EU Tech Sovereignty: A milestone for Public Code? Now implementation is key - FSFEThe FSFE intervenes in a new court case against Apple under<br>the Digital Markets Act. One more time, we are the only<br>charitable civil organization defending Free Software and<br>interoperability at the court.
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News<br>EU Tech Sovereignty: A milestone for Public Code? Now implementation is key<br>on: 2026-06-03<br>The European Commission published its Technological Sovereignty<br>Package on 3 June 2026, containing the new "Open Source Strategy". If<br>implemented, it could mark a paradigm shift by adopting the Free<br>Software Foundation Europe’s “Public Money? Public Code!” principle.<br>Its success will depend on binding rules, long-term funding, and<br>meaningful civil society involvement.<br>The European Union currently spends an estimated €264 billion per<br>year, predominantly on proprietary IT products and services, cementing<br>systemic dependencies and vendor lock-in. To counter this, the European<br>Commission’s new strategy positions Free Software, also known as Open<br>Source, as a strategic enabler for European competitiveness, explicitly<br>recognising the freedoms to use, study, share, and improve software. The<br>upcoming Cloud and AI Development Act (CADA) introduces a Free Software<br>first principle for “public cloud and AI software procurement”,<br>requiring public administrations to make software purchased with public<br>funds available for reuse. However, loopholes might be exploited and the non-binding Strategy now needs strong backing by the Commission to achieve technological sovereignty through Free Software.
“The European Commission’s explicit recognition of ‘Public Money?<br>Public Code!’ in this strategy, nine years after the FSFE launched the<br>initiative, could become a major step forward for software freedom in<br>Europe. However, the Commission still falls short on concrete goals,<br>milestones, and secure funding for Free Software. The procurement reform<br>will be a test: ‘Public Money? Public Code!’ must become a mandatory<br>requirement for public tendering. Redirecting even half of Europe’s €264<br>billion in public IT spending from proprietary lock-in to Free Software<br>would boost European tech sovereignty”,<br>says Johannes Näder, FSFE Senior<br>Policy Project Manager.<br>“We welcome the Commission’s commitment to invest across the entire<br>software stack, including Free Software operating systems for mobile<br>devices, which is essential for device neutrality and user choice. It<br>also creates opportunities for individuals, public administrations, and<br>companies to develop and maintain technology under their own control.<br>What matters now is implementation. These commitments need secured,<br>long-term funding, meaningful involvement of independent experts and<br>civil society, and effective enforcement of the Digital Markets Act to<br>ensure Free Software can thrive in a fair market”,<br>says Lucas Lasota,<br>FSFE Legal Programme Manager.<br>Key elements of the Tech Sovereignty Package<br>To counter the structural disadvantages faced by European SMEs, and<br>Free Software companies in particular, under frameworks historically<br>tailored to proprietary vendors, CADA introduces a Free Software first<br>requirement, supported by new tendering guidelines to eliminate vendor<br>lock-in, but mainly for public cloud and AI contracts.<br>The package prioritises critical technology areas for Free Software<br>development, including semiconductors such as RISC-V, cloud stacks, AI<br>frameworks, and Free Software mobile operating systems.<br>The EU aims to mobilise €2 billion over seven years "for all measures under the open source strategy", including a maintenance instrument to provide sustained<br>financial support for critical dependencies – still a small fraction of<br>the €264 billion spent yearly on proprietary software and services.<br>In partnership with Member States and European Digital<br>Infrastructure Consortia (EDICs), the EU aims to reach at least 30<br>million active users for Free Software collaboration tools and secure<br>messaging by 2030.<br>The Commission addresses the lack of independent digital education<br>and tools in the education sector by announcing support for a Free<br>Software suite for schools and universities, as well as vendor-agnostic<br>training.<br>The FSFE will actively engage with the European Parliament, Member<br>States, and civil society partners to transform these strategic goals<br>into concrete, legally binding projects.<br>Discuss this<br>Share and support<br>FediverseOKBlueskyHacker NewsRedditLinkedInE-MailSupport!Some services may be Free Software unfriendly and harm your privacy. Learn more.
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