The NGI Commons consortium is travelling to Brussels on 20–21 November for two days of high-level policy discussions that will bring together EU policymakers, Member State representatives, digital governance experts, open-source leaders, and Digital Commons communities. The Digital Commons Policy Summit 2025 aims to advance Europe’s strategic vision for Digital Commons and reinforce their role within the EU’s broader digital sovereignty agenda.
The event will feature keynote addresses, strategic sessions, expert panels, and roundtables designed to inform upcoming policy processes, including EU budget discussions, the operationalisation of European Digital Infrastructure Consortium (EDIC), and long-term sustainability for the Open Internet Stack.
Day 1: Europe’s Digital Sovereignty and the Future of the Open Internet Stack
The summit will open on 20 November with remarks from Thomas Skordas, Deputy Director-General of DG CNECT at the European Commission, who will outline the Commission’s priorities around digital sovereignty, key technological focus areas, and ongoing work towards an Open Internet Stack that serves Europe’s public interest.
High-Level Policy Session: EU Budget & Digital Sovereignty
A central highlight of Day 1 will be the panel about “Digital Sovereignty: The Role of the EU Budget and Public Investment in Shaping the Internet”. Moderated by Zuzanna Warso (Open Forum Europe), the panel will gather EU leaders including:
- Benjamin Bögel, Cabinet of EVP Henna Virkkunen, European Commission
- Sergey Lagodinsky, Member of the European Parliament
Together, they will discuss how EU funding instruments can close the gaps in digital policy and support a resilient, open, and sovereign European digital ecosystem.
Operationalising Digital Commons Through EDICs
Moderated by Zuzanna Warso, a strategic session on European Digital Infrastructure Consortium and Member State collaboration will follow, with contributions from:
- Brando Benifei, Member of the European Parliament
- Emma Ghariani, French Prime Minister’s Services
- Bartek Tokarz, European Commission
- Sachiko Muto, OpenForum Europe / RISE Research Institutes of Sweden
- Adriana Groh, Sovereign Tech Agency
This session will introduce the NGI Commons roadmap and explore governance and implementation challenges as Member States prepare to scale Digital Commons infrastructure.
Roundtable on the Open Internet Stack
The first day will conclude with a roundtable on “Open Internet Stack (OIS): What Role Can the Commons Play?” moderated by Dr. Monique Calisti, featuring:
- Sachiko Muto, OpenForum Europe / RISE Research Institutes of Sweden
- Mirko Presser, Aarhus University
- Tom Collins, CityMesh
- Sophie Bloemen, Commons Network
Participants will exchange views on sustainability within the next Multiannual Financial Framework and the contributions of Commoners, funders, and EU programmes.
Day 2: Public Sector Needs and New Funding Architectures
The second day will open with the session “Commons for Governments: Identity, Procurement, Legal Status, and Market Access”. The panel will bring together experts including:
- Jordan Maris, Open Source Initiative
- Sébastien Raible, APELL
- Florian Schuck, European DIGITAL SME Alliance
- Enzo Ribagnac, CISPE (Cloud Infrastructure Services Providers in Europe)
Discussions will focus on regulatory and legal frameworks needed to help Commons thrive, addressing procurement, taxation, and trust in new forms of social and technical integration.
Funding Futures for the Commons
A follow-up session, “What Do the Commons Need? Towards a New Funding Architecture and Technical Reference Framework,” moderated by Amandine Le Pape (Matrix.org Foundation), will feature representatives from key Commons-driven initiatives:
- Francesco Siddi, Blender Studio
- Hans-Christoph Steiner, F-Droid
- Susanna Ferro, GlobaLeaks
The discussion will explore sustainable funding models, interoperability standards, and case studies of successful Commons-based digital infrastructure.
Looking Ahead
The NGI Commons consortium aims for the summit to spark coordinated policy action and deepen the integration of Digital Commons within European digital strategies. By bringing together institutions, policymakers, and Commons leaders, the Brussels event is expected to shape new pathways for long-term sustainability, interoperability, and public-interest digital innovation across Europe. Stay tuned!
