The European Commission is today, February 3rd, hastening the deadline to participate in their “Data Call” on “Towards Open European Digital Ecosystems”, an initiative aimed at strengthening the role of open source in technological sovereignty, competitiveness, and cybersecurity within the European Union. The proposal, driven by the Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology and the Directorate-General for Digital Services, is expected to culminate in a Communication to the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union in the first quarter of 2026.
Why does this consultation matter (and why now)
Brussels has long been reiterating an uncomfortable diagnosis: Europe relies too heavily on third countries in the digital realm, and this dependence limits options, hampers competitiveness, and complicates control over critical infrastructure (software and physical components), with a direct impact on supply chain security.
The political backdrop is also explicit. The Commission places technological sovereignty as a priority in its mandate, aligned with the political directives of President Ursula von der Leyen and the mandate letter to Vice-President Henna Virkkunen, aiming to turn open source into a practical lever: less dependence, greater transparency, and improved vulnerability management.
Open source is everywhere, but its value doesn’t always stay within Europe
The Commission starts from an idea that many technical leaders consider obvious: open source supports much of the digital economy. The consultation document mentions that, in terms of lines of code, open source software is integrated into most software solutions, with estimates ranging from 70% to 90% of software codebases containing open source components.
However, Brussels also acknowledges a paradox: a significant portion of the value generated by open source projects is exploited outside the EU, while within the continent, barriers persist to growth, public procurement entry, access to expansion capital, or dependence on critical infrastructure (repositories, cloud platforms, and “software-defined infrastructure” tools).
What does the Commission want to know? Direct questions to companies, the public sector, and the community
The call invites contributions on five very specific areas:
- Strengths and weaknesses of the European open source sector, and obstacles to adopting and maintaining secure, high-quality open software, as well as contributing sustainably to communities.
- Added value of open source in the public and private sectors, with examples and criteria such as cost, risk, dependency, security, and innovation.
- EU-scale measures to support sector growth and the agenda of technological sovereignty and cybersecurity.
- Priority technological areas (the Commission points to critical sectors like cloud, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, open hardware, or industrial sectors).
- Sectors where increased open source adoption would boost competitiveness and cyber resilience.
Maximizing the last call: straightforward, useful input
Although the format allows for short comments, the Commission emphasizes that it seeks evidence and examples to enrich the strategy. For a contribution to have real impact, it’s usually more effective when it answers three practical questions:
- What’s hurting today: license dependence, lack of alternatives, vendor lock-in, procurement barriers, compliance costs, integration issues with legacy systems.
- What has worked: migration stories, support models, project governance, supply chain security, corporate contributions to communities.
- What should change: public procurement rules, maintenance funding (not just “innovation”), incentives for contribution, European infrastructure to host and maintain digital commons.
In other words: this isn’t about simply declaring support, but about explaining specific measures that would make open source more adoptable, sustainable, and competitive in Europe.
What’s at stake: sovereignty, market, and resilience
The Commission describes this strategy as a step towards strengthening Europe’s ability to develop, maintain, and deploy critical open technologies — from cloud and AI to network infrastructure, edge computing, and data frameworks — with “open, interoperable, and verifiable” foundations. It aims for an approach that extends beyond traditional R&D programs, incorporating support and governance geared towards industrial deployment, market integration, and commercial viability.
Ultimately, the consultation offers a brief window for technology stakeholders — SMEs, public administrations, integrators, startups, technical and academic communities — to communicate a often-delayed reality to Brussels: digital dependence is not just a theoretical concept; it’s an expense, operational risk, and strategic limitation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a “Data Call” and how does it differ from a typical public consultation?
It’s a mechanism for gathering feedback, evidence, and examples to help shape a strategy or initiative—in this case, a Commission Communication focused on open digital ecosystems.
Who should participate: only experts and companies, or also citizens?
The Commission encourages all interested parties, including the open source community, businesses, foundations, public sector entities, ICT sectors, academia, and research institutions.
What technological areas are considered priorities in this European strategy?
Critical sectors such as cloud, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, open hardware, and internet technologies are mentioned, along with industrial applications (e.g., automotive and manufacturing).
What types of contributions are most influential to the Commission?
Contributions providing real-world cases, data, or experiences (such as procurement barriers, costs, dependencies, security issues, sustainability models), and proposing actionable measures with measurable impact.