EU Open Source Policy Summit 2027
Turning EU Open Source ambitions into reality
Theme
Turning EU Open Source ambitions into reality
Following the publication of the EU Open Source Strategy, the European Commission has put open source at the heart of the EU’s digital sovereignty ambitions. The Strategy is a milestone, not an endpoint: the task now is to turn political commitment into policy that works in practice. Considering the current digital policy discussions, the Strategy is pivotal in laying the foundations, but it is not standing alone. In order to seize the open source strategic momentum, several policy developments that touch upon open technologies require focused engagement.
From eroding competitiveness and deepening dependency on non-EU suppliers to threats to the security and autonomy of its citizens and institutions, Europe has to meet its digital challenges with appropriate policy responses that go beyond mere technical fixes. The EU has identified open source as instrumental to its response. To turn that ambition into reality, it first has to provide the right support for the ecosystem. It’s high time that funding, stewardship, maintenance, and sustainability received the right attention.
This edition of the Summit explores how the Strategy should be implemented effectively. How can the EU reduce its technological dependency while being an active contributor to global cooperation? How can it keep existing digital businesses competitive and help new ones grow? And finally what can the EU do to support and strengthen the open source ecosystem in achieving these aims? The Summit focuses on these questions through three priorities:
- Public sector procurement spurring open source uptake and creating growth opportunities
- EU-level instruments for funding, maintenance and sustainability of the open source ecosystem
- Open hardware’s role in European industrial and digital policy
Discussions between EU and national decision makers, open source leaders, and business and industry representatives will produce concrete policy proposals, research initiatives, and cross-border collaboration models, for the benefit of Europe and its international partners. Join the conversation in Brussels to craft the next steps for European digital sovereignty.
The EU Open Source Policy Summit is set for 29 January 2026 in Brussels and will be accessible online.
About
About the EU Open Source Policy Summit
The EU Open Source Policy Summit is OpenForum Europe’s annual flagship policy event. It brings together the people shaping Europe’s digital agenda to examine how open source and open innovation fit into the EU’s legislative and policy priorities.
Participants include key policymakers from the European Commission’s Directorates-General, such as CONNECT, GROW, DIGIT, BUDG, and COMP, Members of the European Parliament, industry leaders, public sector experts, and open source professionals.
The Summit is invitation-only and runs for one day in Brussels, held alongside FOSDEM, Europe’s largest open source event, as part of the EU Open Source Week programme. Its discussions will aim to pave the path for next year’s OS policy discussions in Europe and beyond.
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