The European Commission has published a Call for Evidence (CfE) on the upcoming European Open Digital Ecosystem Strategy, inviting stakeholders to contribute to shaping the EU’s future approach to open source and open digital assets.
The initiative aims to define a strategic approach to the open source sector in the European Union, recognising open source as a key driver of technological sovereignty, cybersecurity, and global competitiveness. The strategy underscores the growing importance of open technologies in strengthening Europe’s digital economy and reducing dependencies on non-EU solutions.
In parallel, the strategy will establish a strategic and operational framework to enhance the use, development, and reuse of open digital assets within the European Commission. This work will build on the achievements of the Commission Open Source Software Strategy 2020–2023, which promoted collaboration, transparency, and innovation through open source adoption across EU institutions.
The Call for Evidence is part of the Commission’s broader efforts in the field of digital economy and society, and seeks input from public administrations, industry, developers, academia, and civil society to ensure the strategy reflects real-world needs and opportunities.
Stakeholders are encouraged to provide feedback to help shape a more open, secure, and competitive digital ecosystem for Europe.
The challenge the initiative intends to tackle
The EU faces a major challenge stemming from its reliance on non-EU countries in the digital domain. This dependence limits user choice, weakens the competitiveness of EU companies, and can pose supply-chain security risks by reducing control over digital infrastructure, both hardware and software. Such vulnerabilities may be particularly acute in critical sectors. In recent years, open source—understood as a public good that can be freely used, modified, and redistributed—has been widely recognised for its strong potential to support a diverse ecosystem of high-quality and secure digital solutions that offer viable alternatives to proprietary technologies. In doing so, open source enhances user autonomy, helps restore control, and strengthens the resilience of digital infrastructure.
More recently, the adoption of open-source solutions in public administrations across several Member States and regions has accelerated. The establishment of the European Digital Infrastructure Consortium for Digital Commons, which aims to provide a collaborative framework to sustain and scale open-source technologies essential to public services and beyond, further demonstrates the value of a coordinated EU approach. Such cooperation is a key asset in building robust European alternatives and in enabling open-source communities and industry across Europe to scale effectively.
What is a Call for Evidence? Get involved!
A Call for Evidence (CfE) is a formal request—usually by a government body, regulator, or public authority—asking people and organisations to share information, data, research, and views on a specific topic.
Think of it as: “Help us understand the landscape before we decide what to do.”
A CfE is typically issued early in a policy or regulatory process, before decisions are made. It helps decision-makers:
- Understand the current situation
- Identify gaps in knowledge
- Gather real-world experiences
- Test whether an issue actually needs action (and what kind)
Please get involved and share your feedback here: https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/16213-European-Open-Digital-Ecosystems_en