European Open Source Strategy

The European Open Source Strategy is the European Commission's policy framework that directs Commission services to prioritise open-source software for internal IT, publish Commission-developed software as open source, and support open-source communities across the EU. The strategy, first adopted in 2011 and substantially revised in 2020 (under the title "Think Open"), establishes open source as a means of reducing vendor lock-in, improving interoperability between member states, and building European digital sovereignty. In 2026, the strategy gained new prominence when OpenForum Europe proposed embedding a €350m Sovereign Tech Fund within an updated strategy renewal, framing open-source infrastructure maintenance as a direct sovereignty investment comparable to semiconductor fabrication.

The 2020 strategy's Headline commitments included requiring Commission services to consider open-source solutions equally in procurement, sharing code developed with public money through the Joinup platform, and contributing to upstream open-source projects that Commission services depend on. In practice, implementation has been uneven: the Commission released several internal tools under open licences but continued procuring proprietary enterprise software — notably Microsoft 365 — for core office functions.

The strategy's significance is dual. Within EU institutions, it signals a preference that moves budget decisions and reduces long-term dependency on US software vendors. Externally, it provides a framework for member states and EU-funded research programmes (Horizon Europe, Digital Europe) to justify open-source requirements in contracts. The proposed Sovereign Tech Fund would go further, directly funding the maintenance of critical open-source libraries and protocols that underpinning European digital infrastructure.