EU pushes for open-source commercialisation to reduce tech dependence
A forthcoming EU strategy will focus on governance, security, and market integration to turn open-source innovation into viable commercial alternatives.
The European Commission is preparing a strategy to commercialise European open-source software in an effort to strengthen digital sovereignty and reduce dependence on foreign technology providers.
The plan follows a consultation highlighting that EU funding has delivered innovation, although commercial scale has often emerged outside Europe instead of within it.
Open-source software plays a strategic role by decentralising development and limiting reliance on dominant technology firms.
Commission officials argue that research funding alone cannot deliver competitive alternatives, particularly when public and private contracts continue to favour proprietary systems operated by non-European companies.
An upcoming strategy, due alongside the Cloud and AI Development Act in early 2026, that will prioritise community upscaling, industrial deployment and market integration.
Governance reforms and stronger supply chain security are expected to address vulnerabilities that can affect widely used open-source components.
Financial sustainability will also feature prominently, with public sector partnerships encouraged to support long-term viability.
Brussels hopes wider public adoption of open-source tools will replace expensive or data-extractive proprietary software, reinforcing Europe’s technological autonomy.
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