The year 2020 in Review: Open Source and Digital Sovereignty in Europe

Open Source and Digital Sovereignty: 2020 - A Year of Defining Strategies

2020 was a year where the concept of digital sovereignty truly took center stage in Europe, driven by a growing awareness of the continent's dependence on non-European technologies and a desire to assert more control over its digital future. Open source software (FOSS) emerged as a key component of this strategic reorientation, with both national governments and the European Commission laying the groundwork for future initiatives.

The European Commission's Open Source Software Strategy 2020-2023

A major highlight of the year was the publication of the European Commission's Open Source Software Strategy 2020-2023. This landmark document outlined the Commission's vision for leveraging Open Source to enhance technological independence, promote innovation, and improve public services across the EU.

The strategy emphasized the principles of "Think Open", encouraging a cultural shift within the Commission towards embracing Open Source solutions. It also laid the foundation for the creation of the European Commission's Open Source Programme Office (OSPO), which would officially begin its work in the following years.

National Initiatives Take Root

Several European countries also made significant strides in developing their own Open Source strategies:

• France: The French government continued to promote Open Source within its public administration, with the DINUM (Interministerial Directorate for Digital Affairs) playing a key coordinating role. The "Blue Hats" initiative, aimed at fostering a community of Open Source users within the public sector, continued to gain traction. The concept of a “Mission Logiciels Libres” (Free Software Mission) was introduced, even though it had not yet been formally established. The Loi pour une République Numérique (article 16), which promoted the adoption of FOSS by public administrations, was also a key element of the French strategy.
• Germany: Germany saw initial discussions around the creation of the Center for Digital Sovereignty (ZenDiS), which would eventually be launched in 2022. The Sovereign Tech Fund, aimed at supporting critical digital infrastructure projects, also began to take shape. The Open Source Business Alliance (OSBA) continued its advocacy work, promoting the use of Open Source in both the public and private sectors.
• Spain: The National Security Framework (ENS) adopted in 2020 promoted Open Source as a means of enhancing security and transparency. The CENATIC (National Reference Centre for the Application of Information and Communication Technologies) continued to support Open Source initiatives.
• Italy: The Digital Transformation Team of the Italian government was the main actor promoting Open Source in the public sector, with initiatives like Developers Italia and Designers Italia.
• Sweden: The Swedish eSam programme was established as a collaboration between public bodies to promote the development of shared digital solutions, many of which were based on Open Source.

The Debate Around Gaia-X Intensifies

The Gaia-X project, launched in 2019 to create a federated European data infrastructure, continued to be a major topic of discussion in 2020. While proponents touted its potential to enhance data sovereignty and foster innovation, critics raised concerns about its governance, its inclusion of non-European tech giants, and the lack of concrete deliverables. The debate around Gaia-X underscored the complexities of building a truly European cloud ecosystem. The project was also criticized for being too focused on theoretical aspects, and for ignoring the practical needs of European companies.

Open Source and the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic, which dominated much of 2020, also had an impact on the Open Source and digital sovereignty landscape. The rapid shift to remote work and online services highlighted Europe's dependence on non-European digital platforms, further fueling the debate around digital sovereignty.

The pandemic also demonstrated the power of open source in responding to crises. The development of contact tracing apps, often built using open source components, showcased the speed and flexibility of collaborative, open source development. The Pepp-PT project, while ultimately replaced, was an example of open source development for contact tracing. However, this crisis also showed the difficulty of choosing a decentralized solution, when a centralized one (like TousAntiCovid, the French app) was already in place.

A Foundation for Future Action

2020 was a year of strategic planning and foundational work. The European Commission's Open Source Strategy, the development of national initiatives, and the ongoing discussions around Gaia-X all contributed to a growing awareness of the importance of open source for digital sovereignty.

While concrete, large-scale implementations were still relatively limited, the seeds were sown for future growth. The debates and discussions of 2020 helped to clarify the challenges and opportunities, setting the stage for more decisive action in the following years. The growing recognition of open source as a strategic asset, coupled with an increasing sense of urgency around digital sovereignty, positioned Europe for a significant shift towards a more open, resilient, and independent digital future. The year also saw increased discussions around the need for a better digital education, at all levels of society.