation, particularly in areas like cloud computing, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and open hardware. Special attention is given to key industries such as automotive manufacturing and heavy industry, which are critical to Europe’s economy.

The European Commission is calling on stakeholders from the open-source community—developers, vendors, researchers—to share their feedback before the consultation closes on February 3. They believe that open source can help Europe regain control over its digital infrastructure and make it more resilient against external pressures. The EU recognizes that open-source code is already embedded in most software systems, with estimates suggesting that between 70% and 90% of all lines of code are open source. The rise of open AI models also highlights the growing importance of open-source in AI development.

Addressing Dependency and Fostering Innovation

Despite its large open-source developer communities, Europe still faces challenges. Many European companies struggle with high entry barriers and the dominance of global tech giants outside the EU, which often capitalize on the value created by European developers. The Commission pointed out that both public procurement and private markets are affected by the network effects of these dominant players, making it hard for new entrants to compete.

The EU has previously invested in open-source initiatives like the Next Generation Internet and GenAI4EU. However, officials believe these efforts are not enough. They argue that sustainable support and governance frameworks are needed to help open-source communities grow and thrive. The new plans will include a mix of funding and policy measures aimed at scaling open-source projects and updating the EU’s existing open-source strategy from 2020-2023.

As geopolitical tensions rise, many European organizations see open-source as a vital alternative to US-based cloud providers. Recent surveys show that a majority of CIOs and IT leaders now prioritize open source when choosing cloud services, citing geopolitical concerns as a key factor. This shift underscores the importance of developing a robust, European-led open-source ecosystem to secure digital sovereignty and reduce external dependencies.

Inspired by

• https://www.computerworld.com/article/4115567/eu-looks-to-bolster-its-open-source-sector-to-counter-us-cloud-dominance.html

Sources

• europa.eu
• europa.eu
• gartner.com