Commission seeks input on a 2026 EU open‑source strategy to reduce digital dependencies
The European Commission has launched a call for evidence on a forthcoming non‑legislative initiative titled Towards European open digital ecosystems, planned for adoption in Q1 2026 as a Commission Communication. Led jointly by DG CNECT and DG DIGIT, the initiative is part of the broader political priority on EU technological sovereignty, as set out in the President’s guidelines, the mission letter of the Executive Vice‑President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, and the 2025 State of the Union. It will be presented alongside the Cloud and AI Development Act and will include a review of the Commission’s 2020–2023 open‑source software strategy.
The Commission identifies structural dependence on non‑EU digital technologies as a key challenge for competitiveness, security, and resilience. Open‑source software and hardware are seen as critical tools to reduce external dependencies, improve supply chain transparency, and strengthen cybersecurity. Although open source underpins the majority of modern software stacks, much of the economic value created in the EU is captured by large non‑EU actors. EU developers and companies continue to face barriers linked to procurement practices, access to capital, hosting infrastructure, governance frameworks, and scaling opportunities, particularly beyond research and innovation funding.
The initiative aims to strengthen the EU open‑source sector across the full life cycle, from development and maintenance to market integration and long‑term sustainability. Key objectives include improving visibility and uptake of EU open‑source solutions, addressing software supply chain security and governance issues, supporting viable business and foundation models, and promoting public‑private partnerships. Particular emphasis is placed on start‑ups and SMEs, standardisation, interoperability with legacy systems, and deployment in critical areas such as AI, cloud, cybersecurity, IoT, edge computing, and industrial sectors including automotive manufacturing.
As a non‑legislative Communication, the strategy will rely on coordinated policy and funding measures rather than binding rules. The Commission expects the initiative to help Member States align national efforts and to create a supportive environment for trusted, open, and interoperable digital solutions. Stakeholders are invited to provide evidence on strengths, weaknesses, barriers, priority technologies, and sectors where open source can improve competitiveness and cyber resilience, with the consultation open for four weeks.
