Asger Risom
The Commission frames the issue as more than an economic imbalance.
Europe is moving more decisively toward digital sovereignty in 2026, signalling that its long-standing dependence on US technology providers is no longer politically or economically acceptable.
A new European Commission consultation on open source software marks one of the clearest steps yet in that direction, touching everything from cloud infrastructure to artificial intelligence and connected vehicles.
The move reflects growing concern in Brussels that Europe’s digital foundations are controlled elsewhere, leaving governments, companies, and citizens exposed to external political pressure and supply chain risks.
A four-week consultation with broad ambitions
The European Commission has launched a four-week call for evidence, running from January 6 through February 3, 2026, under the banner “Towards European Open Digital Ecosystems.”
The consultation seeks input on how open source software could play a central role in reducing Europe’s reliance on non-EU technology providers.
According to the Commission, much of the value created by open source projects is currently captured outside the EU, often by large technology firms that benefit from scale, network effects, and privileged access to markets.
European developers and companies, by contrast, face steep barriers when trying to commercialize or deploy their work at scale.
Digital dependence as a strategic vulnerability
The Commission frames the issue as more than an economic imbalance.
Dependence on foreign cloud platforms, AI models, and software stacks is increasingly viewed as a strategic weakness that limits user choice, weakens European competitiveness, and creates security risks across both software and hardware supply chains.
This concern spans a wide range of sectors. The consultation explicitly covers cloud computing, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, open hardware, internet infrastructure, and industrial domains such as automotive manufacturing and smart factories.
Europe’s open source paradox
Europe already hosts one of the world’s largest and most active open source communities. Much of the global digital infrastructure, including operating systems and networking software, relies heavily on work done by European developers.
Yet that strength has not translated into sustainable businesses or widespread adoption within public institutions.
Once research grants end, many projects struggle to secure long-term funding. Others find themselves locked out of public procurement processes or unable to compete with established proprietary platforms.
The Commission acknowledges that funding open source purely through research programs has not been enough to support long-term growth or industrial deployment.
From research projects to viable ecosystems
The initiative calls for a shift toward sustainable support structures that help open source projects mature into viable products and services. That includes governance frameworks, maintenance funding, software supply chain security, and better integration into real-world deployments.
There is also an emphasis on new business models for open source companies and foundations, including public-private partnerships that could help bridge the gap between community-driven development and commercial viability.
Part of a larger sovereignty push
This consultation is designed to work alongside upcoming legislation such as the Cloud and AI Development Act, which is expected to further define Europe’s approach to critical digital infrastructure.
Taken together, these efforts suggest the EU is no longer content with incremental adjustments. Whether this push results in a genuinely independent digital ecosystem or simply reshapes existing dependencies remains an open question, but the direction is clear: Europe wants more control over the technology it runs on.
Sources: European Union
