The European Commission is expected to present a proposal to revise the 2020–2023 Open Source Software Strategy on 15 April. The review aims to foster the development of open source software, particularly in the fields of artificial intelligence, cloud computing and cybersecurity.
Open source solutions (also referred to as free and open-source software), as digital public goods (“digital commons”) that can be freely used, modified and redistributed, represent a relevant alternative to software owned by private companies.
Their promotion contributes to greater technological autonomy for users and organisations, while also enhancing the transparency, security and resilience of digital services and infrastructures.
The adoption of open source solutions also helps to address so-called vendor lock-in, a phenomenon whereby a consumer becomes dependent on a product, service or ecosystem controlled by a single supplier, making it difficult to switch to competing providers.
The Open Source Software Strategy, adopted in 2020, follows the Tallinn Declaration on eGovernment, signed by all representatives of EU and EFTA Member States in October 2017, which established a commitment to increase the use of open source solutions and open standards in the development of software (applications, digital public services and databases) used by public administrations.
The new strategy will be based on three fundamental pillars: digital sovereignty, connectivity and cybersecurity.
In this context, it is expected to strengthen the European ecosystem of digital solutions, particularly in critical sectors such as information and communication technologies (ICT), cloud, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, open hardware and industrial applications (including the automotive and manufacturing industries).
The strategy will be complemented by ongoing legislative and programme initiatives, such as the planned Cloud and AI Development Act, as well as existing instruments such as the Next Generation Internet programme and the European Digital Infrastructure Consortia (EDICs) – legal entities created by decision of the Commission at the request of at least three Member States, aimed at implementing multi-country projects aligned with the objectives of the Digital Decade 2030 Programme.
From a procedural standpoint, the Commission launched a public consultation on 12 January 2026, which ran until 3 February, allowing for contributions from stakeholders (notably the European open source community, including developers, individual contributors, business and non-profit organisations, academia and the digital industry).
Although open source software accounts for between 70% and 90% of all code used in the European digital sector, most of the economic value generated tends to be captured by companies from third countries, particularly a small number of major technology firms.
The European Commission has identified market failures and structural barriers, namely in access to funding and critical infrastructure, which contribute to the under-deployment of these solutions.
In this context, the new strategy is expected to enable Member States to more effectively support the development of open source-based technologies and companies, strengthening European competitiveness, interoperability and digital sovereignty.
The revision of the open source strategy may have a significant impact on the community of programmers and developers contributing to free and open-source software across various sectors of the European digital economy, as well as on the private sector and public administration, by offering a wider range of options, greater control over software and reduced licensing costs.
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