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The year 2023 in Review: Open Source and Digital Sovereignty in Europe

2024-01-01

Open Source and Digital Sovereignty: 2023 - A Year of Building Momentum

The year 2023 saw a continued surge of interest in Open Source software (FOSS) as a cornerstone of digital sovereignty across Europe. While debates around specific regulations and implementations raged on, there was a clear trend towards recognizing the strategic importance of FOSS for economic growth, security, and technological independence.

The EU's Open Source Strategy Takes Shape

The European Commission continued to build upon its Open Source Software Strategy, with the Open Source Observatory (OSOR) playing a key role in providing resources, analysis, and guidance to public administrations. OSOR's activities, including the publication of country-specific reports on OSS adoption, offered valuable insights into the diverse approaches being taken across the continent. It also organized events that brought the FOSS community together, such as the “OSOR turns 15” event.

The Next Generation Internet (NGI) initiative, meanwhile, kept supporting numerous Open Source projects through its various funding programs. The launch of the NGI0 Commons Fund, specifically dedicated to digital commons (mostly F/OSS software), marked an important step in providing financial support to the FOSS ecosystem. This also includes support for projects developing solutions for a stronger European presence in areas such as the Fediverse.

National Initiatives Gain Traction

Across Europe, individual countries continued to develop their own approaches to Open Source and digital sovereignty:

  • France: The "Mission Logiciels Libres" (Free Software Mission) within the DINUM (Interministerial Directorate for Digital Affairs) consolidated its activities, promoting Open Source adoption across government ministries, and the BlueHats community continued to gain traction. The year also saw continued debate surrounding the "Cloud de Confiance" strategy and its reliance on licensed US technologies, with actors like the CNLL raising concerns about its effectiveness in achieving true sovereignty. The publication of a detailed market study on FOSS in France, “Open Source Monitor France”, based on a quantifiable methodology, provided valuable data for future debates. The “Acteurs du Libre” awards highlighted the continued growth and innovation within the French FOSS ecosystem.
  • Germany: Germany saw the establishment of ZenDiS (Centre for Digital Sovereignty of Public Administration) to promote OSS adoption in the public sector. The Sovereign Tech Fund continued to provide funding for critical digital infrastructure projects. Germany also focused on mandating FOSS usage in public administration, and its competition authority opened an investigation into potentially anticompetitive practices in the cloud market.
  • Spain: The CENATIC (National Reference Centre for the Application of Information and Communication Technologies based on Open Source) continued its activity of promoting Open Source in Spain, with a particular focus on public administrations.
  • Sweden: The Swedish Agency for Digital Government (DIGG) played a key role in driving OSS adoption, and a national network for sharing best practices related to Open Source and data (NOSAD) was created.
  • Italy: The Developers Italia initiative continued to promote FOSS solutions for public administrations, and the Department for Digital Transformation lead efforts to coordinate the adoption of open source software.
  • Other countries: The Netherlands strengthened its focus on “open unless” policies, while the Open Ireland Network (OIN) emerged as a key organization connecting the open source community with the government.

The Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) Debate Heats Up

The proposed Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) became a focal point for discussions within the European Open Source community. While the Act's goal of improving cybersecurity was widely supported, organizations like APELL, the CNLL, OW2, the Eclipse Foundation, and the Linux Foundation Europe expressed concerns about its potential negative impact on FOSS development.

The key issues raised included the broad definition of "commercial activity," which could inadvertently capture non-profit FOSS projects, and the significant compliance burdens placed on developers and organizations. The debate highlighted the need for a more nuanced approach to regulating Open Source, one that recognizes the unique characteristics of FOSS development models. The ITRE committee was also criticized for their definition of key terms in the act.

Industry Voices and Advocacy

APELL (Association Professionnelle Européenne du Logiciel Libre) emerged as a prominent voice representing the interests of European Open Source businesses. The organization actively engaged in policy discussions, published position papers, and organized events to raise awareness about the importance of FOSS for digital sovereignty.

Euclidia emerged as a new, high-level organization, with the stated goal of promoting a more unified European approach for the Cloud.

OpenForum Europe continued its work of promoting an open and competitive digital ecosystem in Europe.

Key Themes Emerge

Several key themes dominated the Open Source and digital sovereignty discussions in 2023:

  • Digital Sovereignty Beyond Data Localization: The debate moved beyond simply hosting data within Europe, with increasing recognition that true sovereignty requires control over the entire technology stack, from hardware to software.
  • Public Procurement as a Strategic Tool: Public procurement was recognized as a powerful lever for promoting Open Source adoption and supporting European tech companies. The "Public Money, Public Code" principle gained further traction.
  • The Need for Sustainable Funding Models: Discussions highlighted the importance of creating sustainable funding models for Open Source projects, moving beyond reliance on volunteer contributions and exploring mechanisms like grants, public-private partnerships, and commercial support services. The NGI initiative was cited as a good example of “cascade funding”.
  • Skills and Education as a Priority: The need to address the skills gap in the Open Source sector was repeatedly emphasized, with calls for integrating Open Source principles and practices into education at all levels.
  • The Importance of Collaboration: A common thread throughout the year was the emphasis on collaboration—between governments, industry, and the Open Source community, as well as between different European countries. The OSPO Alliance promoted the creation of Open Source Program Offices, as key structures for collaboration.

Looking Ahead

While 2023 saw significant progress in raising awareness about the importance of Open Source for digital sovereignty, many challenges remain. The ongoing debates surrounding the CRA, the implementation of national Open Source strategies, and the need to build a robust European tech ecosystem will undoubtedly shape the landscape in the years to come.

The momentum built in 2023 provides a solid foundation for continued progress. The growing recognition of Open Source as a strategic imperative, coupled with the increasing engagement of policymakers and industry leaders, suggests that Europe is moving towards a more open, resilient, and sovereign digital future.